HDTV Flatscreens

High Definition TVs (HDTVs) are the newer LED, LCD and plasma TVs. They have great brightness and high resolution. You can even see blades of grass on the screen.

To be considered an HDTV, the TVs must have at least 720 lines of resolution (720p). The old tube TVs had 480 lines of resolution. Most of the better TVs have 1080 lines of resolution (1080p).

Types of HDTVs

The newest technology is the LED TV. The LED stands for light emitting diode. These are the very thin TVs. LCD TVs are Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD). LCD TVs are the same technology as computer monitors. The last technology is plasma. Basically, there is a gas in the screen. Each of the technologies has its advantages. It’s best to first ask a knowledgeable expert on your specific application (lighting in room, design of room, budget), but the final decision is really personal preference.

Although 1080p is the highest standard, most broadcasts over cable or satellite come in at 720p. The bandwidth needed to send a 1080p broadcast is too high. The cable/satellite companies do offer some movies in 1080p, but these are usually sold at a premium over pay per view.

1080p and Blu-Ray

The best way to see a full 1080p movie is to watch it over a blu-ray DVD player. Blu-ray DVDs are 1080p. If you go into a big retailer and see a great picture and wonder why that looks better than the TV in your home, it’s because they are playing it over a blu-ray.

Future Home sells all major brands of TVs at prices that match the big retailers.