When a TV is labeled HD Ready you can expect it support High Definition. But if you’re willing to take it one step higher you should look out for the Full HD label that actually takes on the highest standards in HD.
The HD Forum brings together the leaders of the audio-video industry and recently declared that an HD TV must accept 1080 signals and more importantly should have the capability to display them in their native format, without any quality loss. A Full HD TV must sport a native resolution of 1080 lines each one made up of 1920 dots, meaning the resolution is a minimum of 1920×1080 pixels.
The 1080 norm can be:
- Progressive or 1080p : each picture is entirely displayed and “refreshed” at a frequency of 25 to 30 pictures per second.
- Interlaced or 1080i : the odd or even numbered lines of each picture are displayed alternately and refreshed at a frequency of 50 to 60 pictures per second. These “half-pictures” lined up actually create the full picture on screen.
The highest definition ever reached was with the 1080p. But beware as all Full HD TVs don’t systematically support this format! Be sure to check out the specs.
A Full HD TV will however follow the following standards :
- 16/9 format
- offer component YUV and HDMI/DVI connectivity
- support HDCP
You must also know that unlike HD Ready, Full HD is NOT an official label . You should therefore be extra careful when choosing your TV and make sure it follows the above characteristics.
A Full HD TV is preferable to an HD Ready in so far as it allows you to fully enjoy new HD-DVD or Blu-ray formats as well as HD TV channels broadcast in 1080. The price is less becoming though…