How2Day: What Are the Differences Between HD & Standard TVs?

Learn the differences between HDTVs and Standard Definition TVs to decide which one is right for you. tv image by martini from Fotolia.com
High Definition televisions, or HDTVs for short, are the newest standard for TVs. Regular TVs, sometimes referred to as Standard Definition, are the classic tube televisions that can most easily be identified by their square screens and deep, boxy cases. But there are more differences between these two types of televisions than their looks, including the picture quality, sound and their display screens.

One of the first things you'll notice when looking at the differences between HDTVs and standard TVs is that HDTVs come with wider screens. HD programming is broadcast in widescreen format (16:9 ratio), so HDTVs have longer, more rectangular screens than traditional standard TVs. This isn't the case for every single television but it can be used as a general rule of thumb. The HDTV screens are also thinner than standard TVs, so if you see or have a TV with a wide screen but it's more than a few years old and its back is very deep, then it's probably a Standard Definition TV.

The major difference between HDTVs and standard TVs is the picture quality. Both types of TVs put pictures together by assembling thousands of little dots called pixels then stacking hundreds of lines on top of one another to create what appears to be a solid picture. The more pixels and lines you have, the sharper quality image you'll get. Standard TVs have a resolution of about 640-by-480 pixels and run about 625 lines across the screen. HDTVs, on the other hand, have a resolution of 1280-by-720 pixels and can run up to 1,080 lines across the screen. This results in a much clearer picture.

While standard TVs are capable of being hooked up to a surround sound system, the actual sound that you're receiving via the standard broadcast signal isn't comparable to the 5.1 digital surround sound that's broadcast through many HD channels. To receive these HD channels though, you'll need an HDTV. That's not to say that the built-in speakers of an HDTV are necessarily superior to the built-in speakers of a standard definition TV but if you were to upgrade to better speakers, you wouldn't be able to get as high-quality sound out of a standard TV.

Blu-ray is becoming the new standard for viewing videos at home, as of late 2010, and there's absolutely no way you can get the full effect of a Blu-ray movie on a standard TV. This is because Blu-ray players broadcast video signals in 1080p, meaning that they use the full 1,080 lines that an HDTV has. Although DVD players and DVDs will probably still be on the market for many years to come, Blu-rays create the top-of-the-line home viewing experience that many videophiles are looking for.

How2Day