Television Technology

1. Television Technology By Sean Cullinan Van Ness North Unit 607

2. Who is Sean Cullinan? • BA in Television Production from Salisbury University • Newscast Director for WMDT-TV (ABC) in Salisbury, MD • Worked with the Associated Press for last 5 years on TV newsroom products • Resident of Unit 607 since April 2006 • Owned an HDTV for 4 years

3. Topics We Will Cover • What happens in February 2009? • Explaining TV Formats • Types of HDTV’s available • Shopping for for an HDTV • I have my HDTV, now what? • Question and Answer Session

4. Goodbye analog in 2009 • February 2009 FCC mandates that broadcasters shut down their analog channels • The switch will allow the same number of “channels” but will consume much less bandwidth. • Digital Television provides a better picture and allows for High Definition Images.

5. Who will be affected? • Not cable subscribers! • Not Satellite subscribers! • Only those who receive television programming Over the Air (OTA) via the VNNC Master Antenna or rabbit ears.

6. What will I do if I use OTA? • Get a set top Digital TV Converter box • Government providing a $40 subsidy (up to 2 per household) to convert Digital TV signals to Analog so that your old TV will work! • Get Cable Service • By a new TV with a Digital TV Tuner • VNNC is looking at upgrading the Master Antenna to receive and distribute digital signals. Will work with new TV or converter.

7. Television Formats

8. Traditional TV Format • TV “Resolution” measured by number of horizontal scan lines displayed • A standard definition US TV image consists of 480 horizontal scan lines drawn in an alternating fashion known as “interlacing”

9. New TV Formats • “Progressive Scan” draws the entire image in order instead of interlacing. • 480P Enhanced Definition TV • 720P, 1080I and 1080P High Definition TV

10. What does HDTV Get me? • More scan lines means a much sharper picture • HDTV allows for larger screen sizes…with more lines there is less “stretching” as the screen gets larger • Almost all HDTV’s are now “widescreen” which gives a more cinematic experience.

11. HDTV Types

12. Traditional Picture Tube • Good picture quality • Size limited to about 40” • “Burn in” not a big problem • Bulky and considered unattractive due to the depth of the television • Generally lower cost than other types • Usually a max resolution of 1080i • Not energy efficient

13. Rear Projection Television • Uses traditional picture tube • “Projects Image” to achieveup to 60” of screen size • Can be prone to “burn in” • Narrow viewing area, very large footprint • Can be a good value if you have the space • Generally a max resolution of 1080i • Not energy efficient

14. DLP or “Microdisplays” • Projection Technology • Brighter than traditional RPTV • Smaller footprint but not flat • Wider viewing angle that RPTV’s • More expensive than RPTV but cheaper than “flat panels” at a given size • Available in 720p or 1080p

15. LCD Displays • Can be expensive but are getting more affordable • Extremely Bright Picture • Size limited, generally to 46” • As thin as 3” and wall mountable • Not able to reproduce deep blacks • Maximum resolution of 720P or 1080P depending on how much you spend • Most energy efficient • Check viewing angles..can be limited on some sets

16. Plasma Displays • Allow for very large screensizes up to 70” and larger • Bright Picture • 4” footprint, wall mountable • “Burn in” less of an issuein new models • Like LCD, not great at displaying “blacks” • Maximum resolution of 720P or 1080P depending on how much you spend

17. Shopping For a New TV

18. Shopping for a new TV • What type of set do you need? • Screen size • How much space do you have for it? • Do you want to mount it on a wall? • Are you going to use the TV for sound or do you have a home theater? • How many peripherals do you plan on hooking up to it? How do you get your TV signal? • How “High” of a definition do you need?

19. Important Features • Inputs!! • HDMI provides a digital connection for optimum HD picture and sound quality. Must support “HDCP” copy protection! • “Component” inputs are “analog” but use 3 separate cables to deliver an HD picture. • “Composite” and Svideo Inputs are not HD capable • Tuners • Will you need a tuner to receive Over the Air TV? • If so make sure you get a digital tuner for 2/2009 • Multiple tuners are useful for Picture In Picture • Cablecard remove the requirement to have cablebox

20. Reading the ad

21. Reading the ad

22. Reading the ad

23. Great Reviews • In print • Consumer Reports • Home theater magazine • Online • http://www.lcdtvbuyingguide.com • http://www.avsforum.com • http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7608_7-1016109-1.html?tag=dir • Google (http://www.google.com) a set before you buy it!

24. Cables…beware! • Stores make a ton of money selling cables • HDMI Cables provide a digital connection…digital means that signal loss is not a huge problem

25. Post Purchase

26. Installing Your TV • Wall mounting an LCD isn’t that hard… • Kits are available at all retailers • I mounted mine with 2” screws, washers, nuts and “winged” drywall anchors to provide back pressure against the plaster walls. • More professional installers will run cables inside walls

27. Hooking up Equipment • In order to get Progressive Scan you MUST use Component or Digital type connectors

28. Receiving HDTV • Over The Air via built in digital tuner • UHF antenna will work, many now marked for HDTV reception but any UHF antenna can work. • Comcast • Offers all local channels plus Discovery, National Geographic, TNT, Premium Movie channels and more in HDTV. • Must have HDTV box which costs extra • Digital Satellite • In the future the VNNC Master Antenna

29. Questions and Answers Download this Power Point at http://www.skctechnologies.com/TVTechnology.pps