Are you shopping for a new TV and not really sure what to look for in terms of picture resolution quality or what that even means? All of the new technology and specifics can tend to get a little overwhelming, so you’re actually in the same boat as numerous others. In lieu of that, the following explanations are offered to assist you.
TV resolution is described in a couple of ways. One definition is based on measuring the overall screen size in pixels. The other acknowledges the level of sharpness and clarity. And although these different factors determine a specific definition of what TV resolution means, they are actually all based on which type of TV monitor we’re referring to. Pixel Arraingment When talking about picture tube – also known as a CRT TV, a flat panel or projection-based television, the results depend on the pixel arrangement. When referring to TVs that entail front and rear projects such as LCDs or DLPs, flat-panel plasma TVs, or even HDTVs, the basic output is displayed in columns and rows of pixels. The amount of pixels varies from model to model which is basically what determines the level of resolution. And a TV that displays pixels more effectively will produce a sharper image. Aspect Ratio The display screen size is another factor. Referred to as ‘aspect ratio’, it also affects the TV’s level of resolution. The size of the screen in comparison to the number of pixels being displayed is based on the image’s physical picture width in ratio to it’s height on the screen. The closer those two numbers are in ratio together, the sharper your picture will be. And depending on whether or not your screen size ratio is similar to the actual picture’s aspect ratio, it will either stretch the pixels to fill the screen which results in a decrease in sharpness, or fit them nicely into a closer ratio screen producing better clarity. If this is a little confusing to you, think of Silly Putty. When you use Silly Putty to imprint an image and then begin to manipulate that image by stretching the sides, top or bottom of it, you see a decrease in its sharpness - same concept with aspect ratios.
The way the lines or rows are displayed will also affect the TV’s resolution. The difference is based on a TV that uses either interlacing or progressive scanning to display the images. Analog Monitors Analog TV monitors display pixels in rows that scan in sequentially; 1,081 rows of pixels appear on the screen in division. The odd-numbered rows appear first, followed by the even-number rows. This process, called interlacing, takes only 1/60th of a second to conclude - 1/30th of a second for each set of rows - which is why you’ve mostly likely never noticed it. But if you think back to the older, dial TVs with their vertical and horizontal hold buttons, it may offer a little clarity with this explanation. Progressive Scan TV Systems Progressive scan TV systems convert the interlacing process as it displays on the screen. With a progressive scan TV, all of the rows of pixels are displayed at the same time so the entire image appears at once instead of simultaneously. This type of resolution generally results in a sharper picture. Conclusion When you come right down to it, TV screen resolution is based on how our eyes perceive the images we’re looking at. With any type of TV, the decision is of course left up to personal preference. Buy the TV that satisfies your needs – as long as the picture looks good to you, that’s really all that matters. If we had to recommend any TV resolution to a consumer we would say go for a 1080p TV. The cost will be more but content providers are starting to release content in 1080p resolution which will become the standard in years to follow.
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