HDTV - Picture

HDTV brings viewers programming so crisp and so clear, it produces an image as sharp as reality. Why? Basically, it offers better resolution than traditional analog television. A television picture is made up of hundreds of horizontal lines (called scan lines) that are tiny picture elements (called pixels). The more lines – pixels – the clearer the picture. Traditional analog television has 480 horizontal lines, each comprising a maximum of 720 pixels. HDTV has up to 1080 lines with 1920 pixels resulting in a picture that is actually 6 times as dense as analog television. To be sure you’re getting the full “HD experience,” your television must have a minimum of 1080 horizontal lines.

The other great thing about most HD television screens is that they wider. Traditional televisions have a 4:3 aspect ratio (horizontal vs. vertical dimensions.) HD sets are much wider, with a 16:9 ratio. This wider picture is great for movies and sports allowing you to see more of the action.