Budget TV resolution rumble: 720p plasma vs. 4K LED LCD
Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
If resolution is as important as some say it is, then this should be no contest. On one side, we’ve got a 50-inch Ultra HD 4K LED LCD. On the other side, we’ve got a 720p plasma. A $500 50-inch plasma.
Head-to-head, with a variety of content and objective measurements, how do they compare?
The results may surprise you.
These TVs are perhaps more similar than they first appear. The Samsung PN51F4500 plasma is the cheapest of its kind: a bare-bones, 1,024×768-pixel «720p» entry-level model. The Seiki SE50UY04 LCD is also one of the cheapest of its kind: a bare-bones, 3,840×2,160-pixel «4K» entry-level model. LCDs are typically more expensive than like-size plasmas, and 4K TVs even more so.
I placed these two TVs side by side, and fed them a variety of signals, through a Monoprice HDMI splitter. I sat at different distances. Both TVs were calibrated, or at least as much as they could be.
Which would you rather watch? On the left, the $500, 720p, Samsung PN51F4500. On the right, the $1,200, 2160p, Seiki SE50UY04. These images were not adjusted for contrast (only cropped/resized).
Geoffrey Morrison
Strengths and weaknesses
Initially, I tried out some 1080i content from AT&T U-verse. I suppose I could have started with DVD, but who cares about DVD? I sat at roughly 9 feet from both TVs.
With Sorkin’s latest wordfart «The Newsroom,» the Samsung’s better contrast ratio made it the clear winner. The Seiki looked washed out and flat. Shadows and black objects looked gray. The Samsung looked more real. There was very little difference in apparent detail. As I’ve mentioned before, but it bears repeating, I have 20/15 vision. This is better than the normal visual acuity of 20/20.
Neither TV has very good processing, so more poorly encoded/higher compressed content, on HBO and other channels, didn’t look awesome on either TV. The Seiki looked more smeary, while the Samsung had combing artifacts thanks to mediocre deinterlacing.
The scaler in the Seiki isn’t great, so using a Samsung BD-F7500 I sent the Seiki an upconverted 4K signal of «Avatar.» Using an Oppo BDP-93, I sent the Samsung 1080p from another copy of the same disc.
This is where you’d expect things like textures in objects, hair, and wrinkles to really pop out on the Seiki, except…the Samsung looks just as detailed. In some cases, it looks more detailed.
WTF?
There are a few things going on here, as to why the extra resolution potential of the Seiki isn’t translating to extra visible resolution. The first, and most important: I’m too far away.
I’ve written multiple articles about this, as have many others, but the fact is, your eye has finite resolution.
From a certain distance, your eye can’t resolve the difference between 1080p and Ultra HD. With TVs this «small,» your eye can’t even tell the difference between 720p and 1080p, never mind 4K. So all the extra pixels on the Seiki are wasted. If you’re curious if you’ll be able to see the difference from where you sit, with your eyes, and whatever TV size you want to get, check out Chris Heinonen’s excellent 4K Calculator.
Why was I sitting at 9 feet? Studies have shown that most people sit between 9 and 10 feet from their TV (called the Lechner distance). If you sit closer, good on ya, but you’re on one of the slopes of the bell curve. Personally, I usually sit 8 feet away from a 102-inch screen, so I’m way on the flat tail of the curve. At 9 feet, 50 inches is way too small to need more than 720p resolution. At that distance, 4K has dubious merit even on a 60-inch TV.
There’s more to it than that. The Seiki, like all LCDs, has motion blur. This is when any object in motion (even the entire screen itself, when the camera pans), blurs slightly.
Higher refresh rates were developed to counteract this, though the processing involved can result in the dreaded Soap Opera Effect. Not everyone notices motion blur, and not everyone who can see it is bothered by it. I notice it, and it bothers me. So even though the Seiki might have more pixels, it doesn’t have great motion resolution.
Lastly, your eye is much more sensitive to the contrast of the image. And what is detail anyway? On a TV is it not the contrast between two adjacent pixels? The Samsung has a much larger contrast ratio, so even with the same content, the Samsung will sometimes seem sharper because there’s so much more contrast with the image.
Sitting closer
As the science predicts, if you sit closer, things aren’t so simple. All the issues with the Seiki are still there, but the Samsung now has the added negatives of video noise (likely dithering, not noticeable from farther away), and on brighter images, you can start to make out the pixel structure.
With my 20/15 vision, I started to notice some of this from about 7 feet away, and closer than 6.5 it was definitely noticeable.
How objectionable it was, is much more subjective. If I were sitting this close to a 50-inch TV normally, I’d probably spend a bit more and get something with 1080p resolution like the S60 Panasonic. As in, still forgoing 4K, but sticking with the better contrast of plasma.
Sitting this close, and with the Samsung-scaled image, the Seiki definitely seems a bit more detailed. All the things you’d expect to see more of, like textures, wrinkles, facial hair, etc, are a little more noticeable on the Seiki (at least with shots where there isn’t a lot of motion). Though it’s still not the night-and-day difference we all got to know during the transition from SD to HD.
By the time you’re really close enough to get the most out of a 50-inch 4K TV (less than 5 feet according to the math and calculator), you can definitely make out the Samsung’s pixel structure to the point where it’s not worth watching.
Beyond
Would sending the Seiki a better scaled image been better (the Samsung BD player is good, but not the best)? Would sending both TVs a native 4K signal been better? In both cases, I doubt it. With how it was set up, there should have been at least some indication the higher resolution was worthwhile at a normal viewing distance. Since moving closer revealed more detail, it’s clear the TV was more detailed, but that even my trained 20/15 eyes couldn’t make it out from 9 feet.
At worst, the Seiki was showing a source (1080p) with more than twice the pixels the Samsung even has. With upconversion, it was at times showing something with more than 10 times the number of pixels of the Samsung. Yet…it didn’t seem more detailed from where most people sit.
Would a better 4K TV have done better? Certainly. But what to put it up against? How about a 4K Sony XBR-55X900A vs. the Panasonic TC-P55VT60? Why stop there? For more similar money, how about Samsung’s own UN55F9000 4K against its KN55S9C OLED? Anyone who has seen the latter wouldn’t hesitate to declare it the winner.
David Katzmaier has seen lots of 4K TVs, and he said the 1080p KN-55S9C had the «best picture we’ve ever seen.»
Geoffrey Morrison
Overall (it’s about contrast ratio)
When it comes down to it, it really is all about contrast ratio. I measured the Samsung’s contrast ratio at 8,382:1. I also measured the Seiki, and it was around 3,000:1, plus a little more from some pretty mediocre «local» dimming from its edgelighting LEDs. This is a pretty significant increase (forget all contrast ratios supplied by manufacturers, they’re made up). The black level is significantly better on the Samsung as well, around 0.005 foot-lamberts to the Seiki’s 0.025.
On bright scenes, your eye is naturally drawn to the Seiki, because it’s about twice as bright as the Samsung, and there’s no way to turn that down (74.3 vs. 41.91 ftL). This is one of the reasons why LCDs outsell plasmas, but brighter isn’t always better.
The images above (and below) tell the story. A display with a higher contrast ratio is going to look better than one with just a higher resolution, presuming you’re not sitting so close as to see the pixels.
Geoffrey Morrison
Bottom line
What was the point of this exercise (other than it amused me)? To demonstrate that resolution is not nearly as important as it seems. Sure, it’s an easily comparable number, and we all remember how great that first glimpse from HD was. But 4K is different. It’s not nearly the increase that SD to HD was, and HD is already a lot of resolution. More, in fact, that most people need (with their seating distance and screen size taken into account).
Contrast ratio is much more important, as is color accuracy, minimal noise, minimal artifacts, and so on. A noisy, poorly encoded 4K image will look no better (or worse) than a 1080p image.
A low contrast 4K image will look flat and boring. Many of the Seiki’s problems stem being a fairly mediocre LCD. A low contrast, motion-blurred image, completely negates any benefits of additional resolution. That is, unless you’re sitting so close (or your TV is so huge) that you’d see pixels with a lower-resolution display.
The real takeaway from this? If you sit close enough, or your screen is big enough, 4K is incredible. But for everyone else, contrast is still way more important. Which is one of the biggest reasons I’m so excited for OLED.
Got a question for Geoff? First, check out all the other articles he’s written on topics like HDMI cables, LED LCD vs. plasma, active vs. passive 3D, and more. Still have a question? Send him an e-mail! He won’t tell you what TV to buy, but he might use your letter in a future article. You can also send him a message on Twitter @TechWriterGeoff or Google+.
Plasma vs LED vs LCD TVs
How TVs Work
Before explaining the differences between each technology, it’s important to understand how each TV displays an image.
Plasma
Plasma TVs contain tiny pockets of gas, and when a voltage is applied to them, they turn into a plasma state. The voltage then strikes the mercury within the plasma to emit ultraviolet (UV) rays, which pass through phosphor cells to produce an image. Each pixel in the TV contains three phosphor cells: red, green, and blue, and these three colors combine to produce a color. Essentially, plasma TVs don’t require a backlight, and each pixel is self-emissive as it produces its own light.
LCD
Unlike plasma TVs, LCD TVs use a backlight. Initially, LCD TVs used Cold-Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) as their backlight. These are long tubes that are placed horizontally across the screen behind the LCD panel. When the light is turned on, it applies a voltage to the pixels, which makes them rotate a certain way to allow light through and produce an image. When it wants to display black, the pixels are rotated to create an opaque screen so that light doesn’t get through.
This is what makes them different from plasma TVs because each pixel isn’t self-emitting.
LED
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) TVs are the same as traditional LCD TVs, but instead of using CCFL backlights, they use many smaller LED lights. It produces an image the same way as a regular LCD TV because it still uses an LCD panel, but it has more control over the backlighting. The LEDs can be placed along the edges, which is called edge-lit LED, or all over the back panel, which is either called direct LED or full-array backlighting. You can see the differences between LCD and LED TVs below.
It’s also important to note LED is simply a marketing term used by manufacturers to describe their backlight. They’re still technically LCD TVs, but since calling them LED is so common now, we even label them as LED, and we’ll continue to do so throughout this article.
Learn about differences between full-array and edge-lit local dimming
LCD backlight
LED full-array backlight
LED edge-lit backlight
The Main Differences
Plasma and LED TVs each present their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of picture quality, price, build, and availability.
It’s generally thought that plasma produces a better picture quality due to their superior contrast ratio, but LED TVs became more popular because of other factors, like a lower cost and greater availability.
Below you can see the differences in picture quality between two older TVs from 2013. It’s clear the plasma was better at the time, but LED TVs have also gotten better since then, so picture quality has greatly improved.
Plasma TV — Samsung N5300
LED TV — LG LN5400
Contrast ratio
Contrast ratio was one of the main advantages and selling points of plasma TVs. Since each pixel emitted its own light, it simply turned itself off when it wanted to display a black image. This allowed the TV to display very deep blacks, but because there was always a bit of charge left in the plasma, it still wasn’t a perfect black level.
On the other hand, LED TVs can’t achieve a perfect black level because the backlight is always on. However, technology has evolved to greatly improved the contrast of LED TVs, even to the point where it’s also as good as what plasma once was.
There are two main types of LCD panels in TVs: Vertical Alignment (VA) and In-Plane Switching (IPS). VA panels produce a better contrast than IPS, and high-end TVs also have local dimming features that turn off certain zones of the LED backlights. Still, you won’t get a perfect black level, but most modern LED TVs produce such deep blacks that even in a dark environment it looks like perfect black levels. For reference, plasma TVs had a max contrast of about 4,000:1, according to DisplayMate.com, but some recent LED TVs can reach a contrast of over 20,000:1 with local dimming enabled, like the Samsung QN90A QLED.
Learn more about contrast ratio
Brightness and reflection handling
LED TVs are a clear winner here, and it’s one of the reasons why they surpassed plasmas in terms of popularity. LED TVs get significantly brighter, so they can fight glare from light sources easier. Additionally, plasma TVs had to use glass on their front panel, which caused intense glare if you had any lamps or windows around the TV.
LED TVs can use a coating on their glass panel to help reflect and diffuse light, making it a better choice for well-lit rooms.
Plasmas were designed for dark-room viewing, but since most people don’t have dedicated home theater setups and often watch with a few light sources around, they weren’t that useful. As you can see below, the plasma TV had pronounced reflections, to the point where it’s even hard to see the image, and instead you’re watching yourself watch TV. Reflections are still noticeable on an LED TV, but at least you can see the image.
Plasma TV — Samsung N5300
LED TV — LG LN5400
Learn more about peak brightness and reflection handling
Viewing angle
Pixels on plasma TVs emitted light in all directions, creating extremely wide viewing angles, much better than most LED TVs. This means that the image remained accurate when viewing from the side, which was great for watching sports or a show with a few people.
Out of the two main panel types for LED TVs, IPS has wider viewing angles than VA panels, but it’s still not as good as plasma.
TV manufacturers have tried different technologies to improve viewing angles on VA panels. Samsung has an ‘Ultra Viewing Angle’ layer, and Sony uses their ‘X-Wide Angle’ technology to increase the viewing angles, both at the cost of a lower contrast ratio. It’s still not as good as plasma, but they’re wide enough for watching TV in a fairly large seating area.
Below you can see the differences in viewing angles between a plasma and a VA panel. These TVs were tested on different test benches, so you shouldn’t directly compare the videos, but we included them to give you an idea of how each technology affects the viewing angle.
Plasma TV — Samsung N5300
Backed by his 40-year remodeling career, Danny served as the home improvement expert for CBS’s The Early Show and The Weather Channel for more than a decade. His extensive hands-on experience and understanding of the industry make him the go-to source for all things having to do with the home – from advice on simple repairs, to complete remodels, to helping homeowners prepare their homes for extreme weather and seasons.
Stay Tuned
Subscribe today for exclusive content & tips in your inbox!
size, quality, format, what’s the difference
14Sep 2015
It was difficult and easy at the same time when television with the highest horizontal and vertical resolution was just born. It is difficult because the analog ways to achieve a clear picture were laborious. And it is easy because of the presence of a single HDTV size with image division into 1080 lines.
High-definition digital television allows to divide the frame into 720 and 1080 lines with the existence of amplified scan in parallel with the traditional interlacing (progressive — p, and interlace — i) and the original scan of 24 frames per second. In addition, the resolution of the analog integrated circuit of plasma and liquid crystal models can acquire different interval indicators. Screen size can be 800, 1024, 1280, 1336, 1440, 1920 pixels. The variety of parameters leads buyers to a dead end.
HD groups.
A sharp image implies five times the amount of detail in the picture. This is achieved by increasing the number of points that make up the frame. The highest definition image is represented by two values: 1280×720
and
1920×1080
. Also now developing and Ultra HD.
Traditional image quality is 4:3, while high definition is 16:9. In the drawing, you can see how, with the same angular value of the pixels, the sizes of the screens are compared. We are talking about their size, because unlike HD pixels in SD are elongated in width, they are not square.
When the aspect ratio is 4:3, the number of lines of division of the frame is 576, then when the pixel is square, there should not be 270 dots per line, 768.
Hardware requirements
it must meet the following technical parameters:
- Digital standard support. The equipment must have its own decoder to translate the binary code into a familiar image.
- The matrix must have the appropriate resolution (1920×1080) or higher. In another case, the quality drops, and the resolution has nothing to do with the screen size, which you can learn more about in the topic «Line 6 section 2 in the table.»
- A video player that supports H.264 is required. To watch videos stored on a TV or storage device.
The remaining characteristics of the TV receiver are no longer important, because they do not affect the display of the image on the screen.
You can find out Full-HD support in several ways:
- By the corresponding marker on the TV case;
- In the instruction manual;
- On the developer’s site;
- In the TV menu (if screen resolution is supported).
Full HD content TV settings menu.
Any source must contain information indicating that it is working with Full-HD or a screen resolution of 1980×1080 or higher.
If Ultra-HD or 4K is written instead, even better, because. the screen supports higher definition
If the equipment does not meet the declared parameters, then there are some nuances.
But it is immediately worth noting this fact — a digital image of any definition can be displayed on the display regardless of its resolution, but of a different size.
That is, its quality will be lost, but it will still show without problems.
All digital TVs work according to this principle:
- The TV does not receive the picture itself, but binary data that contains information about color, brightness, contrast, etc. each pixel that makes up the image;
- the decoder «reads» this data, and on the basis of them it forms a picture, but of a different quality — to the resolution of the TV;
- the image is displayed on the screen in its natural form.
If the number of pixels in the received image does not match that of the matrix, the decoder can remove duplicate points, but does not create new ones.
Therefore, the picture can be reduced without losing individual shades, but not enlarged.
Full-HD video can also be watched on an old TV, but its quality will be the same as
As a result, the user does not have technical barriers to viewing Full-HD content on a 720px digital receiver, only the clarity drops.
However, if you’re using a 4K TV, you’ll need to do something different:
- Leave the image full screen and accept the occasional blur. It arises due to the fact that a resolution of 1080 px “falls” on a large 2160px matrix, and the clear boundaries of individual objects are no longer so obvious.
- Remove full screen stretch in settings and watch content in natural definition. This option is relevant when watching an important video in which you need to see small details.
On devices with a Full-HD screen, it is impossible to view a low-resolution image — one of the few drawbacks
Displaying an image
TV channels can get boring, and the Internet is not connected.
Because of this, many users are considering inferring from another source.
There are only two ways to do this:
- By wire. To transfer a 1080px picture to a large screen, an HDMI cable of version 1.3 or higher is required. and other lower bandwidth. The same applies to DVI/VGA cables.
- Wireless connection. Here it is important to use a Wi-Fi connection, which is easy to connect through a router even for output to an analog receiver. See the topic «Line 14 in the table» for details.
One end of the cable must match the input on the TV, and it will not always be an HDMI plug
Which method is best to use should be based on the user’s own preferences. Obviously, if this is a laptop or tablet, it is more correct to use the “over the air” connection so that the devices remain at hand.
Important! If you plan to display a Full-HD TV screen from the Internet via a computer or smartphone, you need to consider one factor. First, the content will be received by the intermediate device, and only then by the TV receiver.
If the resolution of the device is lower than Full-HD, then a lower quality picture will go to the big screen. To receive quality content directly from the Internet, you need to connect your laptop or phone to the TV as a modem.
Watching on an old TV
The analog TV receiver is not capable of receiving a digital picture, so it will require an HD digital set-top box. And here it is immediately worth mentioning a few nuances:
- A conventional DVB-T2 receiver is not suitable because it only receives the TV signal. The same applies to cheap DVB-C set-top boxes that providers rent.
- Such a tuner must have an HDMI input or at least a USB port with support for routers.
- Not all phones can transmit the image directly, for output from them, the receiver must support MHL technology.
Video: how to use the
MHL adapter Otherwise, the characteristics of the set-top box are not so important. However, it is recommended to consider options such as the presence of a built-in Wi-Fi tuner and IPTV support.
Tip! Some shopkeepers recommend purchasing Full-HD set-top boxes, which are more expensive, albeit a little. Their difference from HD counterparts is only in the resolution of the output image. As noted above, both standards work on the same technology, and on a low-resolution screen they display the same quality. Therefore, to view Full-HD on an analog TV, you can buy a regular HD set-top box.
The image may be stretched when connected due to the aspect ratio difference between the output device and the content. You need to enter the settings of the set-top box and change the display format from 16:9at 4:3.
An example of setting the resolution and aspect ratio for a TV on the MTS TV set-top box
1080p resolution, what is it?
The picture in traditional definition is made up of 414720 isolated points. For HD 720 high resolution settings, the number of dots increases to 921,600, double that of SD. For HD 1080, the number of dots rises to 2,073,600 — that’s two megapixels, five times the traditional definition
.
When advertising their products, manufacturers are sometimes cunning when they talk about six megapixels. Closer to the truth is the figure of six million subpixels, since each multi-colored pixel includes subpixels of the three main shades: red, blue and green.
4K is on the heels
Of course, as of 2021, Full HD is far from being the highest resolution available. 2K has been around for quite some time, and its popularity is steadily growing. However, the development of computer technology did not stop there.
Gradually, a resolution of about 3840×2160 began to become more and more widespread. This format is called Ultra HD 4K. It is easy to understand how much more information will fit on such a matrix. In addition, the detail, clarity and saturation of the picture on the «advanced» monitor will be much higher. However, until now, 4K screens have not appeared on every desktop.
The reason why 4K hasn’t yet supplanted Full HD resolution is a fairly simple fact — price.
Manufacturing a matrix of this scale is a laborious process, so the cost of UHD screens remains relatively high. However, owners of gradually obsolete equipment should not be upset. Resolution is not the only parameter that makes a top-end monitor. The matrix is just as important. For example, many professionals will prefer Full HD with an IPS matrix to a screen with a larger format, but a cheaper “base”. A good matrix is the key to a high-quality image, since it provides viewing angles, color reproduction and other important parameters. Therefore, there is no doubt that IPS matrices with a resolution of 1920×1080 will remain in demand for a long time, not letting the advancing 4K forward.
In addition, it is worth noting that a high resolution requires appropriate computer characteristics. To display information on such a screen, the system unit will require much more resources. Therefore, for owners of budget PCs, as well as models of the middle segment, the purchase of 4K will not justify their costs.
Reamer.
High Definition TV allows incremental scanning while traditional definition provides interlaced scanning. In incremental (or progressive) scanning, the picture appears on the screen instantly, and not in stages in odd and even lines.
Progressive scan does not have a number of disadvantages:
- Does not give the impression of a comb at the junctions of rushing objects.
- The image does not tremble against the background of thin horizontal stripes.
These parameters are shown as p and i. An HD signal of 1920×1080 with interlaced scan is labeled 1080i, while a similar signal but with progressive scan is labeled 1080p.
1080p
This standard is no different in terms of matrix resolution. However, in addition to standard refresh rates, the same as those of the 1080i standard, 24 Hz is also supported. In addition, the image is displayed not line by line, but in one cycle, as a result of which the picture is clearer.
True, this technology is a little more complicated, as a result of which the cost of such TVs becomes higher.
TVs with this display standard smooth the picture, making it more enjoyable. In addition, text written in small print will be much better read on such a screen, and video with a fast frame change or high speed will be clearer and without breaks.
Frame rate.
Interlace is compatible with frame rates of 25, 29.97 and 30 per second. Progressive scan can be combined with doubled frame rates, for example, 50, 59,94 and 60, where full frames replace the fields, which combine the smoothness of interlaced motion and the stability of the progressive scan picture, as well as the traditional 24 frames per second for cinema.
The symbols HD720/24p mean: frame resolution 1280×720 pixels progressive scan 24 frames per second. And HD1080/29.97i characters are read as follows: 1920×1080 frame with 29.97 frames per second interlacing. It happens that the same parameters indicate a little differently: [email protected] and [email protected]
The frame rate has nothing to do with the advertisements printed on televisions: 100 Hz or 480 Hz.
Here we are talking about displaying different frames, while at a high frequency one frame is shown repeatedly.
In cinema, frames are shown twice to minimize flickering, and 24 absolutely different frames are always shown in one second. In LCD models with a PAL base, the fields change at a rate of 50 per second, that is, 25 frames. Increasing the sweep frequency by a factor of two minimizes the time spent on turning on and off the liquid crystal link. And this, in turn, improves the quality of the display of subjects moving at lightning speed.
1080i
This standard is designed to receive a digital signal and a screen with an aspect ratio of 16×9. In this case, the screen should be 1080 pixels high and 1920 wide. This format is capable of broadcasting videos of various formats, including Full HD.
HD monitors most often have a refresh rate of 60 or 50 Hz. You can configure it yourself by going to the software settings on your TV or monitor.
Image formation occurs in two stages.
To begin with, even lines are displayed on the screen, that is, the second, fourth and further, and after that the odd ones. This is invisible to an ordinary person, since each field is displayed about 30 times in one second. Due to this way of displaying information, the image quality becomes not clear enough. This is the main disadvantage of 1080i TVs.
The advantage of HD devices is their low cost. Also, this technology allows you to reduce the video data stream by 2 times, and the circuit design in such devices will be much simpler.
Advantages of HD.
The abundance of numbers in itself does not produce such an effect as the contemplation of the process of transformation of quantity into quality. When signal source is excellent on Full HD compatible models
, the advantages of the highest definition image are visible and do not require proof. What is the reason for the presence of unconditional advantages?
First of all, five times better detail, achieved by a huge number of dots that merge into the picture.
The frame is a capacious information carrier, the little things are carefully processed and are no longer lost against the general background. The texture of objects is displayed better, for example, individual hairs, frosty patterns, veins on leaves, making the picture more natural.
The benefits of high-definition images are even more noticeable on large screens. The first two images shown show how traditional-definition images upscaled to Full HD don’t show details.
The next two pictures clearly explain how the SD signal looks on a screen with parameters 1920×1080 and on a screen with a traditional resolution of 640×480 for NTSC or 800×600 for PAL.
The comparison proves that fine-grained interpolation will produce a more attractive image on the screen than the previously accepted increase in pixel parameters in standard definition. You probably won’t find a screen with a meter diagonal and a resolution of 720×576 on sale, since such an indicator is possible with a miniature screen of SD resolution as close as possible to the user.
This also explains the fact that the dimensions of the HD screen are twice as large as those of SD, with the same image clarity and distance from the user.
What is HD? Since there is no generally accepted high definition standard, due to the regular growth of resolutions, the HD standard is considered to be the highest quality resolution in relation to previous standards. The HD standard first appeared in the early 80s, when Japan, Europe and the United States began to improve the television process. The new format fit 720 lines per frame versus 576 lines in PAL and 480 lines in NTSC.
For information. Resolution is a value that determines the number of dots or pixels in a frame. The size is calculated by multiplying the vertical lines by the number of horizontal lines: 640×480, 1024×576, etc. The more lines and / or lines, the better and clearer the picture. There is only 1 pixel per line and line.
Full HD.
Compatibility with all aspects of the highest definition image is characterized by Full HD.
The concept of «all» means parameters up to the largest indicator 1920×1080. Full HD
is not available if the matrix present on the TV has a resolution of 1280, 1336 or 1440 in width. You can only get HD720, and most likely it will be HD-Ready. Products with and without the HD-Ready label have some differences:
- An unlabeled model will most likely not allow you to view the highest definition image, even if there is a matrix over 1280 pixels wide. Such a device can transmit an SD signal by upconverting the traditional definition signal and increasing the traditional SD resolution to the resolution of the matrix.
- The mark on the HD-Ready model indicates that the unit is capable of viewing conventional and high definition images. The SD signal will be converted “up”, and the HD720 will be transmitted without transformations or converted “up” (this is affected by the resolution of the matrix). The HD1080 will change «down», downsampling the 1080 signal to the resolution of the matrix.
- Full-HD indicates that the instrument can display various signals, either SD or HD. Here HD1080 is transmitted «as is», the rest of the indicators are transformed «up».
As a rule, Full HD models are equipped with video processors that are powerful and designed with modern technology. This explains their ability to successfully convert HD720 and SD. In the first variant, a one and a half times linear increase is required, and in the second, an amplification of 2.7 times is required. With an increase in this indicator, the depersonalization of non-contrasting small details against the general background in the emerging image becomes apparent. For a favorable resolution of this situation, you need to spend a lot of effort, strong processors perform the task as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Full HD TVs tend to be quite expensive, but they certainly contain the most modern and high-quality matrices.
Share on social networks:
HD TV signal
When you watch movies on TV, you may notice that the picture quality of digital, cable or satellite TV is an order of magnitude lower than the quality of the video you are watching using a Blu-ray player.
If you think that the problem is not enough screen resolution, then you are mistaken. The problem is quite different.
Companies that allow their customers to watch up to three thousand channels in HD quality do so in the following way. In order to fit such a large amount of data into a rather dense stream of information, the video signal is compressed very heavily, as a result of which the color gradation, sharpness and clarity of the image that was at the beginning practically disappears.
What is Full HD and HD what is better
When choosing a TV, the consumer always pays attention to the labeling and specifications. A special subject for discussion is screen resolution. Overpay for a 4K TV or save money by buying a Full HD model? The answer to this question depends on many factors: the budget, the nature of the use of the TV, the expected result. Few people know what Full HD is, so it’s time to figure it out. This is the only way to make an informed and informed decision.
Content:
- 1 History of the occurrence of Full HD
- 2 Modern quality
- 3 Proceedings and quality defects 1080P
- 4 Requirements for equipment with support for FullHD
- 5 HD
- 6 comparison of standards
- 7 Modern UHD resolution
- 8 How digital TV works
- 9 How to connect an image source to your TV
- 10 Resolution tips
When choosing a modern TV, they look at technical specifications, screen resolution, diagonal, 4K or Full HD support. Ordinary users look through the fingers at the last parameter. They’ve heard that it’s something to do with quality, but they don’t understand exactly what the advantage of this level of quality is.
Let’s take a closer look at what Full HD, Ultra 4K HD is. What is the difference between the two quality formats. And with what parameters it is better to choose TVs.
FullHD or HD Ready
On TV packaging boxes, in addition to FullHD inscriptions, there are often other inscriptions — HD Ready.
What’s the difference?
The European Association for Telecommunications Technology and Information Systems in 2005 adopted standards for new TV models that will display video with high quality parameters. They are divided into two categories: HD Ready and FullHD.
HD Ready supports a minimum resolution for this class of 720 lines, while FullHD, where the screen resolution is 1920×1080, capable of handling 1080-line video.
This name was picked up by the Japanese company when in 2007 it named a number of its products under the FullHD brand. Other companies in this market segment began to call their products the same way.
Therefore, most LCD and plasma television receivers on sale today of the FullHD class (translated from English as «full screen resolution 1920 × 1080») have a screen aspect ratio of 16 by 9 and support 1080 video lines of the image. Such images compare favorably with a simple DVD in quality, they are clearer and of higher quality.
So what is screen resolution, how do screen settings affect the picture that we see on the monitor?
A TV screen, whether plasma or liquid crystal, is a matrix that consists of pixels arranged horizontally and vertically on the screen. Their number is called the resolution of the matrix. There are many types of screen resolutions, but the most famous ones are 1024×768, 1366×768 and many others.
History of Full HD
Resolution — parameter of the image transmitted to the screen. It is measured in points — pixels. The higher the score, the better the quality and detail. Modern TVs support HD and Full HD resolution. The first format starts at 720 by 576 pixels.
Modern resolution standardized. That is, they have exact parameters from which manufacturers do not deviate. So, HD resolution is 1280 by 720 pixels. Standards were revolutionized by the advent of Full HD in 2007 with a score of 1920 by 1080 pixels.
Additionally, there is an amorphous standard Full Shd with parameters of 1140×1080 pixels.
Pixels in this case are not square. In regulatory documents, this version of the standard is called HDV.
An interesting fact. The first feature films on BluRay and HD DVD came out in HDV format.
HD groups.
A sharp image implies five times the amount of detail in the picture. This is achieved by increasing the number of points that make up the frame. The highest definition image is represented by two values: 1280×720
and
1920×1080
. Also now developing and Ultra HD.
The traditional aspect ratio is 4:3, while the high definition aspect ratio is 16:9. In the drawing, you can see how, with the same angular value of the pixels, the sizes of the screens are compared. We are talking about their size, because unlike HD pixels in SD are elongated in width, they are not square.
With an aspect ratio of 4:3, the number of lines of division of the frame is 576, then with a square pixel, there should not be 270 points in the line, 768.
Modern quality
The modern definition standard (SD) has parameters of 720 by 576 pixels. The old Full HD format is 1280x720p. And such detail refers to high definition. The updated version is 1920 by 1080 pixels. And at the same time, there are 2 subtypes of the new 1080 format: progressive, interlace.
Full color 1080p progressive subtype features instant video output. That is, the frames are not fed sequentially, which helps to avoid the appearance of a comb effect and maintain maximum image detail.
TV repair is 30% lower
than in service centers near the house
Order a repair
In addition to a good picture, the popularity of Full HD is due to the following factors: several times more expensive.
Not all TVs support this format. Even when watching cable and satellite TV, movies are broadcast in HD or Full HD quality, it is almost impossible to see the UHD option. Movies with Ultra-HD quality only go to very expensive TV packages.
What other screen parameters should I pay attention to when choosing?
Other important selection factors:
- Refresh rate.
Parameter showing how many times per second the picture is updated. The standard frequency is 60 Hz. If the value is lower, it may result in blurry images. It is better to look at devices with a frequency of 120 Hz and higher. - Contrast.
A high contrast ratio brings more hues and shadows to the screen, thereby greatly enhancing detail. As can be seen from the above advantages of Full HD devices, they have a better contrast ratio. But before making a final decision, visually test the brightness, contrast and other capabilities of a particular device.
- Number of ports.
These may be needed to connect a game console or speakers. Take a close look at their number and consider whether this is enough. It is better to take the TV, which has at least four of them.
Advantages and disadvantages of 1080p quality
Modern image detail allows you to watch full-length movies in really good quality. Full HD resolution is installed in all modern TVs. It has the following advantages:
- High dimensional parameters. The picture is located on an area of 1980 by 1080 pixels. Such dimensions are enough to cover even the largest display with an image.
- Availability of equipment with this parameter. Even domestic manufacturers produce 1080p TVs. Foreign TV Samsung, Sony, LG are equipped with the same modules.
- Lots of content in this capacity. Advertising, TV, Internet videos all support full-length video format.
- Full software compatibility with previous versions of HD.
Even a simple video in HD 720px format is perceived by modern technology as Full HD, in the H.264 video codec.
Despite all the advantages, modern quality has a drawback — too much information requires a very high speed. If something is played from the Internet, then the connection must be high-speed.
1080p
This standard is no different in terms of matrix resolution. However, in addition to standard refresh rates, the same as those of the 1080i standard, 24 Hz is also supported. In addition, the image is displayed not line by line, but in one cycle, as a result of which the picture is clearer. True, this technology is a little more complicated, as a result of which the cost of such TVs becomes higher.
TVs with this display standard smooth the picture, making it more enjoyable. In addition, text written in small print will be much better read on such a screen, and video with a fast frame change or high speed will be clearer and without breaks.
FullHD hardware requirements
You can watch movies in high quality on your TV if it meets the following specifications:
- Full digital support. The technique must have its own decoder installed to decode the binary code on which the primary image is created.
- The mattress must have the appropriate resolution — 1080p full hd or higher. Other quality will not allow you to enjoy movies. It is important to consider that there is nothing in common between screen size and resolution. You can see what your TV supports through the passport, manufacturer’s website or TV settings.
- The video player (DVD, player, receiver) must be equipped with H.264 support. This is necessary to view clips from the drive’s memory.
You can find out if the TV supports this format by the presence of a marker on the case, the user manual, on the manufacturer’s website or through the menu. In the latter option, you need to press the «menu» button through the remote control, enter the parameters and find the list of video modes.
Important! If your TV is set to Ultra-HD resolution, it automatically allows you to watch high-quality movies. 4K support — higher resolution than Full HD format.
If you can’t find out by EDID, then how to make the screen resolution
What to do if when you connect a TV with a large screen, the image does not fit and looks cut off at the edges? To resolve the issue, you need to update your computer’s video card drivers. After that, specify your model in the computer settings as the base, or main monitor. Then you need to make sure that the TV is connected to the computer with a digital connection, and that there are no restrictions on it.
Install the Moninfo EDID program (available on the Internet). After that, check the resolution of your TV in it. If it’s supported, that’s good. If not, then you will have to edit the EDID and set the permission yourself.
HD format
High Definition or HD resolution is the first high definition format.
Its parameter is 1280 by 720 points. The aspect ratio of the frame in this case is 16 by 9 (width to height ratio). Movies are played in good quality, which is enough for home viewing. Detailing is average, but when watching films via the Internet, a very high connection speed is not required.
HD resolution is available on all digital TVs. You can find affordable options with a fairly wide screen. You can connect to TV receivers, home theaters, any game consoles. However, the HD format is significantly inferior in quality to the Full HD resolution.
What is HD resolution
HD is an abbreviation of the English phrase High-Definition, which translates as «High Definition Video». Since there is no generally accepted high definition standard, due to the regular growth of resolutions, the HD standard is considered to be the highest quality resolution in relation to previous standards. The HD standard first appeared in the early 80s, when Japan, Europe and the United States began to improve the television process.
The new format fit 720 lines per frame versus 576 lines in PAL and 480 lines in NTSC.
For information. Resolution is a value that determines the number of dots or pixels in a frame. The size is calculated by multiplying the vertical lines by the number of horizontal lines: 640×480, 1024×576, etc. The more lines and / or lines, the better and clearer the picture. There is only 1 pixel per line and line.
Comparison of standards
The key differences between HD and Full HD are:
- Monitor resolution, which affects the final quality of the transmitted image.
- Modern Full HD TVs support progressive scan and its combinations with interlace. This allows you to maintain clarity even when transferring dynamic scenes.
- Optimal aspect ratio. In Full HD it’s 16 to 9.
- The cost of HD TVs is much less, which is often a key factor in their purchase.
To compare resolution settings, all formats are collected below:
| SD | 720×480 and below |
This makes it easier to spot dead pixels. 
However, it does not create new ones. That is, the picture is reduced in size, losing some of the shades. But it cannot increase. The reverse sequence of actions is not provided. 
When using progressive scan, put a marker «p» (for example, «1280x720p»). 
Higher image quality will not work, even if you buy the most powerful DVD or BluRay game console. 
After all, the TV set will not be able to improve the image if it is initially broadcast in 360 px. It just «stretches» on the monitor. And instead of a beautiful slide, the user sees large cubes of pixels. Indeed, in order to stretch a bad picture, you need to increase it, and when enlarged, pixels only show not a more detailed world, but simply a color fill. 
The clearer the image is capable of producing a technique, the wider the diagonal should be chosen by the buyer. For example, for UltraHD, multiplying the distance to the sofa is 39. 
Satellite TV offers the user a little more options. However, even with it, the number of channels with a good picture is very limited. 
Otherwise, these points are called pixels, the quality of the picture directly depends on their number. 
The first plasma panels of this format have already seen the light of day, but it will take time before they become ubiquitous. 
Suitable for devices with a large diagonal transmitting digital television (support for Blue-Ray, Full HD quality). The picture is clear, the display of details, color nuances is very high quality. Accordingly, such television panels are more expensive than the equipment of previous generations. 
Since 2020, deliveries of TVs with 8K resolution have begun from major manufacturers representing consumer equipment. 
At a primitive level, they do not require expensive equipment. But to enjoy Ultra HD quality, the device must be of the appropriate format. As for the already outdated DVDs, the films recorded on them have 720×576 parameters, therefore a budget TV receiver with a small diagonal is well suited for viewing them. 
20. This format is capable of broadcasting videos of various formats, including Full HD. 
In addition, the image is displayed not line by line, but in one cycle, as a result of which the picture is clearer. True, this technology is a little more complicated, as a result of which the cost of such TVs becomes higher. 
But do not worry, because, according to experts, many channels will soon switch to this format. In fact, the image quality of TV channels will be an order of magnitude higher than it is now. But, all such there are some nuances regarding the television signal. 
Ultra HD is 4 times more pixels than Full HD (1920 x 1080). The high pixel density makes the image crisp and fine details more visible. 
And those who claim that 4K and Ultra HD are not the same thing are absolutely right. 
| VESA designation | Horizontal pixels | Vertical pixels |
|---|---|---|
| HD 720 | 1280 | 720 |
| WXGA | 1280 | 800 |
| WXGA | 1366 | 768 |
| Full HD 1080 | 1920 | 1080 |
| WUXGA | 1920 | 1200 |
| WQXGA | 2560 | 1600 |
| Ultra HD | 3840 | 2160 |
| 4K | 4096 | 2160 |
| 8K UHD 4320p | 7680 | 4320 |
4K Zoom
Of course it’s great when you can see content in 4K or Ultra HD on the screen. But not all content is now available in 4K, and not all media players, even built-in Ultra HD displays, are capable of playing video files in this resolution. And scaling technology comes to the rescue, which is now built into almost all devices that support display in Ultra HD resolution.
When you watch Full HD (lower resolution) content on an Ultra HD screen, upscaling technology converts the video signal and upscales it to Ultra HD size. At the same time, for large manufacturers, using artificial intelligence and the peculiarities of human vision, the technology allows not only to stretch the image to the size of the screen, but improves its perception by the eye.
How does it work? Real-time scaling technology analyzes every pixel in the input video image, reduces noise, improves clarity, adds missing pixels, provides optimal contrast and color, bringing content closer to the level of Ultra HD.
Take a look and choose the right Ultra HD professional media device!
To the store >
How to choose the right size for your TV: screen size
When choosing a TV, it is undoubtedly important to consider its diagonal and resolution.
After all, it plays an important role. Before you buy a TV, consider where you want to place it. Since the TV itself will also depend on the dimensions of your room. True, there are no strict rules for choosing a diagonal. Here you need to choose both from your financial capabilities and personal preferences. What diagonals exist, and how to choose it correctly, we will try to figure it out today.
First of all you must understand that the diagonal determines the distance of the opposite corners of the display. Measurements can be either in centimeters or inches. Most often, of course, they are written in inches. And as we know, 1 inch is equal to 2.54 cm. But for starters, it’s also worth recalling the difference between a plasma and a liquid crystal screen. After all, plasma has a slightly larger matrix. And if, for example, you put two identical TVs in the same room and one of them is plasma and the other is liquid crystal, then the acceptable distance for comfortable viewing will be slightly different.
And to be more specific, it is better to put a plasma TV a little further than an LCD.
How should the screen size be chosen?
You need to choose based on factors such as resolution, as well as the distance from which you will watch TV. Let’s consider the first factor. First of all, what is permission? This is the number of vertical and horizontal pixels that are present on the screen. The more their number, the better the viewing quality will be. And the higher the resolution of the picture, the better is the use of these points for its formation. And, accordingly, the steeper the image is viewed. And as you understand, it is completely impractical to place a large-screen TV in a very small room, or vice versa. After all, sitting too close to the TV is harmful to the eyes, and you just want to enjoy what you are watching. Now the most famous and most used are screens with resolutions of 720p and 1080p. This characterizes the scanning method, as well as the number of lines per frame.
In other words, today they use progressive scanning of 720 and 1080 lines per frame. In higher resolution images, of course, there will be much more detail, and the picture itself will be sharper. 1080p resolution is considered the best, but such a TV will be much more expensive than a 720p screen. 720p resolution only applies to TVs with a screen size of 32 inches or less. Today, many home models have 1080p resolution. 2160p (Ultra HD) TVs already exist, but they haven’t entered global production yet. Yes, and their cost is very high compared to TVs that have a resolution of 720p or 1080p. Therefore, today we will not consider them.
Let’s see what is the difference between these resolutions, and what should be considered when choosing? First of all, the distance from which you will watch your TV will be of great importance. If the TV is far away from you, then you will not notice any difference between these two resolutions. You will see the differences only at close range.
And therefore, before buying a TV with the highest quality, consider whether it is advisable. If you most often watch TV with a large and friendly family, then it will not be very convenient to sit close to the screen. This, too, must be taken into account. And in this case, it is better to choose a TV with a resolution of 720p. Now there are already many different calculators with which you can easily calculate, according to the resolution and size, their ideal viewing distance. But these are only our recommendations, you already select the resolution that is most convenient for you.
Diagonal is just as important when choosing a TV. Although the difference in resolution is not entirely noticeable from a long distance, but if finances allow, you can buy a TV with a large diagonal. This means that the larger the diagonal, the more pixels, and in this case the difference between the two resolutions of 720p and 1080p will already be noticeable even from a great distance. Considering all the factors: cost, diagonal size, as well as the distance from which the viewing will be carried out, and of course the resolution of the screen itself, when purchasing a TV, you can get excellent picture quality on the screen.
How important is the distance to the TV?
At first glance it looks like dust. All of us, when purchasing a TV, want the quality of the picture being viewed to be high, resolution is also important for us. But here we need to remember such an important factor as our vision. After all, there are recommended norms, thanks to which our vision remains in good shape. According to standards and recommendations, the angle of view should be in the range from 36 to 72 degrees. Exceeding these, so to speak, norms, the angle of view increases. How to increase this angle? Everything is very simple. It is enough to move closer to the screen. Then the angle will be almost 180 degrees. And yet you just can’t see anything. For comfortable and optimal viewing, the expanded viewing angle should not exceed 140 degrees in two directions. Thanks to this, your peripheral vision is fully involved. The ideal viewing angle is considered to be 100 degrees, 50 in each direction. The same can be said about 3D technology.
After all, using an image with the effect of three-dimensional space, you definitely need a large viewing angle for comfortable and enjoyable viewing. After all, it is not in vain that there is a huge screen in cinemas, which allows you to completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a particular movie. The same effect can be achieved from a home theater using a viewing angle of 50-60 degrees. To enjoy 1080p quality, you need to move closer to the screen. In this case, you will not even notice any pixels.
How to determine the diagonal?
To calculate the acceptable distance for optimal viewing of a 720p TV, you just need to multiply its diagonal by 2.3. And for a TV whose diagonal is 1080p, you need to multiply by 1.56. This is the distance at which you will see all the details without pixelation. But as we said earlier, an acceptable viewing angle should be no more than 70 degrees on one side. Undoubtedly, the best quality will provide a TV with a resolution of 1080p, but if the pocket does not quite allow, then you can buy a TV with a resolution of 720p, but at the same time with a large diagonal.
For example, if you decide that the distance to the screen is, say, three meters. And at the same time, you bought a TV with a diagonal of 42 inches and a resolution of 1080p, then you can put it closer, because the allowable distance is 1.68 meters. So in your room with such dimensions, you can safely take a TV with a resolution of 720p. And this means that you can select TVs with a lower resolution, but at the same time take a larger diagonal of the screen itself. So, let’s say a 50-inch TV can be viewed from a three-meter distance, and this will not affect the picture quality in any way.
The main thing when buying any TV is to avoid watching models closer than two meters to the screen, because you put a lot of strain on your eyesight.
Today we told you what you should pay attention to when choosing a TV screen diagonal. What factors are really important, and what can be overlooked. After all, the main thing for us is that you do not make a mistake with the choice, and choose the right TV for yourself.