Christmas is fast approaching. Almost all shops everywhere is starting to display their fabulous Christmas items for sale. On top of all those wonderful things we see nowadays, there is always one top gift we can give to our loved ones. This gift surely exceeds all other’s expectations and you will never go wrong as everyone will definitely love it. And so, hitting the number 1 place in our Christmas list is the LCD HDTV and Plasma HDTV which suits everyone’s taste. Below is the Top 10 LCD HDTV and Plasma HDTV Christmas Gifts for 2008:

1. Samsung LN52A650 52-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color. This amazing and sizzling hot LCD HDTV with its unique touch of red color has a wide connection panel view at its rear for everything starting with an Ethernet connection for RSS to PC Audio In (Headphone Jack) to PC Video in (VGA) with HDMI 3 In and RCA Audio Out, Ex-Link, HDMI 2 Audio In and another HDMI 1 In on top of 2 component video and audio 1 and 2, Optical SPDIF Audio Out, up to an Antenna In. This HDTV ranked the best LCD TV in the latest consumer reports.

2. Samsung LN46A650 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color. With an elegant touch of color bezel, this 46-Inch LCD TV boasts of its full HD 1080p Resolution, 120Hz Auto Motion Plus, 4 HDMI Inputs, and super clear panel on the 2nd notch. Weighing only at 58.6 pounds, this HDTV comes with a set of 2 trusurround speakers almost giving you the fun of being in a movie house.

3. Samsung LN32A450 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV. Not so small yet not so big and fits a family of 3-4, this 32-Inch LCD HDTV has 720p HD Resolution, wide color enhancer, 3 HDMI Inputs, and 6ms response time which is totally faster than many other luxurious 1080p models that lets you see the real beauty and smoothness of a motion picture even with highly-technical fast-moving action and sports scenes.

4. Samsung LN40A550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV. If you want the sharpness and high definition of a plasma TV, 40-Inch is what you are long looking for. Equipped with a Full HD 1080p Resolution, 3 HDMI Inputs, USB 2.0, wide color enhancer, and HDMI-CDC, this LCD TV is the perfect catch to get this Christmas season. With its fast 5 ms response rate, it gives you the edge to appreciate highly moving sports and action movies, and a dynamic contrast ratio of 30,000:1 definitely makes for an elegant blacks and crisp lines (15,000:1 in 32-inch and 37-inch models). Moreover, with its USB port and 3 HDMI 1.3 ports, you will surely enjoy connecting all your electronics in an instant.

5. Samsung LN46A550 46-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV. If you’re the type who sticks with his favorite sports channel everyday, you will absolutely enjoy having one of this 46-Inch LCD HDTV.

6. Samsung LN40A650 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color. Fully loaded with a full HD 1080p Resolution, 120 Hz Auto Motion Plus, 4 HDMI Inputs, and a super clear panel with a touch of bezel color, this LCD TV will always keep you posted all the time.

7. Samsung LN37A550 37-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV. This 37-Inch LCD HDTV will drive you nuts with a Full High Definition 100p Resolution, 3 HDMI Inputs, USB 2.0, HDMI-CDC, and a wide color enhancer, life seems to be perfect!

8. Samsung LN46A750 46-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color. This Full Wrap Touch of Bezel Color LCD HDTV, with ISP Addressable with 1 GB internal memory, with 4 HDMI Inputs, 2 Components Inputs, 1 PC Input, USB 2.0, HDMI-CEC, wide color enhancer and full 1080p HD Resolution with 120 Hz Auto Motion Plus, on top of the RSS-Infolink, Wheel Key Remote, and SRS Surround Sound, no one will never go wrong with this incredible purchase.

9. Samsung LN19A450 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV, Black. Perfect for bachelors, this 19-Inch LCD HDTV offers 720 HD Resolution; wide color enhancer, 1 HDMI Input, and 8 ms response time giving you the time of your life.

10. Samsung LN52A550 52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV. Wrapping up the Top 10 LCD HDTV and Plasma HDTV Christmas Gifts for 2008 is last but not the least the 52-Inch fully equipped HD 1080p Resolution LCD TV that comes with 3 HDMI Inputs, wide color enhancer, USB 2.0, and HDMI-CDC, this gift will always be cherished.

This is our list of the Top 10 LCD HDTV and Plasma HDTV Christmas Gifts for 2008 perfect for your loved ones. Also perfect if it’s used as a tool for bonding and entertainment especially this yuletide season.

There’s a lot of talk these days about frame rates in the new HDTVs. The frame rate is simply the number of distinct images a TV screen can display in a second, and is also known as the display rate or “Hertz”. Hertz is the scientific unit for cycles per second, and is abbreviated “Hz”. The latest buzzword is “120Hz”, which means a display rate of 120 frames per second. This is twice as fast as most HDTVs are capable of (60Hz), so it ought to make the moving pictures look smoother. But, the human eye can only process about 20 to 25 distinct images per second, so why should it matter what the frame rate is, as long as it is faster than your eyes can see?

The answer comes when you realize that not all video is filmed at the same rate. Movies are usually filmed at a rate of 24 Hz, most TV is filmed at 30 Hz, and some sports events are now being filmed at 60 Hz.

Some simple math will show the problem and reveal the solution. When a TV set wants to display 60 frames per second, and the cable TV company sends it 30 frames per second, that’s easy to deal with: the TV shows each frame twice in a row, creating an image made up of two consecutive frames. Each image will last exactly 1/30th of a second on the screen, and things will look perfectly smooth.

So what happens when your DVD player sends 24 frames per second to the TV, but the TV still wants to show 60 on the screen? This is a little slower than the cable TV frame rate, so if it simply shows each frame twice and then waits for the next one, there will be a black gap in between and the movie will look terrible. So, the TV needs to triple one frame, double the next, triple the following one, and so on, giving it a total of 60 frames to show each second. This is known as 3:2 Pulldown.

The 3:2 Pulldown trick works OK, but there is a problem. One image lasts a 20th of a second, then the next lasts a 30th. A 20th of a second is long enough for most people to tell that it’s really a static image, and when the camera pans around in a scene, things will seem to move unevenly. But if your TV is able to display 120 frames per second, it can take the 24 Hz input and simply show each frame 5 times in a row for a total of 1/24 (or 5/120) second per frame, with no variation from frame to frame. And when 30Hz video comes in, it displays each frame 4 times in a row, for a total of 1/30 (or 4/120) second per frame. Problem solved.

Now that frame rates are fast enough to display any kind of input smoothly, HDTVs not only have high resolution in the x and y (height and width) dimensions, but also in the t (time) dimension. As in all kinds of digital media, higher resolution means smaller units of data, and that means a more lifelike reproduction of reality. The 120Hz frame rate won’t be very common until 2008, but a few HDTVs already have it, like the Sony Bravia XBR4 series and the Sharp Aquos 92U series.

HDTV has certainly entered the fourth dimension (time), but has skipped the third (depth) in the process. Until we see start seeing holographic movies on DVD, we’ll have to wait for true four-dimensional TV.

For the longest time I thought a refurbished TV and a used TV were different terms for the same thing. In fact, I thought refurbished was just a half-dollar word for used. I sure am glad someone set me straight. Knowing the difference saved me from my own ignorance.

When a buddy at work told me he’d just bought a refurbished set online and gave me the store’s website address, I just smiled, thanked him and stuck it in my wallet. What I was thinking though was, man, things must be tight for Doug if he’s buying a used TV set. I’m really glad I kept my mouth shut though and chose to say nothing. It would have made me look stupid.

A couple of weekends later, I was at his house. We’d gone inside for a cold one and I was looking around for the set he’d gotten such a great deal on. The only one I saw was this massive 52″ plasma flat panel on the main wall of the living room. He laughed at the stunned look on my face, but I couldn’t hide the fact I was impressed. The thing looked brand new.

He asked if I’d been to the website he’d given me, and I had to admit I hadn’t because I thought it was for used TVs. So he explained to me that a refurbished TV was not really used, it was one whose original factory seal had been broken. Maybe somebody took it home for a few days and decided they wanted a different size, or they may have realized as soon as they got it out of the box that it wasn’t what they wanted.

For whatever reason, it came back to the store, where it could no longer be sold as new. It’s then sent back to the factory where they test it thoroughly, repack it and send it on to distributors they’ve authorized to sell the ‘refurbs’ to the general public. I’ve listed a few sites below that really give you some great resources for finding these deals on your own. You really should check them out.

Anyway, I’ve been doing some research of my own since then, trying to scare up a great deal for myself on a refurbished HDTV. I’ve wanted one for a long time, but the price has kept me from indulging. But now that I know more about refurbished TVs, I may never buy new again. Why pay twice as much if you can’t tell the difference between a brand new set and a refurbished one?

I’ve got my eye on a really sleek Sony 48″, but I’ll need to decide pretty quick if I want to be sure of getting it. If there is a downside to refurbs, it’s that the set you see this week may not be around by next week. The retailers’ inventory depends on what the factory sends them, which is in turn determined by what the customers bring back to their place of purchase.

So my advice is this: if you see something you like, you need to act on it, and with savings of up to 70% in some cases, it’s really not hard to make up your mind. Check out the links below to see how you can find YOUR best deal and save a couple thousand bucks in the process.

When considering the history of plasma television screens, you have to understand the history that is behind this remarkable invention. The first plasma screen television has come quite a long way. However, the reason for the invention was not simply to provide men with amazing sports viewing.

The plasma TV developed as a result of the computer generation. It is incredible that this based viewing device is not a new idea. It has been around for quite some time. Perhaps a bit of a history lesson is in order for you to understand how this application came to be available for the masses.

It all began in 1964 at the University of Illinois. At this time, computer monitors were simple televisions. You have to realize that the televisions at this time were cathode ray tubes. They had to continuously refresh themselves in order to display correctly.

That was a big problem when using a television as a computer monitor. Sure it was okay for watching tv shows, but the resolution for computers was terrible. By the end of the year the first plasma monitor was in operation.

Today’s plasma TVs have millions of cells that comprise the color and resolution of the screen. That initial plasma monitor was only one cell. However, it was still a step in the right direction.

There was a set back, though. Liquid crystal displays became the more acceptable method and this technology was put on hold. Fast forward a few years and flat screen television sets became widely popular.

Plasma TV has made a huge impact on how people watch television and use their computers. HDTV has become a very popular item, as evident by the sheer number of plasma television screens in retail stores.

The price, once a huge problem due to how expensive they were, is now becoming much more affordable. There are a large number of people who now own these remarkable flat screen televisions.

The world owes the scientists at the University of Illinois a great big thank-you. Had it not been for their need to have a new computer monitor, the world may never have seen a plasma TV.

The big screen television sets would still be the TV of choice and a clear picture would still have been a dream instead of a reality. Those scientists did it and now people around the world can enjoy great television viewing at a great price.

The reviews are in! Although, the Samsung LN46A650 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV has been on the HDTV market for almost a year now, this LCD HDTV has lived up to the quality that Samsung has been known for.

Many professional reviewers will review a product when it first arrives on the market, but their review is based on a very limited amount of use. Oh sure, in the case of an HDTV, the picture quality can be stunning, and all the features impressive, but can it stand the test of time?

Standing the test of time is what is important to you as a potential consumer of the Samsung LN46A650. Based on the thousands of reviews that are available for the Samsung LN46A650, I can conclusively tell you that this HDTV is the real deal.

Now, in this review, I am going to go over what it is about this television that has made the grade. But at the same time, I will try to explain, as brief as possible, the features that I mention. Many reviewers will toss around the technical terminology, assuming you know what they are talking about. You may know, but let’s face it, we are not all efficionados when it comes to the technical advances in electronics.

So, with all that said, here is my review for this Samsung 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV. Just in this last sentence, with the name of this product, I’ve already thrown out terminology that probably looks foreign to you.

What is a “1080p 120Hz HDTV, anyway? The “1080p” is a reference to the resolution of the television viewing screen. The actual resolution of this HDTV is 1920 x 1080. These two numbers represent the quantity of pixels that run vertically and horizontally, 1920 being the horizontal number, and 1080 being the vertical number. What this means to you is, the more pixels, the sharper the images will be.

When you multiply these two numbers together you get a total of 2,073,600 pixels. Currently this is the maximum amount of pixels you can get with an HDTV. One misconception is that the pixels will increase with the bigger viewing screen. This is not the case.

The “p” in 1080p, stands for “progressive scan.” This progressive scan is where all the 1080 image lines are refreshed according to the refresh cycle. Now, this may be going deeper into the technicalities than I need to to give you a good honest review of this TV. Just understand that 1080 progressive scan is the highest refresh cycle you can get.

Just for the record, many people wonder what is the difference between HDTV (High Definition) and SDTV (Standard Definition). Briefly, high definition (HD) provides six times more pixels than a standard definition (SD) television. Again, what’s important for you to understand, is that HD has a much sharper picture than SD.

Let’s move on to what “120Hz” means in regards to the HDTV. Samsung has a feature called “Auto Motion Plus 120Hz.” Again without going into unnecessary technical details, there has been talk of a juddering effect or motion blur with these high quality HDTV‘s. Motion blur is fairly self-explanatory, but what is juddering? Briefly, film is shot at 24 frames per second, yet televisions display film at 30 frames per second. In trying to manage the two to work together, they use what is called a “pulldown method.”

Long story short, this created, a motion blur and/or a vibration effect, or what they call in the industry, juddering. To correct this problem, Samsung has developed there “Auto Motion Plus 120Hz” feature. What this does is creates new frames at a faster pace to virtually do away with this problem.

Is the problem one-hundred percent resolved? Well, no, but the Auto Motion Plus 120Hz, feature, has greatly enhanced your viewing pleasure. The motion blur or juddering effect is so minimal, that it virtually goes undetected to the average viewer.

All-in-all, this Samsung 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, is all that it is cracked up to be. Does this TV come with a perfect track record? No, it doesn’t. There have been some common problems with some of these manufactured TV’s, but for the most part, some 97% of the user reviews that I have come across, are highly positive, for this HDTV. Professional reviews, as well, are a notch higher in there positive sway towards the Samsung LN46A650.

With all that said, I do highly recommend this TV, but with one caveat, you purchase yourself some extended warranty protection, in the event that some of the more common problems occur over time. Now, I say this not to scare you away from purchasing this HDTV, if you are in the market for one, because this one is a good one. I say this because all models have issues that may have to be dealt with, and no matter what HDTV you purchase, your investment is not a small one, and one you will want to protect.

The link provided here, will take you to a more detailed page regarding this Samsung LN46A650 HDTV. There you will find more information regarding the common problems that have cropped up with this TV. I call them “common problems,” but I say common only in reference to the problems themselves. Problems are not common to this Samsung LN46A650 HDTV.

You will also find, detailed product information, user review quotes that may be important, as well as, some additional commentary to help you decide if this HDTV is for you. You will also find purchase information, as well. Through those links you will be directed to reputable online sellers that also have great track records in customer service.

Thin, light, beautiful, and more entertaining these have been the main characteristics of a flat screen HDTV or high definition television , now add affordable. Flat screen tv comes in different TV technologies such as CRT, plasma, projection, DLP and flat-panel LCD. You will find that flat Panel HDTV screen sizes also vary. They range from 20 inches to over 70 inches. Now prices are plunging for nearly every technology and screen size and flat panel HDTV‘s have never been more affordable.

Historically flat screens have also been expensive. In fact, a single flat screen HDTV as recently as a year ago had an average price tag of $1,500 to $20,000 depending on the televisions technology, specs and size. Some of the more costly including the 70 inch Sony KDS-R70XBR2 and the popular Panasonic TH-42PX60U 42″ Plasma HDTV to name a couple have seen significant price reductions in just the past 6 months.

Some industry experts believe that the average price of a flat screen HDTV will continue to plummet in the coming year due to creative innovations by new players. These so-called newbies, such as Olevia, in the business have started producing quality flat screen HDTV‘s and cut the cost of production. In fact it was reported in August 2006 that the average price for 40 inch to 44 inch LCD flat panel HDTV‘s in North America dropped below those for high-definition plasma HDTV‘s for the first time.

The price of LCD flat screen HDTV‘s previously had always been higher than Plasma flat panel tv’s. This being the case there were not many 40 inch or larger LCD HDTV models manufactured. With the price decrease and a manufacturing increase you should already be seeing more LCD flat screen HDTV models, even 40 inch and above, available at previously unheard of prices.

“We’ve seen this repeatedly in the past,” according to Rosemary Abowd, Vice President with Pacific Media Associates. “When the price of LCDs match or drop below the prices for plasma HDTVs of the same size, LCDs win. We expect that LCDs will account for the majority of unit sales in the 40 inch to 44 inch range soon.”

You benefit by being able to buy a larger size flat screen HDTV, at a lower price point. So regardless of the technology, because of the pressure of industry competition and price competition the purchase of a flat screen HDTV should be less painful to your bank account.

One industry expert Shelly Palmer Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group, LLC stated that, “All sets of similar prices are of similar quality. This may sound obvious, but it will not look obvious when you get to the store. A 42 inch set for $1,200 is going to be lower quality than a $1,200 37 inch set, right? Think again. All $1,200 sets are the same. All $4,000 sets are the same. All $10,000 sets are the same. There is way too much downward price pressure for this not to be true. You can happily buy bigger for cheaper – you will not get hurt”.

Do your research. Determine exactly what you need in a flat screen HDTV. Look at sets from the popular flat screen HD TV manufacturers like Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Sharp, LG and compare to some of the new guys also. Don’t let price deter you from buying a flat screen HDTV any longer, now the price is right.

The reviews are in! Although, the Samsung LN46A650 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV has been on the HDTV market for almost a year now, this LCD HDTV has lived up to the quality that Samsung has been known for.

Many professional reviewers will review a product when it first arrives on the market, but their review is based on a very limited amount of use. Oh sure, in the case of an HDTV, the picture quality can be stunning, and all the features impressive, but can it stand the test of time?

Standing the test of time is what is important to you as a potential consumer of the Samsung LN46A650. Based on the thousands of reviews that are available for the Samsung LN46A650, I can conclusively tell you that this HDTV is the real deal.

Now, in this review, I am going to go over what it is about this television that has made the grade. But at the same time, I will try to explain, as brief as possible, the features that I mention. Many reviewers will toss around the technical terminology, assuming you know what they are talking about. You may know, but let’s face it, we are not all efficionados when it comes to the technical advances in electronics.

So, with all that said, here is my review for this Samsung 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV. Just in this last sentence, with the name of this product, I’ve already thrown out terminology that probably looks foreign to you.

What is a “1080p 120Hz HDTV, anyway? The “1080p” is a reference to the resolution of the television viewing screen. The actual resolution of this HDTV is 1920 x 1080. These two numbers represent the quantity of pixels that run vertically and horizontally, 1920 being the horizontal number, and 1080 being the vertical number. What this means to you is, the more pixels, the sharper the images will be.

When you multiply these two numbers together you get a total of 2,073,600 pixels. Currently this is the maximum amount of pixels you can get with an HDTV. One misconception is that the pixels will increase with the bigger viewing screen. This is not the case.

The “p” in 1080p, stands for “progressive scan.” This progressive scan is where all the 1080 image lines are refreshed according to the refresh cycle. Now, this may be going deeper into the technicalities than I need to to give you a good honest review of this TV. Just understand that 1080 progressive scan is the highest refresh cycle you can get.

Just for the record, many people wonder what is the difference between HDTV (High Definition) and SDTV (Standard Definition). Briefly, high definition (HD) provides six times more pixels than a standard definition (SD) television. Again, what’s important for you to understand, is that HD has a much sharper picture than SD.

Let’s move on to what “120Hz” means in regards to the HDTV. Samsung has a feature called “Auto Motion Plus 120Hz.” Again without going into unnecessary technical details, there has been talk of a juddering effect or motion blur with these high quality HDTV‘s. Motion blur is fairly self-explanatory, but what is juddering? Briefly, film is shot at 24 frames per second, yet televisions display film at 30 frames per second. In trying to manage the two to work together, they use what is called a “pulldown method.”

Long story short, this created, a motion blur and/or a vibration effect, or what they call in the industry, juddering. To correct this problem, Samsung has developed there “Auto Motion Plus 120Hz” feature. What this does is creates new frames at a faster pace to virtually do away with this problem.

Is the problem one-hundred percent resolved? Well, no, but the Auto Motion Plus 120Hz, feature, has greatly enhanced your viewing pleasure. The motion blur or juddering effect is so minimal, that it virtually goes undetected to the average viewer.

All-in-all, this Samsung 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV, is all that it is cracked up to be. Does this TV come with a perfect track record? No, it doesn’t. There have been some common problems with some of these manufactured TV’s, but for the most part, some 97% of the user reviews that I have come across, are highly positive, for this HDTV. Professional reviews, as well, are a notch higher in there positive sway towards the Samsung LN46A650.

With all that said, I do highly recommend this TV, but with one caveat, you purchase yourself some extended warranty protection, in the event that some of the more common problems occur over time. Now, I say this not to scare you away from purchasing this HDTV, if you are in the market for one, because this one is a good one. I say this because all models have issues that may have to be dealt with, and no matter what HDTV you purchase, your investment is not a small one, and one you will want to protect.

The link provided here, will take you to a more detailed page regarding this Samsung LN46A650 HDTV. There you will find more information regarding the common problems that have cropped up with this TV. I call them “common problems,” but I say common only in reference to the problems themselves. Problems are not common to this Samsung LN46A650 HDTV.

You will also find, detailed product information, user review quotes that may be important, as well as, some additional commentary to help you decide if this HDTV is for you. You will also find purchase information, as well. Through those links you will be directed to reputable online sellers that also have great track records in customer service.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) involves advanced technology that was introduced by Texas Instruments. The process involves 1.3 million microscopic mirrors of Digital Micromirror Devices (DMD). This is a type of technology used to get more pixels onto High Definition Television (HDTV) so the picture is clearer. This entire concept is currently known as DLP HDTV.

The DMD is the main component of the DLP HDTV system. This tiny gadget holds all the small mirrors that reflect the pixels. They are made from aluminum so they are very light weight. One DMD can hold up to 1,280 pixels. Hewlett Packard is working in enhancing the DMD process so it can generate two pixel images at a time. The result will be DLP HDTV with even better picture resolution.

If you compare the cost of a flat panel plasma or LCD television set to that of a DLP HDTV you will find the latter to be more cost effective. You will be getting a very good deal because it offers you a very good picture and they have a much longer life than a cathode ray tub TV set. One of the disadvantages though is that LCD television sets have better contrasting controls and ranges of color than what is offered on DLP HDTV. However DLP HDTV definitely wins when it comes to viewing sports or other materials where there is plenty of motion going on.

The DLP HDTV models use a color wheel system for the colors you can select from. There are three primary colors used – red, green, and blue. When these colors are mixed with the DMD though you can get 256 different shades of color. The best selling DLP HDTV on the market right now is the 56 inch Samsung HLR5667W. It retails from $1,600 to $2,700. They also have a 50 inch model you can get for a price of $1,500 to $2,800.

As the DLP HDTV becomes more popular you can expect a wider selection of models to emerge onto the market. You can also expect a reduction in the cost of them. For now though you will have to pay the high price to have the DLP HDTV, the newest technology in the way of TV and movies.

The use of HDTV (High Definition Television) is increasing in the United States, Australia, and Japan.

How is this different from a standard TV? The main differences between HDTV and the standard TV are higher picture resolution, multi-channel audio, and a wide screen 16:9 aspect ratio. This means sharper and clearer pictures along with accurate and detailed sound.

How do the various HDTV models differ?

Some models can deliver images that are up to six times sharper than what the standard televisions display. The images we see on a television are made up of horizontal lines. These lines are scanned continuously to form an image. The standard television typically has 480 lines. In comparison, HDTV can contain 1080 lines. Unlike standard TVs, HDTV does not scan one line at a time to make the image, but delivers the whole image at once. This results in much greater detail and more realistic colors.

Aspect ratio is another difference between standard TVs and HDTV. Current day TVs use an aspect ratio of 4:3, making them look almost square. This is rapidly being replaced by the HDTV aspect ratio of 16:9. The bigger aspect ratio results in a wider screen. Due to increasing popularity of home theater systems, HDTV uses the same aspect as the screen in a movie theater. A wide screen means that the TV does not have to cut off the sides when you are watching your DVDs.

Another movie theater influence in HDTV is that audio is now presented using the Dolby Digital Standard. Currently, surround sound involves tricks to simulate the origin of audio. With the Dolby Digital Standard, the audio experience is as thrilling as the video.

Do I need any additional ‘stuff’ with an HDTV?

A special receiver is needed to view programs in HD format. There are many choices available in the market today. The safest choice is to get a receiver that can accept HD format as well as standard format. This can become important because not all programs are currently available in HD. Simply connect the receiver into your HDTV and you are on. With the rise in the popularity of HDTV, the number of programs available has also been steadily increasing.

Another result of this widespread use is that the HDTV’s are quite inexpensive. Some networks have packages that include HDTV for as little as $50 a month. Since the trend has caught on and is making money, it is only natural that more and more options will soon be available to consumers. Within a year or so, HDTV could be available at the same cost as that of standard TV today.

High Definition Television is the newest way to watch TV. HDTV customers love it because of its movie-theater picture quality. If you are ready to make the switch you must choose the HDTV television set and service that are right for you. The least expensive type of HDTV service is called over-the-air. This type of service involves the use of an antenna to receive broadcasted HDTV signals. Here are ten HDTV antenna facts that will help you decide if over-the-air service is right for you.

An HDTV antenna is similar to or the same as a basic television antenna, like the ones that were popular before cable and satellite TV, but it is used to pick up high definition broadcast signals instead of the old-fashioned television signals.

You must have the antenna hooked up to an HDTV television set with a built-in tuner in order for your TV to receive the broadcast signals that are picked up by the HDTV antenna. If your HDTV set does not have a built-in tuner then you will have to get a tuner-box that interprets the high definition signals from the antenna. This will enable your HDTV set to accept the HDTV broadcast signals.

A lot of the time, the picture quality offered by the HDTV antenna is better than that of HDTV satellite or cable services. This is amazing since the cost of over-the-air service is much lower than that of the other types of service.

The HDTV antennas are very low-cost. They can range in price from $25-$150 and this makes it easier for consumers to purchase one of the better antennas in order to get the best picture quality possible. Also, there is no cost for over-the-air HDTV services. Once you have the antenna installed you will automatically receive the broadcast signals in your area, if there are any. It is somewhat similar to Wi-Fi internet reception. With Wi-Fi, all you need is the antenna hooked up to your computer and you will pick up the wireless internet signals, if any, that are in the area.

Some rural areas do not have high definition broadcast signals, so be sure to check on whether or not over-the-air services are available in your area before purchasing an antenna.

HDTV antennas are available in Directional and Omni-directional. If you live in a rural area where there are some signals it is best to go with Directional so that you are able to change the direction of your antenna and have a better chance of picking up high definition signals. If you live in an area where the HDTV signals are strong and plentiful then the Omni-directional antenna will work just fine.

Besides a lack of HDTV signals in rural areas, one of the only major drawbacks of using over-the-air service is that HDTV antennas will often times only pick up high definition broadcasts for basic cable and television channels which means that you would not have access to most or any of the movie and exclusive channels.

HDTV antennas come in both indoor and outdoor varieties. Outdoor antennas pick up broadcast signals better but indoor antennas are easier to take care of and keep safe during bad weather.

Outdoor HDTV antennas must be installed. You may be able to have this done by a professional for a charge. If you choose to install it yourself you will need to make sure that you are mounting it and hooking up the wires correctly. Also, you will need to look for the place that you receive the best reception and mount the antenna in that area.

The outdoor HDTV antennas also come in two different band-types: UHF and VHF. UHF is the most common and unless you are certain that VHF HDTV signals are available in your area you should not buy the VHF antenna.

Over-the-air service has its pros and cons but in many ways an HDTV antenna is the best way to enjoy high quality television service.