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Furniture

2003-12-01 10:58:00

Should I purchase HDTV?

ANSWER: High Definition Television is the new standard in technology that will noticeably change the way we watch television. For starters, the HDTV 16/9 widths to height ratio is much wider than that of the standard television system's 4/3 ratio, giving the viewer a 1/3 wider screen closely resembling the wide screen image seen in a movie theater.    Not only is the picture wider with HDTV, it is much sharper and clearer than standard television. Composed of 1080 active lines, the HDTV picture contains 5 times more information than does the standard television picture, which uses 486 active lines. In addition, the color resolution for HDTV is more than twice that of the standard television system.    And finally, unlike the standard television system's 2-channel stereo sound, HDTV offers CD quality 5.1-channel surround sound (left, right, center, left rear, right rear, and low frequency effects).   If you purchase a standard television set, you will still receive all of your current channels. However, your standard TV set will not be able to receive high definition television signals. Even with a special HD digital set top box, your standard television will not produce true high definition sound and picture quality. For that, you will need a HDTV capable set.   With the exception of the few sets that offer integrated HDTV tuner/decoder, the purchase of a separate set-top-box is a necessity.  Many manufacturers do not offer decoders simply because it keeps the cost of the new sets down, and many cities in the country simply do not have high-definition broadcasts. For those without local HDTV broadcasts, many of today's set-top-boxes will offer a satellite decoder to ensure HDTV virtually anywhere in the country with use of a small dish. Some cable companies have started testing in several cities, but the service still requires that you lease a decoder box before you can receive HDTV.   An integrated HDTV is one that has a built-in HDTV tuner built in to the TV. The advantage is that you don't have to spend additional money for an external box to receive HDTV. However, the disadvantage is that if you subscribe to a cable or satellite service, their box may be required to receive their HD channel service. Also, if standards or technology do change, you are stuck with the tuner you have in the set.    An HD-upgradable, HD-ready, or HD-compatible TV has everything you need to watch HDTV once your HDTV signal is acquired, but you must add an additional set-top-box to receive HDTV signals. The advantage is that you have the flexibility to add the type of set-top-box that suits your needs, such as broadcast, satellite, or cable. The disadvantage is that you may have to pay, rent, or lease the set-top-box in addition to paying for the TV itself.   The smartest thing to do would be to buy a separate TV and set-top-box DTV tuner. This way, the most you'd have to do in the future is to switch to a new set-top-box, and not replace your entire DTV set. The biggest and fastest decline in prices will be in set-top- box decoders. These products are chip based electronic boxes. Therefore, as production volumes rise, the prices will drop. The price for decoders of equivalent performance dropped by roughly 25% per year through 2001. Current prices have leveled off. Over the next two to three years we should see further declines but at a slower pace.   As HDTV programming increases and manufacturers target a broader consumer audience, we will see smaller (under 36"), less expensive sets, with HD capability. But inch for inch, the price premium for HD on small sets may actually be higher than on large ones.