The History of HD TV

By Zeeman Haus

The purchase of an HDTV is a significant one and should not be taken lightly. When evaluating the overall picture of an HDTV, the contrast ratio, along with screen resolution, should both be taken into consideration. However, if a person is looking for one that offers the brightest colors and darkest blacks, then the contrast ratio should be the number one priority.

The contrast ratio is defined as a measurement of the ratio between the brightest color (white) and the darkest color (black) that a television can produce. The televisions that offer the best pictures are the ones able to produce the darkest blacks and brightest whites. In most cases, it should be noted that contrast ratio tests are performed by the manufacturer.

Unfortunately there is not a standard method for measuring the contrast ratio. Each manufacturer uses a different means to measure the ratio, which can make it difficult to accurately compare different models. To help standardize the industry, ANSI (American National Standards Institute) developed a test that uses a checkerboard panel to measure both the white and black simultaneously. Many companies now use the ANSI method to test the contrast ratio.

Another method used to measure contrast ratio in HDTV is called the "full on full off method" and it measures the ratio between a pure black and pure white screen. The test will usually produce a higher contrast ratio but it is not a good representation of realistic viewing conditions.

Most people do not associate producing a dark black with blinding color, but the two actually make a great combination. A person's HDTV picture is made up of hundreds of thousands of tiny pixels and the individual pixels are assembled to form an overall picture. Moreover, the sharpest images are able to precisely separate the black pixels from nearby lighter pixels. In fact, companies, especially plasma TV manufacturers, are constantly striving to refine their technology to combat this "light leakage".

When comparing the different types of televisions, plasma TV's generally offer the highest contrast ratios among their competitors. In fact, certain companies' advertising ratios are as high as 1,000,000 to 1. Today LCD and LED models have since been able to close the gap between their contrast ratios and plasma contrast ratios.

It is important to remember that the contrast ratio does not affect how well motion is rendered or displayed. HDTV delivers a quality picture so it is important to select a television with a good contrast ratio and resolution. Moreover, one should not waste the features of HDTV by using an old television with a poor contrast.

If a person loves the experience of HDTV and HD movies then a television with a high contrast ratio is the model to buy. No matter what type of television, whether it is plasma, LCD or LED, the screen resolution should always be taken into consideration. In the end, one should factor in all of their wants and needs before purchasing a television. - 32388

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