Do you have a widescreen TV?

[disneywb]

No. I have a normal, 30", non-flat tv. I look forward to the HDTV revolution that's supposed to occur-when? 2008? By that time, I hope to update to a widescreen high def, but I figure the purchase'll be worthwhile by then b/c I will have saved quite a bit by not upgrading simply to "wide screen-progressive scan- whatever else there is".

[JiminyCrick91]

no i have many normal ones and one big screen(and not one of those ones that is just a bit larger than a normal one a real BIG screen)

[Wonderlicious]

I don't have a widescreen TV. I don't even have surround sound speakers. But one day when I have worked very hard for lots of money, I shall buy both!

[purplebluelove99]

first of all it would be nice to have one if the resolution was better. What's the difference between wide screen and high definition t.v.? I think I'd want a flat screen t.v. though. Something to put on the wall. To make more room for my videos and dvds.

[deathie mouse]

What's the difference between wide screen and high definition t.v.?

Well a widescreen tv is one that's wider than the 4:3 (1.33 wide) tube used for most of TV's first fifty years, and its screen proportion is nominally 16:9 (1.78 wide).

Since most of the software and broadcasts made till recently have been in what's called "standart definition" NTSC, they usually have a vertical resolution (or scanning lines) of about 480 pixels. (in PAL countries 576). Since standart definition video has a maximum of 720 pixels ACROSS its width, a standart definition widescreen TV can get away of having an horizontal resolution of about aproximately 400 pixels per picture height. (cus 405 x 1.78 = 720)

that would be 480 vertical x 720 horizontal = 345,600 pixels of image quality.

Since standart definition pixels are non square (the Display stretches them to the correct shape) but visualizing that is slightly difficult, 345,600 pixels is equivalent to a computer image of:

440 vertical x 785 horizontal
(square pixels) for a 1.78 wide image. That's the square pixel equivalent of the maximun definition you'll get on a Standart Definition Widescreen TV playing NTSC DVDs.

There are some widescreen displays (examples: Plasmas, LCDs and DLPs) that have higher resolution in their panels. Like 720 x 1280, or 768 x 1366. These panels upsize the 440 x 785 DVD image just like Photoshop does when you change the size of a pic. If done correctly, the resulting image can look smoother and less pixelated than the regular size DVD image, but it CAN NOT look more detailed. There's a limit to the size you can blow up this image and still look satisfactory. If the resizing is done by subpar methods, the image can actually look fuzzier and worse than the original DVD image too.

Since 720 x 1280 is one of two resolutions in the HDTV spec, these displays can be called High Definition. (I wouldn't. I'd call them Med-Def )

Now, High-Definition-TV can come in two resolutions: 720 x 1280, and the much higher 1080 x 1920.
There are a few 1080 x 1920 (or even higher!) displays, and more will come in the following years. THOSE I would call High Defintion

As you can see a High Definition Display, when fed a true High Definition source, be it High Def Broadcast, puny HD-DVD, or mighty Blu-Ray can show more detail and sharpness than DVD.

Med-def 720 x 1280 (921,600 pixels) is 2.67 times the detail and size of DVD's 440 x 785 (354,600 pixels)

High-Def 1080 x 1920 (2,073,600 pixels, yeah 2 million) is 6 times the detail and size of DVD's 440 x 785 1/3 of a million pixels.

440 x 785 1080 x 1920

If you watch widescreen DVDs on 4:3 TVs right now the differences are 33% more dramatic, cus there the resolution is less when the wide image is shrunk to fit into the square 4:3 shape.

there it's the equivalent of 380 x 680 (259,200 pixels) vs HighDef's 1080 x 1980 more than 2 million pixels. Eight times more!

(widescreen movie)
380 x 680 1080 x 1920

So if you're satisfied with Star Wars or the Lion King on DVD on a 27" 4:3 TV, or a 32" Widescreen TV, you'll love them on High Definition, on a 80" TV or Projection Screen from the same sitting distance.

Heh you probably can make it even larger than that and it'll still look great.



So that's the difference between a widescreen TV and High Definition TV

The first alludes to the shape of the display, the second to the resolution and detail of the display.

[The Little Merman]

...No...I will be getting one though! My family has been building an addition for a home theater and we are gettin a w-screen!! Talk about years of saving...

[Teen Artist]

I reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllly want a widescreen TV... but I probably won't be getting one anytime soon.

I wanted to read your posts Deathie Mouse but they were too long for me! I'm glad you've got all the info though. Maybe I'll read them after I go to the bathroom. I've gotta go!

[AwallaceUNC]

One of the lost posts:

<hr>

orestes
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 9:42 am Post subject:

Do you have a widescreen TV?

Why yes, I do now.

<hr>

[orestes.]

Thank you. I saved all my posts and others but I'm just getting a chance to return to the forums now so I guess they were all restored by others.

[dvdjunkie]

First of all, does Deathie Mouse know how to speak English? All this techno-babble has my head spinning. I am not sure if that is all he knows or if he is one of those boring genius-types that can't speak anything but techo-babble. The information is there, but it seems like he goes over and over the same thing. Does he have simple answers like Yes or No?

I have a front projection system, it replaced my 56" HDTV, that can throw a picture on a screen up to 25' feet in diagonal width. I never see black bars anymore, and all the movies look like they did in the theatres. My Hi-Def channels have never looked clearer, and the regular tv channels are crisp and clear. Average life for the bulb is about 1500 hours and replacement cost is around $200. For those who want to watch a movie like you saw it in the theater, front projection is the way to go. And I have a Sony Dolby Digital 6.1 surround sound system. With my Star Popcorn Popper and Skybox Drink Dispenser, my Home Movie Theater is just that.

[buffalobill]

I've had a couple of bigscreen tvs but not ws. My last bigscreen was eaten by hurricane Charley and I'm finally going to be able to replace it. My 50" Samsung DLP is going to be delivered next Friday. YIPPEE!

[Evil Genie Jafar]

First of all, does Deathie Mouse know how to speak English? All this techno-babble has my head spinning. I am not sure if that is all he knows or if he is one of those boring genius-types that can't speak anything but techo-babble. The information is there, but it seems like he goes over and over the same thing. Does he have simple answers like Yes or No?

I know him personally and he's a great person. A little, no, A TOTAL LOONEY but nice. And you get to learn a lot from him.

And to answer a couple of questions:

1) He does speak English "y también español con acento boricua"


2)Nope, he never answers with just yes or no.


PS

Besides, it's not nice to say those things about him when he takes the time to write all that info to help all of us with doubts.