More HDTV questions answered

The HDTV revolution has been upon us for years, but buying a new flat panel set remains a process shrouded in mystery.

WWTW reached out to Jerry Del Colliano, publisher of HomeTheaterReview.com to fill in some of the blanks regarding flat-panel technology:

WWTW: Talk about the new LED flat-screen sets? Are they truly better than LCD and plasma, and will their prices drop in the near future?

JDC: Price drops on LEDs are a guarantee without question. HDTVs are commodity sales made next to big boxes of cereal and a 32 pack of Diet Coke under sodium lights.

Better is hard to tell when speaking of an LED as they are so new. They likely will use less energy so to the green community they might be better. They are likely to have more light output but overall will they have a better picture than LCD or Plasma? It is too early to tell.

WWTW: One figure mentioned with LCD sets is 120 Hz. Can you explain what that is and why it’s important?

JDC: The “120” and “240” is the refresh rate which refers to how fast the set redraws the picture. The idea is that it helps the set look less blurry on fast moving scenes like you get in a sporting event.

Often the effect is too much to take. The newest and fastest refresh rates are looking MUCH better however. Sony’s Bravia and Toshiba’s for example.

WWTW: What are the best ways to protect flat-panel sets from power surges or other threats?

JDC: This is a BIG TOPIC. The best way is to use a Pure Power unit ($1500 to $2,000) which is a full power regeneration device. It takes the incoming power from the wall and basically recreates it using a digital amplifier into a perfect sign wave thus provides your HDTV with the cleanest power you can get.

Other derives use MOVs which are like big fuses which can protect your system from surges but brown outs, sags, dips and other maladies are just as bad in many ways.

Here is a BIG ISSUE. Most “bus strips” have some basic level of protection but they also blow out at the first surge However, they keep powering up without any more protection. People think they are protecting their gear but the protection is gone.

Affordable solutions include: a small battery backup from APC and or a power conditioner from the likes of Transparent, Panamax etc….

WWTW: Which format is better in 2009 – LCD or plasma? Is plasma on the way out?

JDC: In a light-controlled room a Pioneer KURO is still considered the best overall HDTV (plasma) for its deep blacks and high contrast. As you know, Pioneer is selling off their inventory of these sets and getting out of the HDTV business.

LCD is more power efficient. LCD is better in rooms with ambient light. LCDs are getting VERY affordable. This is where their momentum comes from. Plasma is not dead yet. Panasonic and many others are behind the technology.

WWTW: What flat-screen feature is overrated, in your opinion?

JDC: Video companies especially when talking about contrast ratio, rate the sets in an all-on – all-off mode which isn’t very accurate. Contrast is VERY important but the numbers are measured in a way that is hard to tell.

Most HDTVs come with total crap remotes to save money despite its the one way that people actually interact with the set. The argument is that price sells and if you have ever been to Wal-Mart – it’s a strong argument. An affordable Harmony universal remote (under $300) is a good solution as they control your whole system, are back lit etc …

HDTVs are shipped to look good in a Bright setting. They are also calibrated at the factory to “push blue” because the human eye likes that even though its not accurate to the master or broadcast standard.

A professional video calibration is a must for anyone looking for the last 20 to 30 percent performance of their set. Calibration also helps the set to last longer.

There are video geeks from the likes of the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF) who will come out for a few hundred dollars and tune your HDTV up like you wouldn’t believe. Its amazing.

Related posts:

1. The current state of HDTV