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| Things To Know This guide will help you find the right TV to suit your needs. | |   | What are the different types of TVs? | Just a short time ago, there wasn't much choice when it came to buying a television – you just went to the store, chose the appropriate size, took the "tube" home and plugged it in. Nowadays, there are several kinds of TVs to choose from, and each has its own benefits. Here's a basic overview of the major technologies: | | | | Plasma | | A plasma TV is a thin, high-resolution flat panel screen. Plasma displays are bright, have a wide color range, and produce deep, true blacks. How does a plasma TV work? Its screen uses a matrix of tiny cells that are charged by precise electrical voltages to create a picture. Plasmas come in a range of sizes (Panasonic even manufactures a 103" model, the world's biggest), have a wide viewing angle, and can either be wall-mounted or placed on a stand. | |  | | | LCD | | Like plasma TVs, LCD TVs are flat panel displays that can be wall-mounted or displayed on a stand. LCD technology works by sending varying electrical currents through a liquid crystal solution that crystallizes to form the image you see on the screen. Although prices for very large screen LCDs (bigger than 40 inches) are falling, they still tend to be more expensive than their plasma counterparts. LCDs are a good solution for smaller rooms, like an office, a guest bedroom, or even a bathroom. In smaller sizes, LCD is fast becoming the definitive replacement technology for CRT. | |  | | | Rear-projection | | A rear-projection television refers to a TV in which images are projected and reflected onto the screen from behind. Like plasma and LCD TVs, rear-projection TVs support the most advanced levels of High Definition on the market today, and they have flat screens that can be manufactured in very large sizes. Rear-projection TVs tend to take up more space than flat panel monitors, but with high performance and affordable prices, they're a cost-effective alternative to plasma and LCD displays. A new light source technology called LIFI, used only in Panasonic rear-projection TVs, results in an extremely long lifespan and remarkably short start-up time. | |  | | | Front-projection | | A front-projection television provides a viewing experience closest to being in an actual movie theater. It's a two-piece system, using a projector and a separate screen. The projector can be placed on a shelf or a coffee table, or mounted to a wall or ceiling. Front-projection systems require external components such as speakers and a TV tuner, making the total system substantially more expensive. | |  | | | CRT | | CRT is the display technology used in standard 4:3 TVs, and it's hardly changed since its consumer debut in the 1930s. CRT stands for "cathode ray tube," which is where the nickname "the tube" came from. CRT TVs work by sending an electron beam through a vacuum tube toward a screen coated with phosphor; images are produced when the beam strikes the surface of the screen. CRTs are relatively cheap and offer good image quality, but they're big and bulky, especially when they have a large screen. | |  | | | | Which style of TV will best suit my home or office space? | Whether your TV will go in your home or office, in your living room or den or bedroom, the viewing environment plays a big role in determining which TV you should get. There are pros and cons to each type of television, so the right choice will be different for each situation and location. | | | | Where should I place the television? | | Plasma and LCD TVs can be either mounted on a wall or displayed on a stand or in a cabinet, which makes them a very versatile choice. Wall mounting can save a lot of space, and acts as an elegant visual element in the room. To avoid any technical problems, it's usually a good idea to have the TV professionally mounted. Panasonic plasma owners can take advantage of the Plasma Concierge program, which offers priority scheduling for professional installation. Rear-projection TVs tend to take up more space than flat panel displays, but are still sleek and stylishly designed. CRTs take up the most space, especially those with large screens; the larger the screen, the deeper, heavier, and bulkier the body. | |  | | | Does it matter how much light the viewing environment gets? | | The lighting issue is actually a lot less important now than it was in the past. While it used to be that ambient light could create a glare on flat-screen monitors, new anti-glare technology has all but eliminated that problem. Nowadays, you can get great performance from both LCD and plasma TVs even in high-sunlight situations. As far as other TV options are concerned, front-projection TVs (which work much like a movie theater, with a screen and a separate projector) require an extremely dark room to get a good picture. | |  | | | | What factors contribute to getting the best picture quality? | With new advances in technology, watching a movie at home can be just as good as going to the cinema. TVs nowadays are able to render gorgeous color, fluid motion, and realistic images. But what's behind such great picture quality? | | | | What is resolution, and how does it affect image clarity? | | Resolution refers to the number of pixels per inch that a screen can display, and it's the main thing that sets High Definition apart from Standard Definition. All flat panel LCDs and plasmas are what's called "fixed-pixel" displays, which means they use pixels to display an image. HDTVs are quantified by the number of pixels per vertical line – so a TV designated as "720" has 720 vertical pixels, and a TV designated as "1080" has 1080 vertical pixels. TVs with a higher pixel count have a higher resolution, and therefore produce a clearer, more detailed image, than those with a lower pixel count. | |  | | | What's the difference between Standard Definition and High Definition? | | Standard Definition Television (SDTV) is the TV you grew up watching. With a resolution of 480 pixels per inch and an aspect ratio of either 4:3 or 16:9, SDTV broadcasts were the norm for many years. High Definition Television (HDTV) was introduced in 1998, and it's gained traction very quickly. HDTV broadcasts have a resolution of up to 1080, for a more detailed, realistic picture. HD has become the de facto standard for newly manufactured television sets, which offer a slew of technical features to provide the most immersive TV viewing experience ever. | |  | | | What is the difference between 1080p, 1080i, and 720p? | | Above, we described what 1080 and 720 mean. The letters "i" and "p" refer to whether a TV displays its pixels in an interlaced format ("i") or a progressive-scan format ("p"). Interlaced means that the television renders each line of pixels in an alternating pattern, resulting in a choppier image. Progressive-scan means that each line of pixels is rendered consecutively, resulting in a smoother, more realistic image. 1080p, the newest of the technologies, combines a high pixels number with progressive scanning to produce crisper images and more fluid motion. While broadcast content is not yet available in 1080p, you can now watch movies in this "true" High Definition format with a Blu-ray Disc™ Player, which provides 1080p resolution. | |  | | | What is contrast ratio, and how does it affect black-level performance? | | Contrast ratio is defined as the ratio of the brightest white compared to the darkest black that a monitor can display. The higher a television's contrast ratio, the more dazzling and realistic its pictures. Contrast ratio is also a measure of a TV's black-level performance. A television with a high contrast ratio produces deep, rich blacks. This "true black" is especially important when it comes to watching movies, because it leads to more realistic-looking images. | |  | | | What is aspect ratio, and what's the difference between 4:3 and 16:9? | | Aspect ratio is the relationship between the horizontal and vertical measurements of a television screen. Traditionally, TV sets have had a square shape with a ratio of 4:3. Because movies are filmed in widescreen mode, watching a movie on a standard television set often requires either the reformatting of the movie to fit the screen, or the use of letterboxes, which are those black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Today's flat-panel HDTVs have an aspect ratio of 16:9, providing a much more cinematic experience in the comfort of your own home. | |  | | | | Are certain TVs better for certain types of content? | An HDTV will help you get the most out of whatever you're watching, especially with new advances in motion and color reproduction technology. Depending on the type of content you plan to watch most often, whether it's movies, sports or video games, you may want to consider certain features. | | | | Do plasma TVs really portray motion better than LCD TVs? | | Historically, 1080p plasmas have been better for watching fast-motion graphics, since they combine extremely high resolution with progressive-scan technology. And while plasma TVs still represent the gold standard in motion graphics, new technological advances are allowing some LCDs portray movement just as smoothly. New Panasonic LCDs have a feature called Motion Picture Pro, which combines 120Hz technology and image interpolation to simulate in-between frames so that even high-speed action in movies and sports is rendered with striking fluidity and realism. | |  | | | Are some TVs better for watching movies? | | Crisp, realistic color is always important, but especially when it comes to watching movies. One of the biggest factors in a TV's ability to render beautiful color is its resolution: TVs with a higher resolution (ie, 1080) reproduce more pixels per inch than those with a lower resolution (ie, 720 or 480). Also important is a TV's ability to display rich, deep blacks. Traditional CRTs have great black-level performance, but that's generally overshadowed by their other shortcomings. If you want a flat-panel display, plasma TVs tend to render "true black" better than LCDs. | |  | | | Are some TVs better for watching sports? | | For fast-motion sports, you want a television that won't blur or stutter, and for that the most important factor is a high pixel refresh rate. Plasma TVs that use "progressive scan" technology are more suited to fast action than those that scan their images in an "interlaced" format. As far as LCDs, new 120Hz LCD TVs with image interpolation are able to simulate in-between frames, improving their ability to render the fast motion of a sports game. | |  | | | Are some TVs better for gaming? | | People who play video games tend to keep their TVs turned on for long periods of time, so they should consider how much power their TVs consume. Gamers also used to be concerned with something called "image retention," which occurred when an image was left standing in one place for an extremely long time. Older plasmas may have had some issues related to image retention in the past, but new features such as screen savers and pixel orbiting have eliminated this problem. If you're a hardcore gamer, it's best to go for a TV that gives you great motion graphics quality. Black-level performance is also important, as the tiny nuances in image clarity can really give you an edge in your game. | |  | | | | How do I get High Definition content? | Almost anything you watch on an HDTV is going to look good, but to fully maximize its capabilities you'll want to take advantage of HD content. While still limited, HD content is available from a variety of sources, including network TV, digital cable, Blu-ray, and video games. | | | | How can I receive HD content through network or cable television? | | Major networks such NBC, CBS, Fox, and ABC are now broadcasting in HD. Local cable television companies usually offer these HD broadcasts as part of their digital broadcast service. Since HD will not work with analog service, the HD broadcasts will appear on a separate channel. For example, if Fox is channel 5, the HD broadcast of Fox might appear on channel 105. Satellite TV companies such as DirectTV and Dish Network offer additional HD programming as an upgrade. This may require the installation of a new satellite receiver box and/or satellite dish. | |  | | | Does my old DVD player work with my HDTV? | | An HDTV gives you a truly cinematic experience right in your own living room, even when you watch your old DVDs on your old DVD player. But while your HDTV supports 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, most older DVD players output only a 480p MPEG2 video stream. Additionally, DVDs themselves do not have "native HD" resolution; they have a native resolution of 480. You can upgrade the quality of your DVDs in two ways. First, your HDTV can scale the DVD signal (480) to fit its pixel grid (720 or 1080). Also, newer DVD players are able to up-convert the DVD's 480p signal into 720p and 1080i. Both of these up-converting capabilities, especially when they work in tandem, will make watching your old DVDs more enjoyable. | |  | | | What is Blu-ray Disc? | | Blu-ray Disc™ is the next generation format for HD entertainment. It looks similar to DVD, but has a much higher capacity (up to 50GB, compared to DVD's 4.7GB), with more advanced performance and features. Because Blu-ray content is High Definition, with up to full 1080p resolution, using this format maximizes the capabilities of your HDTV. | |  | | | Are video games available in HD? | | Yes, new video game systems like Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 output content at an HD resolution of 720 or 1080. | |  | | | | How does an HDTV connect with other devices? | With such a variety of media formats these days, a TV needs to be more than just a TV. Whether you want to view your photos and home videos, play video games, watch movies, or use your TV as a computer monitor, it’s now easier than ever to connect with your other electronic media devices.
| | | | Can I view my digital photos directly on my television? | | Yes! Your HDTV can become a large-scale, flat-screen photo album. Many Panasonic HDTV models even have a built-in SD Card slot, so all you have to do is pop the SD card out of your digital camera and insert it directly into your television monitor. | |  | | | What is an HDMI cable, and do I need any additional cables? | | HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface, and it's the only cable you need to connect your camcorder, DVD player, or Blu-ray Disc™ player to your HDTV. HDMI is an all-in-one multimedia cable and supports high-quality digital video and audio. | |  | |
 | 4:3 is the traditional width to height aspect ratio for a television display. When displaying widescreen content, 16:9 images, a 4:3 screen appears with blacked-out rectangles above and below the image, which is known as "letterboxing." | | | A Plasma Television is a thin, high-resolution flat panel display characterized by a fluid presentation of motion, a bright picture and excellent color reproduction and contrast. A plasma's image is produced when tiny cells imbedded in the TV's screen are charged by precise electrical currents. Plasmas can be either mounted on the wall or displayed on a stand, and have become a popular choice for a large-screen, High-Definition television experience. | |
| A Pixel is the smallest element of a digital image. When viewed up close, digital images will appear as a grid of pixels. Pixels are often referenced when describing the resolution capability of a device - the more pixels per inch, the higher the resolution. | |
| High Definition (HD) is a television and movie display technology that offers a significantly higher image quality than Standard Definition and features a wide screen format and surround sound capabilities. High Definition boasts either 720 or 1,080 lines of resolution (presented in either interlaced or progressive scan format), and uses a 16:9 aspect ratio (width:height), which is wider than the 4:3 ratio of standard televisions. | | | Aspect ratio describes the relationship between the width and height of a TV or display screen. Traditional displays have an aspect ratio of 4:3, meaning that for every 4 inches of width, there are 3 inches of height. This results in a screen that looks almost like a square. Many newer displays have an aspect ratio of 16:9 (also known as "widescreen format"), so their screens are almost twice as wide as they are tall. | |
| 1080p is a High Definition (HD) video mode with 1,080 lines of vertical resolution, normally presented in 16:9, widescreen format. The letter "p" stands for progressive scan, or non-interlaced, which is an image display method that yields faster, more detailed pictures than those on standard televisions, which are subject to occasional flickering or distortion. | | | Blu-ray Discs (BD) are high-density optical discs that store digital media, most notably High-Definition video. They are gaining in popularity due to their superior image quality and their ability to hold substantially more data than standard DVDs. Blu-ray Discs use a blue-violet laser instead of the infrared lasers used for DVDs and CDs. |  | |
 | Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards | |  | | Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards are a widely used format for flash memory in portable devices like digital cameras and handheld computers. When you take a picture with a digital camera, that data is stored on the camera's SD Memory Card, a postage stamp-sized flash memory drive that can be popped in an out of your camera or other compatible devices. SD cards are available in 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, and 512 MB, and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 GB. |  | |  |
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