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- High Definition
Setup Guide -
You have finally taken the plunge and invested in a high
definition television or HDTV capable
television. You have made a wise choice and joined the many who
have switched to digital technology. You will soon be able to
start enjoying stunning widescreen television programming at more
than double the resolution of normal standard television. You
have also ensured that you will be able to continue receiving off
the air programming as more off air stations begin to phase out
analog signals in favor or digital ones. This high
definition setup guide will walk you through the major
steps of your HDTV installation.
The first thing to consider is your choice in equipment. It is
important to first determine what type of HDTV you have, if you
have not already done so. There are two types of television
currently on the market able to receive HDTV programming at up to
1080 lines of resolution.
- HDTV Ready Television- These are also
referred to as "HDTV capable", meaning that they are capable of
decoding HDTV programming with the use of an external set top
box. Most mid to high end televisions are sold HDTV ready. If you
are planning to receive off the air HDTV programming, you will
need to purchase an external HDTV receiver which is capable of
receiving all 18 formats of digital television, as well as a
suitable HDTV antenna. These formats include, high definition,
enhanced definition and standard definition broadcasts. If you
are planning to receive HDTV broadcasts from your satellite
provider, you will require a special HDTV decoder or IRD.
Finally, if you are going to be receiving HDTV programming from
your digital cable provider, you will need a cable set top box,
which can usually be rented or purchased from your cable
provider. For more information on HDTV equipment, visit our
HDTV
Buyers Guide
- High Definition Television- If you have
purchased a high end HDTV, you are all ready to receive off the
air HDTV broadcasts through a built in HDTV receiver. You will
still require a suitable HDTV antenna to receive the programming.
Some new select HDTV televisions have a
CableCARD decoder built in which enables you to
receive cablevision programming and HDTV signals without an
external decoder with a CableCARD access card provided by your
cable provider. If you television does not offer Cable CARD
support and you are going to be receiving HDTV programming from
your digital cable provider, you will need a cable set top box,
which can usually be rented or purchased from your cable
provider. If you are planning to receive HDTV broadcasts from
your satellite provider, you will require a special HDTV decoder
or IRD. For more information on HDTV equipment, visit our
HDTV
Buyers Guide
You should be aware that your actual picture quality will be
limited to the format that the broadcaster chooses. Some
broadcasters, rather than broadcasting in high definition from
end to end (720 lines progressive,1080 lines interlaced) will be
converting their standard television signals to digital. The
resulting format, is know as "Standard Definition Television"
(SDTV), which is limited to 480 interlaced lines of resolution,
but will be offer a significant improvement over standard
television broadcasts. The picture quality will be slightly above
that delivered from digital satellite providers. Other
broadcasters may choose the middle format known as "Enhanced
Definition Television" (EDTV), which delivers 480 progressive
lines of resolution. Regardless of the chosen broadcast format,
you will see a sharply noticeable improvement over your regular
television broadcasts (330 lines of resolution).
HDTV Connections
You are likely fairly familiar with standard connections to
your Television, such as from your VCR, DVD player or satellite
decoder. These include, from worst to best, Regular coaxial cable
connection, composite video (RCA Type), S-Video and Component
Video.
With HDTV sources you will need to be familiar with some new
digital connections that you may not seen before. The different
digital connection have pros and cons and not all may be
supported by your television or HDTV decoder. You should check
the manual or the rear of your HDTV set or tuner to determine
what connections are supported. Many of the digital connections
allow copy protection capability to prevent recording. This copy
protection could be used to prevent recording of Pay per view
channels for example, due to the ease of recording an unprotected
program to DVD.
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FireWire- Firewire connections
have been around for a number of years in the computer world. The
connectors are relatively small and are available in four and six
pin configurations. The six pin configuration contain power
connections for powering external devices.
Firewire, developed by Apple Computer offers some advantages
over other connection schemes, DVI for example, is only capable
of transmitting video one way. Firewire is a two way connection
that is capable of transmitting both video and audio. The
exception to this is some Sony and RCA models restrict the
firewire connection to one way. Firewire is able to establish a
connection with other devices linked on a home network, and the
compressed MPEG-2 signals can be recorded on digital videotape
(DVHS) or personal video recorders (PVR's).
Firewire connections on digital televisions and set top boxes
also support a copy protection scheme known as Digital
Transmission Content Protection (DTCP) which is more flexible
than the HDCP scheme used with DVI. A broadcast transmitted in
HDTV and sent over firewire to a device for example could be
embedded with special instructions to allow a single, several or
unlimited copies of a particular program, or they can block the
recording capability out entirely, such as concerts or special
Pay per view events.
DVI-
DVI is an uncompressed digital connector used to pass digital
video signals one way from HDTV receivers to other source
devices, such as PVR, DVHS or other devices. The DVI connection
is found on most all recent televisions capable of HDTV, and
employs a copy protection scheme developed by Intel known as High
Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) which uses a special
authentication protocol to protect programs from being copied.
When enabled, the end user device, such as a HDTV receiver must
first verify that it is licensed and allowed to be received and
if it is, a hardware handshake is exchanged and the program is
transmitted. HDCP allows a broadcaster to enable reception of a
program on a digital television, but can disable recording of the
broadcast on digital VCR's or personal video recorders. This can
be used for example to prevent recording of special pay per view
events to prevent unauthorized distribution.
RGB+H/V- RGB+H/V digital
connections are used mostly on high end projectors, which take
advantage of wide-bandwidth RGB+H/V connections to deliver
line-doubled images free of visible scan lines. This special
connection, like component video, separates the video signal into
distinct red, green and blue streams, which prevents color bleed
through, while the other two connections contain the horizontal
and vertical (H/V) synchronization signals that instruct the TV
to sequentially "draw" video scan lines across the face of the
picture tube. RGB+H/V connections does not provide any
significant improvement over component video, however its single
cable design can be more appealing for longer runs.
VGA-
VGA connections, also known as d-Sub-15, have been around for
many years in the computer world and also seperate the video
stream into its red, green and blue elements. The 15 pin VGA
connector is used to link a personal computer with its monitor.
The analog VGA connection is usually used on HDTV tuners to
support a computer monitor.
Component
Video- The component video connection is the
most common way to connect HDTV set top boxes and HDTV cable or
satellite decoders to high definition televisions. Component
video separates the video signal into 3 distinct streams
(red,green and blue), in which the video signal is carried via
three individual cables using RCA type jack connections. There
are two types of component video, Y,Cr,Cb (normal interlaced DVD
players) and Y,Pr,Pb(Progressive scan DVD players,HDTV decoders
and DTV inputs on televisions). Separating the video stream
prevents color bleed through and delivers a dramatic increase in
picture quality compared to composite video where the red, green
and blue segments are compressed together into a single channel.
Component video works in conjunction with digital audio
connectors either coaxial or optical, which are standard on
nearly all DVD players.
HDMI-
High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the new connector
on the block and is the supposed successor to DVI. It recently
began appearing on new HDTV sets in late 2003. HDMI, unlike DMI,
which can only pass video, is capable of passing both video and
also multi channel audio (8 channels). As well, the video portion
is compatible with DVI devices if they are HDCP enabled. The
digital connection is also much smaller than that of DVI.
Eventually HDMI connections will replace DVI on HDTV sets and we
are also likely to see this connection appearing on other media
devices such as DVD's in the future.
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Component Considerations
How you connect your component to your High Definition
television is an important consideration. The most common
approach to to connect your HDTV tuner or HDTV satellite or cable
decoder directly to your high definition television. The easiest
connection is to utilize your component video connections in
conjunction with your digital audio coaxial or optical
connection. An alternative is is your your DVI connection in
conjunction with your digital audio coaxial or optical
connection. Or if both your set top box and high definition
television support HDMI, you can use that. Typically people use
whatever method is easiest and the cleanest looking.
Some people opt to connect their multimedia devices to their
television through their audio/video stereo receiver so as to
allow the receiver to switch between video sources. For high
definition applications however, you will need to consult with
your stereo receivers documentation to see if it supports high
bandwidth video connections. Your manual should refer to this as
"wide-bandwidth", "HDTV compatible" or "wideband". If your stereo
receiver is more than a couple years old, it is likely that it
does not support wideband video and you will not want to connect
it in this manner or you will be restricting the video resolution
which reaches your television. Also ensure any additional cables,
splitters and other devices are capable of handling the full HDTV
bandwidth. A bandwidth of at least 110MHZ is required to transmit
HDTV signals through it without degradation.
Audio Considerations
You should also consider your systems audio capability. Since
most HDTV and other DTV formats broadcast audio in Dolby Digital
5.1 (AC-3)or other 5.1 digital surround formats (DTS), you may
wish to invest in an external stereo receiver which is capable of
decoding this audio format. At the very least, you will want a
receiver or television capable of decoding Dolby Pro-logic,
otherwise you will be missing out on the outstanding sound
fidelity that HDTV can deliver.
Most quality mid range to high end audio receivers support
both Dolby Digital 5.1 as well as DTS and Dolby Pro-logic. Having
all 3 standards is important so you can receive full audio
benefit with other media devices such as DVD's, which sometimes
use DTS instead of Dolby Digital.
HDTV Setup
Now that you are familiarized yourself with the basics of high
definition, you are ready to begin setting up your system. Your
first step is to determine from your televisions manual if your
set's native input is 720 lines progressive or 1080 lines
interlaced. Mid range to high end sets tend to be most
progressive, while most entry level HDTV ready televisions are
interlaced. This is important as you will need to setup your HDTV
receiver or decoder to match your television.
Most HDTV sets come with a number of audio/video inputs
allowing you to connect your HDTV decoder in addition to your DVD
player, satellite system and other media devices. The
television's video/input button allows you to toggle between
different sources.
- Choose the desired method of connecting your HDTV box to your
television. For most people, the component video connection
combined with the digital audio coaxial or optical TOSLink cable
works very well. You can also use one of the alternate methods
described earlier if you so choose and they are supported by both
your television and set top box.
- If you also have an audio receiver, you will also want to
connect this to your HDTV set top box as well. If your box
supports more than one set of audio outputs, you likely will want
one set gong directly to your television, and another set going
to your audio receiver. In this fashion, you will be able to
listen to audio through both your television speakers and also
through your audio receiver. This is handy if you don't want to
have to turn on your audio receiver everytime you want to watch
television.
- Setup your set top box to match your television native HDTV
video mode, 720 lines progressive or 1080 line interlaced. Some
set top boxes have a switch located at the back and others have a
menu setting which performs this function.
- Now you must setup your high definition television for the
first time. You should consult with your operating manual as most
sets have an on screen menu which can assist you with this task.
This allows you to configure the connections that you are using
as well as tuning the television for off air reception, audio
connections and more. It should also be calibrated as well for
correct color, contrast, brightness and other critical settings.
There are some calibration DVD's available from stereo retailers
such as the Home Theater Tune Up disc or others which can greatly
assist you in precisely calibrating your set to true and accurate
video display.
- Check that the aspect ratio is set to 16:9 preferred, or
"full screen mode" on your television, set top box and DVD
player. If a broadcast is not available in 16:9 it will
automatically revert to 4:3. Most recent mid range to high end
televisions also now have the capability to "zoom in" or
"stretch" a 4:3 ratio broadcast to fill most of a wide screen
picture, although there will be a noticable picture distortion or
loss of some top and bottom details with 4:3 broadcasts.
- If you are using an off air HDTV decoder, you will now want
to setup the decoder for your antenna. Most decoders have an on
screen digital signal meter where you can adjust your antenna for
optimum signal strength. Remember, unlike an analog signal which
can deliver a "snowy picture" in fringe area, with digital you
either will receive a signal or you won't, however homes in rural
areas will require a larger outdoor antenna to receive an
adequate signal. Off air HDTV signals utilize the UHF band, which
is much more limited in range than VHF, so you will need an
antenna with a good UHF range or one specifically designed for
HDTV reception.
- Proper placement of your television is also important as
well, especially if you have purchased a rear projection screen
television where viewing angle is critical. You will generally
want to match the screen size to the size of the room. For
example a 57" television is a poor match for a 6'x6' living room.
A general rule of thumb for determining a comfortable viewing
distance is 2x the diagonal screen size, so for a 40" television,
a good comfortable viewing distance is about 6 1/2 feet from the
television. The exception to this is for front projection
televisions, which should be about 1 1/2x the screen size. You
will also want to determine of room lighting will affect your
viewing as well. Projection screen televisions are far more
easily "washed out" by sunlight than direct-view televisions, so
you will want to make sure you can close the curtains or blinds
to reduce this in bright sunlight conditions. As well, lamps and
lights should not reflect on the screen during night viewing,
situate lamps away from the viewing screen to maximize viewing
enjoyment.
HDTV Recording Considerations
Recording high definition broadcasts is also an important
consideration, since it cannot be recorded via conventional means
such as VCR or regular personal video recorder such as a
Tivo.
Some high end HDTV cable decoders have the capability to
record High Definition broadcasts. Some high end satellite
decoders also have the capability to do this. Equipment selection
is still limited, but more and more manufacturers will be
introducing equipment for this purpose as HDTV broadcast become
more commonplace and popular. Eventually the mainstream PVR
manufacturers such as Tivo and ReplayTV will bring HDTV
compatible models to market. It is important to remember however
that the high bandwidth nature of high definition broadcasts will
significantly reduce your recording capacity as they consume many
times the amount of storage space compared to standard
broadcasts.
Another method of recording HDTV broadcasts is over a
FireWire/IEEE 1394/iLink connection if your Set top box supports
it. Some unsupported HDTV satellite decoders can be upgraded with
FireWire capability if you are so inclined. A source of upgrade
kits is available from such sources as 169time
In order to record over the FireWire connection, you will also
need a digital VCR (DVHS), which can also playback broadcasts
over the connection. Digital VCR's are also capable of playing
and recording analog sources such as regular VHS tapes.
If you lack HDTV capable PVR or DVHS/FireWire connection, you
can also record a down-converted version of the HDTV broadcast
over the analog S-Video/composite audio/video connections. This
would allow you to make use of your analog VCR or Tivo/ReplayTV
or other PVR device. The broadcast will be in either Enhanced
Definition Television format (EDTV), or the Standard Definition
format (SDTV), which is limited to 480 lines of resolution,
delivering near DVD quality.
Assuming all went well, you are now ready to begin enjoying
programming in high definition!
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08/04/2008 11:20 AM
In order to give the website a better focus, we are phasing out the less popular areas of the site, including the high definition and digital video recorder areas and forums. This will leave the site focused on digital satellite television and satellite radio.
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