Making The Choice To Go HD - By: Aydan Corkern

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High definition is where it's at. Everyone wants a piece of the HD world, and it comes as no surprise. High definition televisions offer better visuals overall. Crisper images, amazing detail, and progressive scanning are just some of the attributes that have helped to contribute to the success of HDTV. Earlier TV models were based upon an aspect ratio of 4:3. A TV with that ratio means that it will be 3 feet high and 4 feet wide. Compare that to a HDTV, whose aspect ratio is 16:9, allowing it to be more than 30% wider than its predecessor. The reason for making the TV wider is simple: it gives the viewer the feel of watching movies and shows as if they were watching it in a theatre. With over 30% less coverage on an earlier model TV, people could see less and missed out on what was happening on the sidelines. National Television System Committee, or NTSC, televisions can usually display about 210,000 pixels per image, while a HDTV can display an astonishing total of about 2,073,600 pixels per image on a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Of course, it also depends on the resolution that particular HDTV has. The higher the resolution, the more pixels per image will be displayed. Another benefit to switching to HD is the better sound quality. NTSC standard televisions only receive two channels of audio, but high-definition TVs have 5.1 channels of surround sound. What makes it even better is that the sound quality is like what you would hear on a CD. If you are a true movie enthusiast or just like to watch TV with the best possible sound, investing in a surround sound home theater system will enhance the viewing experience even more. As if the last two reasons are not enough reason to convince you to switch to HD, here is another one: progressive scanning. Progressive scanning means that the picture is displayed in one image, as opposed to NTSC broadcasting, which is shown as interlaced signals. Interlaced signaling is the process of displaying horizontal lines in one frame and the other half of the horizontal lines being displayed in the next frame. This, of course, occurs quickly, so the viewer cannot see the process as they are watching. Progressive scanning, because it is shown in one image as opposed to more than one frame, offers better and sharper clarity. A TV can often be viewed as an investment of sorts. It may not build equity or grow with the aid of interest, but it does provide hours upon hours of entertainment. Making the switch to HDTV truly brings a cinema-like atmosphere for you and your family and friends to enjoy.