Video One Publications

DIFFERENT TYPES  OF TV’S

ANALOG

According to best sources, by the end of 2006 regular airwave transmissions will be sent in Digital format, (English translation, if your still getting you TV signal via an indoor or outdoor antenna). If you still have an Analog TV you will need to get a converter box or you are out of luck. Some of the main problems with Analog are that you still see the Horizontal scan lines that you don’t see on HD TV’s whether you are getting HD or not, so the bigger the TV the more you see the lines. You also will NEVER be able to upgrade an Analog TV to HD.

Analog TV’s range in size from 5” to 60” and most, (not all) are in the 4X3 aspect ratio. From sizes 13” to 36” try to at least buy one with a flat screen picture tube!

DOC’S PICK FOR ANALOG TV’S!:
Size 5” – 36”, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Sharp, Philips, Magnavox, etc.

EDTV
Enhanced Definition TV

EDTV , (Enhanced Definition TV), sometimes referred to as Digital TV, is the middle line between Analog and HD, (High Definition). Not many TV’s are EDTV and they range from CRT’s, LCD, Rear Projection CRT, LCD, LCOS and DLP. Basically I put this in here because some salesmen are passing off EDTV as HD. EDTV CANNOT be changed over to HD.

HD TV
(Ready, Compatible, Upgradeable)

To try to end the confusion, HD Ready, HD Compatible and HD Upgradeable mean the same thing, they DO NOT have the Integrated HD tuner build in. If you have Satellite TV you will still need to get a Satellite HD TV tuner, (about $300.00). Where the Integrated tuner comes in for satellite is most satellite companies DO NOT transmit your local stations in HD. If you have Cable TV and a HD ready, compatible or upgradeable  TV you STILL need to get and use a Cable Box from your Cable Company, (and NO a DIGITAL CABLE BOX is NOT the same as a HIGH DEFINITION CABLE BOX). So if you want to stay ahead of the game, get a TV with the Integrated tuner or better still, one with a cable card slot. Who knows, the satellite companies may give up Football down the road.

HD TV INTEGRATED

HD TV Integrated means that it has the HD tuner built in. The reasons that this is good is for your local stations if you have satellite TV and if you DO NOT have premium stations, (HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, etc) you don’t have to rent the HD box from the Cable Company. By the way Cable Companies buy their boxes on low bid, so the one’s that are build into the TV tend to give you a better picture.