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The use of HDTV (High Definition Television) is increasing in the United States, Australia, and Japan.

How is this different from a standard TV? The main differences between HDTV and the standard TV are higher picture resolution, multi-channel audio, and a wide screen 16:9 aspect ratio. This means sharper and clearer pictures along with accurate and detailed sound.

How do the various HDTV models differ?

Some models can deliver images that are up to six times sharper than what the standard televisions display. The images we see on a television are made up of horizontal lines. These lines are scanned continuously to form an image. The standard television typically has 480 lines. In comparison, HDTV can contain 1080 lines. Unlike standard TVs, HDTV does not scan one line at a time to make the image, but delivers the whole image at once. This results in much greater detail and more realistic colors.

Aspect ratio is another difference between standard TVs and HDTV. Current day TVs use an aspect ratio of 4:3, making them look almost square. This is rapidly being replaced by the HDTV aspect ratio of 16:9. The bigger aspect ratio results in a wider screen. Due to increasing popularity of home theater systems, HDTV uses the same aspect as the screen in a movie theater. A wide screen means that the TV does not have to cut off the sides when you are watching your DVDs.

Another movie theater influence in HDTV is that audio is now presented using the Dolby Digital Standard. Currently, surround sound involves tricks to simulate the origin of audio. With the Dolby Digital Standard, the audio experience is as thrilling as the video.

Do I need any additional ’stuff’ with an HDTV?

A special receiver is needed to view programs in HD format. There are many choices available in the market today. The safest choice is to get a receiver that can accept HD format as well as standard format. This can become important because not all programs are currently available in HD. Simply connect the receiver into your HDTV and you are on. With the rise in the popularity of HDTV, the number of programs available has also been steadily increasing.

Another result of this widespread use is that the HDTV’s are quite inexpensive. Some networks have packages that include HDTV for as little as $50 a month. Since the trend has caught on and is making money, it is only natural that more and more options will soon be available to consumers. Within a year or so, HDTV could be available at the same cost as that of standard TV today.

There has been a lot of buzz lately about the brand new e-book reader launched by Amazon. The most popular e-book reader around has been the one launched by Sony.

The price difference

One of the main differences that really stands out between the Sony E-book Reader and Kindle is the vast price disparity. There’s a whopping 100 dollar difference with the Sony reader being priced at 300 USD and Kindle having a price of 400 USD. While the Sony reader promises a host of freebie features like free viewing of PDF files, no internet connection needed, free access to blogs as well as RSS feeds and even a memory card included in the welcome kit, this reader from Sony sure has plenty of upsides to it. However, Kindle isn’t far behind what with the capacity to contain more than 200 titles and an SD card slot that is included with it. However, you do need to pay 1 dollar for every blog and RSS feed respectively which is quite a bit expensive.

The format

While the Sony Reader allows you to view PDF files free of cost, the Kindle charges a 10 cent fee for every PDF file that you would sync into the device. Also Kindle tends to read HTML, plain text formats and images from the SD card but doesn’t do too well with DOC, RTF and PDF formats. But then again even the Sony Reader cannot read DOC formats directly.

E-ink technology

As far as the 6 inch LCD screen display goes in the Kindle, the display uses the revolutionary e-ink technology using ‘Vizplex’ film on the surface. However, both the Sony Reader and the Kindle have used the same technology. The plus side to this technology is that 40% of received light gets deflected and uses reflected instead of transmitted light which makes both devices easy on the eyes.

Printability

There is no need to print any document because Kindle offers portability in taking along all personal documents at anytime in any place, thereby eliminating the need for printing. The 10 cent fee is applicable for wireless transfer of word documents. However, if users do not wish to shell out this fee, free transfers can be leveraged. For this, the file or attachment needs to be sent to ‘name’@free.kindle.com where name stands for the ID used for your Kindle email address. So if the Kindle email ID is smith@kindle.com then attachments need to be sent to smith@free.kindle.com and then the file gets converted and emailed to the associated Amazon account.

Battery life

The Amazon Kindle is by far a better choice when it comes to battery life. You can go for four days at a stretch without any need to charge the Kindle. Besides, this is its good network coverage in almost any area which makes for good portability. Turning pages is as easy at the click of a button which means that even if you are reading the e-book in bed, operating the Kindle is much easier than the Sony Reader.

Though both LCD and plasma displays come in the form of slim flat panel displays, yet from a technology perspective, these two flat panel displays process the image in a totally different manner.

Plasma uses a matrix of tiny gas plasma cells that are charged by precise electrical voltages to emit light and hence to create the picture image. Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) panels - work by trapping a liquid crystal solution between two sheets of polarized glass. When an electric current is passed through the liquid crystals, they change the polarization of the light passing through them in response to the electric voltage - as a result of which, more or less light is able to pass through the polarized glass on the face of the display.

It is not the scope of this article to go into the actual details of how these different display technologies process the image - after all, what really matters is not what is going behind the screen but rather how these different display technologies perform as a television screen. At the same time, it is worth taking note that it is these same differences that give each of these display technologies, its strengths and weaknesses, and that therefore render one more suitable than the other in certain circumstances.

The list below highlights the most important differences between these two flat panel display technologies:

Size: For the time being, collision between plasma television and LCD TV occur in the 40 to 50 inch screen range. In reality, most LCD TVs top out at around 50 inch; larger screen sizes are also available though choice is still very much limited. This means that for anything larger than 50-inch, a plasma display is your only real option if what you are after is a direct-view TV system. On the other hand, at the smaller end of spectrum, namely 15″ to 36″ TVs, LCD is the way to go if what you want is something stylish and slim (at under 4-inches in depth).

Price: Here, the playing field is leveling at a fast rate. Up to very recent, plasma was the obvious choice for all screen sizes where collision between these two technologies occurs; this is no longer the case. In general, plasma still leads by a good margin only at the bigger screen sizes - 50-inch and upwards. At the smaller end (up to 44-inch), the price advantage when it comes to plasma vs LCD TV sets, starts to shift more towards LCD TVs.

Overall Picture Performance: Both plasma and the latest TFT-LCD flat panel displays are capable of producing excellent picture quality - with bright, crisp clear images. However, plasma flat panel displays are more suitable for basic home theater usage than LCD. The gas cell structure within a plasma display is such that there is no light leaking between adjacent cells (or pixels). This renders plasma displays capable of displaying deeper blacks - hence more suited to television and movie scenes where lots of dark and light content is shown simultaneously.

In comparison, the nature of LCD technology - where a backlight shines through the LCD layer - means that it is hard for it to achieve true blacks (i.e. true absence of light) as there is always some light leakage from adjacent pixels.

This does not mean that LCD panel s are not suitable as TV screens; today’s LCD TV sets make use of extreme high contrast panels that are capable of displaying very deep blacks, yet the latest plasma TV sets still have a slight edge.

Viewing-angle: What used to be a clear advantage for plasma displays is becoming more and more a non-issue especially with the latest generation of LCD televisions, however…

Do not always assume that viewing angle is no longer an issue when comparing plasma vs lcd TVs. The tendency - in particular with the cheaper LCD TV sets - is that the deterioration in picture quality with off-axis viewing is more accentuated with LCD than with plasma displays.

Image Retention and Burn-in: LCD TVs enjoys a technological advantage; they are not prone to burn-in, and image retention in LCD TVs - referred to as ‘image sticking’, is often completely reversible.

It is important to realize here that while burn-in in plasma displays and image sticking in LCD panels both lead to image retention, yet these are two completely different phenomena.

Burn-in is no longer much of a concern as it used to be with plasma televisions up to the recent past, especially for people with normal TV viewing requirements. Similarly, image sticking with LCD TVs is unlikely to take place under normal home entertainment use.

Viewing Distance: It seems that the pixel size and shape of an LCD panel renders a smoother picture than an equivalently sized plasma panel for the same pixel count.

This means that even if your viewing distance falls within the recommended distance of approximately twice the screen width for an HDTV, if this is less than at least nine feet, most probably you will be better off with an LCD TV.

Life-time: This is a non-issue with either technology. In fact, both plasma and LCD TV sets come with a quoted half-lifetime of around 60,000hrs. Even if this were just 30,000hrs, it would imply more than 14 years of use at 6 hours a day. And this when the average household in the US replaces the TV set every 7 years!

In other words, both plasma and LCD TV sets make use of extremely stable and reliable display technologies. As such, lifetime is more dependent upon manufacturer quality rather than upon display technology.

Response: Plasma TV sets carry an advantage here because even though LCD technology has improved to the extent that this is becoming less of an issue, yet LCD has still some way to go to achieve the same level of pixel response times as phosphor based displays.

Power Requirements: The advantage here goes to LCD panels as these consume less electricity. Estimates show that the use of LCD panels can result in some 30% power savings for the same screen size than plasma display.

Making the Choice

There is a market for both plasma and LCD displays - Plasma gives you a bigger screen for your dollar, deeper blacks, but then LCD do not suffer from burn-in and at the smaller end of the market (less than 40-inch screen size), LCD is your only way forward if you want something slim and stylish.

It is all a question of knowing what are the advantages and limitations of each with respect to your specific needs.

This article is an excerpt from a series of informative guides appearing on Practical-Home-Theater-Guide.COM under the Plasma and LCD TV sections of the site.

It covers only the very basics when it comes to compare plasma vs LCD TVs. There are a lot more considerations one has to take into account when selecting the display technology for a flat screen TV.

To find out more, please refer to the detailed guides appearing on the same site at http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/plasma-vs-lcd-TV.html.

Last updated on 10th May 2007. Copyright (c) 2004/2007 http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com. All rights reserved.

I’m fairly certain there are folks at Nintendo feeling some serious self-loathing right about now. You see, back in the mid-90’s Nintendo contracted Sony to develop a CD-ROM drive for the Super Nintendo. As the project progressed, a number of factors (one of them being the spectacular failure of the Sega CD and its’ followup the 32X) led Nintendo to can the project. Sony was left holding the bag, with a CD-based gaming system but no one to sell it to.

Making proverbial lemonade from lemons, Sony turned around and produced what is perhaps the most successful game console in history, the Sony Playstation. The result? For the first time in history, Nintendo took second place in the video game console market, while fellow rival Sega got out of the console business altogether.

One segment of the gaming market Nintendo still has a stranglehold on, however, is the handheld sector. Beginning with the original Gameboy, the name Nintendo has been a veritable synonym for handheld gaming. This dominant streak has held sway through several subsequent iterations of the Gameboy. Some have claimed Nintendo’s dual screen DS handheld system to be a revolutionary step forward in portable gaming. Others have decried it as gimmicky. Whichever side you fall on, there’s no doubt Nintendo execs are fingering their collars as Sony prepares to rain on their parade with their new Playstation Portable - aka the PSP.

Comparing the two systems, I’d say there’s a real chance Nintendo may finally have a serious challenger to the portable gaming throne. Most assuredly, Nintendo will claim that they are pursuing a different demographic than Sony (read ‘kids’), and to their credit the pre-teen crowd will probably favor the DS over the PSP. But for anyone over the age of 12, the PSP is definitely a serious contender for your pocket change.

Okay, so enough Nintendo-bashing. Review the damn thing already.

The first impression one gets from the PSP (once you’ve ravenously clawed your way through the packaging) is just how sleek the system is. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the PSP is one seriously sexy piece of cutting-edge tech. The system’s faceplate is fashioned of one glassy piece, interrupted only by the protrusion of the various buttons. The backside is just as nice, with the UMD disc door featuring a prominent PSP logo inside a silver metal ring set flush against the backplate. The two shoulder buttons are clear plastic, and the perimeter edge is accented in silver giving the whole thing a very streamlined look.

Of course, looks are one thing, but how does it actually play? I’m happy to report that the PSP delivers very well in this regard. For a portable system, weight is an important factor, as it is by nature handheld. The PSP is fairly lightweight, especially considering all the hi-tech goodness crammed into it’s slim chassis. In fact, it weighs just about the same as the Nintendo DS, if you need the comparison. You could easily play this thing for hours straight without feeling weighed down.

One thing that takes a little getting used to is the somewhat cramped form-factor. While the PSP’s controls may be perfect for Japanese gamers, most Westerners will find that having a go with the PSP will involve a short learning curve while hunting for a comfortable grip. Really, though, it’s no worse than any handheld system before it, and there’s no denying that Sony designed the PSP with ergonomics in mind. The back of the PSP has a very subtle curvature on each side, creating a natural shallow channel for placing one’s fingertips…it’s a small detail, but it counts.

Sony smartly modeled the PSP’s controls on the PS2’s Dualshock controllers, minus two of the front triggers and the right control stick. Replacing the left stick is an analog ‘nub’, which works much better than it sounds. Rather than tilt on an axis, the nub moves gently in a horizontal direction, giving you the same control as a stick but without the height a stick would require. It’s actually a small bit of genius, and works great in action.

As you’ve probably heard, the PSP’s main selling point is its’ 4.3-inch hi-def screen. While 4.3 inches doesn’t sound like much on paper, the PSP’s screen really must be seen to be appreciated. Both games and feature films look absolutely fantastic, and since the screen is formatted to a 16:9 ratio both applications can be appreciated in full widescreen, high-definition glory. Watching Spiderman 2 (which was included in the first million units sold in the US) is a remarkable experience; when I first booted it up, I laughed at the game store manager and proclaimed ‘It looks better than my television!’. And sure enough, it does. The screen is bright and crisp, and you may find yourself picking details out of the image that you might not have noticed the first time around.

Of course, movies are one thing, but the PSP is primarily a game platform. You wouldn’t think so, but games benefit from the PSP’s hi-def screen moreso than films. Watching something like Wipeout Pure in motion is amazing; not only is the image in razor-sharp hi-definition, it’s also widescreen, allowing a larger view of the playfield than ever before. Again, you’d think a 4.3-inch screen wouldn’t capable of very much, but it just isn’t so. Without a doubt, the PSP’s screen is one of the greatest single innovations the handheld gaming world has ever seen.

Powering the PSP is a single 333mhz processor, which may not sound too impressive up front, but visually, the PSP stacks up favorably with it’s bigger sibling, the PS2. All the flourishes you’ve come to expect from the full-size gaming platforms, sharp textures, lens flares, hi-poly models, can be found on a device roughly the size of a scientific calculator. Pick up Ridge Racer, perhaps the most visually impressive title in the PSP’s launch lineup, and you won’t miss the PS2 iterations one bit. Ditto for the aforementioned Wipeout Pure, which actually manages to overtake the PS2’s Wipeout Fusion by a fair mile…and not merely by virtue of it’s portability. It’s actually a better game…if that doesn’t say anything to you about the power of the PSP, nothing will.

The PSP also lends itself to other applications, such as viewing photos, watching videos, and playing music. Though these are definitely secondary uses for the PSP, they are no less good selling points, as the PSP handles them well enough to be a serious consideration for anyone looking for a secondary media display device. In each instance, simply connecting the PSP to your PC with a 5-pin USB cord will let you drag files from your hard drive onto the PSP’s Memory Stick. Pictures and music are fairly straightforward, while video is less so, requiring you to convert it to .mp4 format and set up a separate folder on the Memory Stick.

Picture viewing is a breeze. The PSP interface is set up in a horizontal heirarchy displaying each function; you simply navigate left or right to choose the application and then vertically to choose the source. Selecting ‘Pictures’ and then ‘Memory Stick’ will let you browse whatever images you have stored on your Memory Stick. Since the PSP uses standard Memory Stick Duo format chips, if you have a digital camera that uses MS Duo sticks, you can simply slap the stick from your digican into the PSP and browse to your heart’s content. The PSP allows you to zoom in or out and pan the photos in any direction using the nub.

Music is just as easy…you just drag your ATRAC (ech!) or .mp3 (yay!) music files onto the Memory Stick, and then navigate to them the same way you did the photos. One thing the PSP is not, however, is an iPod…you have to set up folders for each group of tunes you want, though you can assign tracks to song groups and play them back at will. That said, the PSP’s music playback functionality is great. The PSP comes with a decent set of earbuds and a remote extension allowing you to control the PSP’s music functions without having to dig the unit out of your pocket. More importantly, it sounds great. If you know how to edit .wmu playlists, you can even assign thumbnail images to the tracks which will appear when you play back the tune on your PSP.

Videos are the biggest pain in the arse, mainly because you have to do the most fiddling. Luckily, homebrew PSP programmers have already jumped to action, and there are already a number of freeware apps available online which will let you drag ‘n drop video onto your PSP with little or no trouble.

The biggest drawback to all this media fun is the fact that the PSP ships with a measly 32mb Memory Stick. By the time you start messing around with music and video files, you’ll be sorely aching for a big ‘ole 1GB Memory Stick.

So okay, I’m sure you’re wondering whether or not any of the horror stories you’ve heard about the PSP are true. One of the bigger points of contention that’s hounded the PSP is the dreaded ‘dead pixels’ issue. Reports have circulated widely that a number of PSP units have been plagued by ‘dead pixels’, pixels which are either permanently light or dark, depending on how they’re stuck. My unit does indeed have a handful of these dreaded dead pixels, but seriously…I think you’d have to be a real anal-retentive type for it to be considered truly bothersome. I’m certain that a handful of PSP’s have some serious issues, and Sony has agreed to repair or replace these units at no cost. However, seeing the problem first-hand, I can honestly say that it doesn’t seem to be that big an issue. In fact, over the last week or so, some of the ‘dead pixels’ seem to have disappeared, leaving only two barely noticeable spots. The other standout problem with the PSP’s screen is that it is a veritable magnet for smudges and fingerprints. Sony thoughtfully includes a microfiber cleaning cloth with the unit, and believe me, you’ll get a lot of use out of it. If this really bothers you, be aware that for less than $5 you can buy a number of PSP ’skins’ which protect the screen from smudges or (gasp!) scratches.

The second biggest concern about the PSP has been the battery life. So far, in my experience, the power supply is adequate for what the PSP is…a portable gaming system. With average use, you should expect to get between 4-5 hours of use between recharges. I generally use the PSP to while away lunch breaks or spare moments in the evening when I’ve got nothing better to do, and I have yet to encounter a situation when I’ve been left with a fully discharged PSP. If you really expect to put some time into the PSP, you will probably want to get into the habit of carrying around the included 5v power supply or invest in a secondary power source (Pelican currently sells a ‘power brick’ which will recharge your PSP twice on a single charge for a mere $10). Other reports, from UMD’s ejecting from the unit when its’ twisted, to poorly fabricated ’square’ buttons, have really been overblown. I’m sure you can find faults with the system, but overall, it’s very well manufactured and should withstand years of use provided you take care of it.

A minor issue of mine lies with the UMD movie lineup. While I’m all for enjoying fan-favorite fare like Hellboy and Kill Bill, I wonder if film studios will truly embrace the format. Will we ever be able to enjoy Citizen Kane or the works of Jean Cocteau on the PSP? I think not. Considering the highly proprietary nature of the UMD format, I can’t imagine the studios taking a risk on less bankable material for consideration for UMD release. I suppose those of us who enjoy the occasional foreign or classic film will have to resort to storing flicks on the Memory Stick. Oh well…least common denominator, I suppose…

Film snobbery aside, the PSP is truly a remarkable piece of engineering. When the PSP’s specs were first unveiled a mere two years ago, it was widely believed that Sony’s handheld system was vaporware in the making, and that the final product couldn’t possibly deliver. Amazingly, they have. Nearly every point on Sony’s ambitious list is intact. With numerous hardware and software improvements on the way (digital camera attachments, installed web browser and chat clients, PSP MMORPG’s), Sony has crafted the first true challenger to the handheld gaming throne…and suddenly it feels like 1995 all over again.

The new PlayStation 3 is the third home video game console from Sony Computer Entertainment and is a successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. This model game console comes to compete with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles.

Sony launched its third version of PlayStation first on November 11, 2006 in Japan, on November 17, 2006 in North America and Asia, and Europe. The Sony PS3 is capable of playing back content from a Blu-ray Disc(BD) at a rate of multiplex 48Mbps, the maximum bit rate defined in BD standards. It is the third generation of the Sony PlaySation that is making waves now.The official unveiling of the Sony PS3 to the public was held on May 16, 2005, during the E3 2005 conference. A functional version of the system was not present there, as a working system was not readily available due to power failures and hardware problem. On September 6, 2006, Sony declared the delay of the launch of the PlayStation 3 until March 2007 due to a shortage of diodes used in the Blu-ray Disc drive.

Later, the release of the PlayStation 3 in Japan was held on November 11, 2006. The PS3 from Sony created a record by making a sale of approximately 600,000 units in its first two days of launch in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Sony later announced that the 80 GB PlayStation 3 would be launched in South Korea on June 16, 2007, in one configuration featuring an 80 GB hard drive. It was for the first time that the Sony PS3 was released with an 80 GB hard disk.

Sony discontinued the 20 GB PlayStation 3 model in North America on September 2007. It was after citing “lack of consumer demand” although the 20 GB model is still on sale in Japan. It is widely speculated that the removal of the 20 GB model from the North American market was to save manufacturing costs, as there is a difference in cost between the two aforementioned models of around $30.

The PlayStation 3 game console coming out from Sony Computer Entertainment is the third one in the row of game consoles launched by the electronic giant. Marketed officially as PLAYSTION3, and commonly abbreviated as PS3, the third home video game console competes with Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. Released first on November 11, 2006 in Japan, November 17, 2006 in North America and Asia, and March 23, 2007 in Europe and Oceania, the game console enjoys a third place in sales and marketing. The PlayStation 3 is considered as the first console with next-generation primary storage media, Blu-ray Disc, in spite of its supporting to DVDs, CDs, HDDs and with some models SACDs. The PlayStation 3 game console can also play back content from Blu-ray Disc (BD) at a bit rate of multiplex 48Mbps, the maximum bit rate defined in BD standards.

The PlayStation 3 game console along with the features of the 20 GB model, the 60 GB model also carries along with it additional features including internal IEEE 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, multiple flash card readers (SD/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash Type I/Type II, Microdrive, Memory Stick/PRO/Duo) and a chrome colored trim. The hardware used for the 80 GB model released in South Korea was almost same to the 60 GB model released in Europe and Australia. It was only the size of the hard drive that was differing. The North American 80 GB model excluded the PlayStation 2 “Emotion Engine” chip following the South Korean and European models, instead by providing PS2 compatibility via software emulation, which reduced the level of compatibility. It was found that the 40 GB model had two USB ports instead of the four USB ports on other models, and excludes a multi memory card port, SACD support, or any backwards compatibility with PlayStation 2 titles.

Until now Sony has not released any official Wi-Fi or flash memory card readers for the 20 GB system, although plans for such add-ons are in place. The second generation PS3s (40 GB) use Cell CPUs of 65nm while at the same time the first generation PS3s (60 GB) use Cell CPU of 90nm. This shows that the system runs cooler requiring less power to operate.

Why HDCP?

As far as the content industry is concerned, all channels of distribution - whether it be through over-the-air signals, Blu-ray or HD DVD, and cable and satellite HDTV, need to be secured.

Now, digital HD content delivered though DVI and HDMI represents the highest quality video available today. While great for the end-customer, it’s also great for counterfeiters who can use DVI and HDMI connections to get at a perfect video signal.

This is the background to the birth of High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection - also referred to as HDCP.

HDCP is based on a three-stage - authentication, encryption, and key revocation - process, to control video transmission and delivery up to the very end of the video display process.

Technically speaking, HDCP is pure content protection, not copy protection; restrictions on copying, sharing, etc., will have to be handled by other process in the signal chain e.g. cable and satellite TV boxes, high definition DVD players, etc. What High-bandwidth digital content protection does is simply guarantees that whatever content restrictions are in place, these are enforced by authenticating both the transmitter and the receiver.

HDCP Requirements for inter-operability

An HDCP source requires an HDCP-compliant DVI or HDMI receiver for it to allow the transmission of high definition content. What’s more, all active components in the HDTV connectivity chain must be HDCP compliant; otherwise you would not be able to enjoy high definition content.

You may think that it is still possible to continue enjoying high definition content in the way you have done so far - even if your ‘old’ HDTV is non-HDCP compliant, but…

It is true that most of to-day high definition boxes still support full high-definition through component video, but to prevent pirates from creating high resolution copies, the HDCP standard bans compliant products from converting HDCP-protected content to full-resolution analog form - unless specifically allowed for by the content provider.

What does this mean?

Connecting an HDCP source e.g. a HD-DVD or Blu-ray player, to a non-complaint receiver will - at best - force the source device to down-convert the video resolution through analog outputs to close to standard DVD quality; in a similar manner, DVD-Audio content is restricted to DAT quality on non-HDCP compliant digital audio outputs. At worst - what you get is just a blank output!

In other words, if you want to be certain that you will always be in a position to enjoy the benefits of full resolution high definition content on your television or monitor, your display device needs HDCP support.

Why did HDCP turn out to be the greatest ‘nightmare’ for early adopters of HDTV?

Being HDCP implies the utilization of a digital interface - in particular, the use of DVI and HDMI inputs and outputs. At the same time, a DVI or HDMI interface does not necessarily imply HDCP compatibility. Many major manufactures have come up during the early years of DVI and HDMI, with products that are not HDCP compliant.

Partly, the reason behind this anomaly is that up to very recent, HDCP was not a requirement. In fact, this digital content protection protocol was adopted by the FCC almost a year after we had started to see the first HDMI-enabled devices on stores shelves, and at a time when DVI had already been around for a number of years.

To a certain extent, this situation has transformed itself into one of the major problems many early adopters of HDTV are facing today - these have ended up paying top-dollar for the first HDTVs to hit the market. Those TVs are truly capable of displaying full high-definition content but they lack the HDCP-compliant HDMI (or DVI) inputs necessary to digitally interface with the latest generation of high definition devices such as HD-DVD and Blu-ray movie players.

The end result is that it would not be possible to watch high definition content on these HDTV sets. At best, what you will get is a down-converted version of the high definition image via the component video out that is a quarter of the 1920×1080 resolution offered by maximum HD.

This down-converting of the image over the analog outputs is enforced by a special digital flag - Image Constraint Token (ICT) - within the digital rights management standard; it is used to protect movies from unauthorized duplication. The decision to set this flag to restrict the output via the players or set-top box video component output is left to the studio or content provider, who can choose to implement ICT on a disc-by-disc or content-by-content basis.

Fortunately, there is some sort of silver lining to this cloud of confusion. Content providers are aware of the difficulties that surround the implementation of HDCP with respect to the present consumer electronics base. In an attempt to show some willingness to meet these consumers - half way - till they upgrade their HDTV gear, some studios have publicly indicated that they would not enforce analog down conversion. Sony Pictures Entertainment has publicly stated that its Blu-ray discs will not carry the ICT; some other studios have indicated that they will follow suit. This means that at least, some of the first Blu-ray discs will be viewable at full high-definition resolution for all HDTV owners. In a similar manner, Universal Studios has indicated that for the time being, they won’t down-sample content on their HD-DVD discs.

Be aware however, that not all content providers will follow on the footsteps of Sony and Universal. For example, Warner Pictures - a proponent of ICT - has signaled that it will implement down-conversion on ‘at least’ some of its initial HD-DVD discs. Further more, those studios that will not implement ICT, are under no obligation to maintain their present position indefinitely, so do not be surprised to see ICT implemented across-the-board within a few years time - especially once the present format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD is over, and equally important, once the penetration of compliant HDTV sets reaches the right level.

The Bottom Line

We believe that owners of non-compliant HDTVs would still be able to get several more years of enjoyment from their sets - in other words, there is no need to rush and upgrade. This means that you may take all your time to plan your HDTV upgrade but…

Be warned that requirements such as ICT and plans for new devices that will output only via an HDCP/HDMI port, may eventually turn your old HDTV a useless resource! If in the process, you would not manage to upgrade your gear, you may end up with a HDTV set that would be useless when it comes to watching HD content!

(For more information on how this content protection process operates, as well as on related HDCP compliance issues, please visit http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/hdcp.html).

Electronic store gadgets seem to sprout out of nowhere like mushrooms. Every time you read a newspaper or magazine and watch the television, you are introduced to the latest and most advanced technological breakthrough on the face of the earth. Of the many gizmos and devices available on the market, one thing that TV addicts may want to consider investing on is the HDTV or High Definition Television.

This new device is a more enhanced version of digital television, or DTV. The resolution in HDTV is more defined and you will truly have a more cinematic experience with this type of television.

However, when buying HDTV, you need to insist on an integrated system because it is complete and you do not have to think about connecting tuner or receiver. With the integrated system, all you need is a satellite or cable connection.

If you do not have enough money, you can probably consider the HDTV-capable set. This is an HDTV monitor but you will need to find or buy an external receiver to enable you to watch an HDTV show or program. It is important to note that an HDTV without this external receiver is just like an ordinary television set. You will not be able to enjoy high definition images even if the monitor is HDTV without this add-on.

By the way, an HDTV ready is not necessarily an HDTV capable screen or monitor. Before buying this type of system, carefully ask your sales clerk if the set is actually an HDTV screen. Better yet, just stick with the HDTV integrated system or the HTV-capable set.

Since there are many brands of HDTV in the market, choosing one can really be daunting. To help you out with this task, read the buying guide below to know what features of HDTV to look for:

Audio

The most common type of sound system used in HDTVs is the Dolby Digital Surround. Some manufacturers, however, use other type of audio systems. The best way to determine which brand has the best sound is to try them out.

Connector Ports

The number of connector ports of HDTV varies tremendously from one brand to another. Thus, if you are buying an HDTV, or any other television sets, you need to see if the product has all the connector ports you need.

The usual connector ports that are being used are the Composite Video, RF, A/V, RCA, Component video, VGA and HDMI.

HD Receiver/Tuner

If you do not want any fuss, you should opt for a set that has an internal HD receiver or tuner. As mentioned earlier, this is the integrated system type of HDTV set. However, if your cable or satellite provider rents out or offers free external HD receiver, then you may want to buy the much cheaper HDTV capable set.

Resolution

One of the most important features that you need to look out for when buying an HDTV is the resolution. If the resolution of the HDTV set is poor, then there is really no reason why you have to buy that set because your old television set may have better resolution.

If you want fantastic resolution, be sure to look for a set that has a vertical resolution of 1080i and 720p. Standard television usually only has a vertical resolution of 480i. By the way, the “i” here stands for interlaced, which is the type of vertical resolution being used in analog TV, while the “p” is progressive, the usual choice for digital television sets.

For all of those MP3 music owners, the future of car audio is finally here for you. Gone are the days where you had to burn your MP3s onto a CD for playback in your car audio system. Sony recently released the MEX-1GP CD receiver, a CD receiver that also features a built-in 1 GB flash memory unit. So now your car audio CD receiver behaves in the same manner as your iPod or other type of MP3 player. The 1 GB flash memory unit can store up to 500 of your favorite songs, giving you plenty of playback time for your music. This little device will make even the longest of trips in your car smoother and more enjoyable, since you will not have to worry about changing CDs any longer.

Aside from playing MP3s, this CD receiver also plays CDs (as the name implies) along with burned CD-Rs and CD-RWs so that those who wish to play their old CDs can still take advantage of this nifty product. However, the real attraction to this new car audio head unit is the MP3 playability. The flash memory unit is located in the detachable faceplate. Here resides the USB port which allows you to connect the faceplate to your PC (similar to your iPod or other MP3 player). Once your faceplate is connected to your CD, you simply drag and drop the MP3 files onto the flash memory unit of the faceplate. Unfortunately the faceplate is only compatible with Windows operating systems, so all of you Mac owners will have to go to your buddy’s house to copy the MP3s to and from the Sony MEX-1GP.

The new receiver is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well. It is finished in a high-gloss black color and features a 13-segment LCD display for simple navigation of track and title information. The screen displays album, artist and track name when playing your MP3 music files. Users can shuffle or repeat tracks, albums or personalized groups through controls on the faceplate or with the supplied remote control. The MEX-1GP unit has a built-in 208-watt power amplifier and a three-band equalizer enabling clear, rich sound. The selectable rear/subwoofer preamp outputs, controls the frequency and output level of an external amplifier.

After installing this receiver and experiencing it for a little over a week, I must say that I am quite impressed with this product. For one, the sound quality when playing MP3s through this unit is nothing less than phenomenal. If you didn’t know any better, you would think that you were playing a CD with the crisp and clear playback quality of this head unit. While traveling on a three hour road trip (three hours each way, six hours total) I was able to listen to one selection of songs on the way up and an entirely different selection of songs on the way back, all without the hassle of changing CDs and enduring a pause in play. I’m just a little surprised it took so long for a product like this to hit the market, especially with the increasing popularity of portable MP3 devices such as the iPod over the last several years. While it may have taken awhile for a product like this to hit the market, I’m sure Sony will have plenty of competitors very soon, which will benefit car audio enthusiasts like myself.

When it comes to size, resolution and picture quality, more and more people are opting for an LCD TV. These are currently the bestselling flat and high-definition televisions today, preferred by more consumers because they come in a wide variety of sizes, fits just about anywhere and are light enough to be mounted on the wall just like an ordinary picture frame. But with so many choices today, how do you find the best LCD TV? Here are some factors to consider, along with a few recommendations.

LCDs explained

LCD is short for liquid crystal display. This refers to the type of technology used on the screen of the TV to produce images. Thanks to backlighting, LCD TVs are better than older CRT models using fluorescent lights to produce a wider variety of colors. This is also the technology that allows even distribution of light across the whole screen, so overall brightness is consistent.

Does size matter in TV?

Apparently, it does. The best LCD TVs today are those that offer a good range of sizes - from desktop computer-sized 15″ units to more home theater-friendly 70″. Bigger units even come with tuners and surround sound speakers to better enhance the home theater experience.

Picture quality

Admittedly, even the best LCD TVs have visual performance issues they have to contend with. Some of their main drawbacks are the low refresh rate (leading to relatively slower response time), low contrast ratio compared to plasma TVs and blurring during fast action sequences.

However, LCD TV manufacturers are promising better performance in the next generation LCD TVs. That means, we can expect significantly higher response rates and tweaks that will resolve blurs during high-speed car chases and fight scenes in future models.

How to choose the best LCD TV

Here are some factors to consider:

Size

Probably the major consideration you need to keep in mind is the LCD TV’s size. It has to fit the area where it will be placed and must be big enough to optimize your viewing experience and small enough not to overwhelm. Remember that the best LCD TVs are built for maximum viewing pleasure at a distance. So if you have a 40″ set, you should at have enough space in the room to allow you to sit at a distance of 5 feet or so. The larger the TV, the farther the area you should view it from.

Resolution

This is another gauge in which the best LCD TVs are measured. Resolution refers to the overall picture quality of the TV. The higher the number, the sharper and clearer the image. High definition formats generally range from about 720p to 1080p.

However, if budget is a major concern, there’s no need to pay extra for higher resolution. Even 720p LCDs can already produce excellent images and reliable picture quality. The difference between a 720 and a 1080 is almost negligible especially if you have access to shows with HD programming.

Brand

In some cases, brand loyalty matters when deciding which LCD TV is best. If you must consider the manufacturer, look for top names such as Samsung, Sony, LG, Philips or Vizio. These brands have some of the best models in the industry, with several premium offers available.

Price

If you stick by a particular brand and consider a larger-sized LCD TV, some of the best you’ll find can set you back at least $700 for a decent-sized 32″. Bigger sizes starting at 37″ can cost from about $1,500 to $3,000. However, you could still shave off a few hundred dollars by opting for lesser-known brands that are typically sold by distributors at stores like Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy. You’ll generally get the same picture quality at about 15% to 20% less.