Decoding the Acronymns of TV Technology

By Dave Donovan

It wasn't so long ago that if you wanted to watch television, you would walk over to the box, pull or turn the button, sit back and enjoy three full channels of options. At least until 2 a.m., when the national anthem came on and the day’s broadcast was concluded. That was a mere 20 years ago! Kids look at you like you're a caveman when you speak of those times. Today, with 250 channels of 24-hour multi-colored frenzy available, you can understand why. There are now more viewing options than ever, and with digital sound, cable and satellite systems offer endless channels of music, movies, and - unfortunately - reality shows.

Television technology has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years, just trying to keep up and make the most of the new broadcasting capabilities. This article is to help the common person to get a better handle on what all of the new 3- and 4-letter acronyms mean and what they stand for. Let's take a closer look at these mysterious words.

HDTV: For a few years now, we've seen or heard "Broadcast in HD" while watching certain television programs. HDTV stands for High Definition Television. HDTVs offer more lines of resolution, allowing for a sharper and clearer picture. HD programs are broadcasted in 16:9 ratio compared to the non-HD ratio of 4:3. That's the reason for the bars on the sides of the picture when you watch a 4:3 ratio program on an HDTV. The programs broadcast in HD 16:9 are in letterbox format, with black bars above and below the picture. HD programs usually include 5.1 digital sound for an enhanced viewing and listening experience. You may notice a strange combination of numbers and letters when you look at your HD components. You may see 720p60 or possibly 1080i50. Here's what they mean:

720p60 - Stands for 1280 by 720 pixels with progressive encoding at 60 frames per second.
1080i50 - Stands for 1920 by 1080 pixels, interlaced with 50 fields (25 frames) per second.

In order to receive the benefits of HDTV, all of your components, like your cable or satellite box, must be HDTV capable. For more information on hooking up a High Definition television, see our easy set-up guide.

LCD: No, it's not the drug from the 60's, although many may agree it's almost as addictive. LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display, and is becoming very popular for computer monitors. LCD monitors are very energy efficient, requiring little power to perform. So, is there liquid in the screen? Yes, in the form of liquid crystals. When energized, the crystals twist and permit light to filter through. The whole process is very complicated and delicate.

DLP: DLP is one of the more recent developments in television technology. It stands for Digital Light Processing, and was developed by Texas Instruments in 1987. Originally developed for projectors, it uses a series of microscopic mirrors on a semiconductor chip. For every pixel, there is one mirror. The television's resolution determines how many mirrors are used per chip. With DLP, there is no worry of phosphur burn-in, like on older sets. The technology also enables longer life of the television.

Plasma: Plasma display is flat, and uses gases to produce light. Neon and Xenon gases are used in plasma displays. The use of gases ensures a very bright display and allows for a very broad spectrum of colors. Plasma is highly regarded for its "pure black," which makes watching movies much more realistic. Some benefits that Plasma has over other display technologies is the fact that it can handle much larger screen sizes, it is viewable from many more angles, and the contrast ratio is usually greater.

Which television set is the right one for you? That depends on your viewing preference, but not nearly as much as it does on your budget. With prices nearly equal to that of a small car, many of these large screens are for the independently wealthy only. But as the case always is with electronics, the price will eventually come down to achievable levels. Whether or not you can wait for the price to drop is up to you.

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