Q: What size screen should I get for my room, and how far away should I sit for the best picture?
A: It depends on how big your room is. For a bedroom, kitchen, or office, where you'll probably be pretty close to the TV, you can go with a relatively small screen: 32" or even 26". But for the main TV in your living room or home theater, we recommend getting the largest screen that fits your budget and room. That's based on our own experiences and on feedback from our customers.

Sitting too far away from a smallish screen will reduce the impact and immediacy of the viewing experience. On the other hand, if you're too close to a large screen, you may be distracted by the screen's pixel structure. Compared to conventional tube TVs, digital HDTVs have higher-resolution screens (and more space-efficient cabinets) that let you put a larger set in your room and/or sit much closer.

High-quality video material like DVDs and HDTV programs look amazing on these new TVs. But some people also find that noise and distortion in lower-quality analog signals (like standard broadcast and cable) are exposed and magnified. That's why our viewing distance chart (below) offers a range for each screen size. If most of your viewing is DVD-quality or better, you'll see more details by sitting closer. If you watch more regular (non-HD) video, sit farther back for a smoother picture.

The chart below by multiplying the screen size (measured diagonally) by 1-1/2 or 2-1/2.
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Recommended viewing distances for high-definition TVs.
We suggest a range because the ideal distance will
depend on several factors, including signal quality.

Q: What else should I be aware of when placing my TV?
A: Along with viewing distance, consider viewing height. Ideally, your eyes should be about level with the middle of the screen when you're seated in your normal viewing position. This is especially important for rear-projection TVs since their pictures will look most vivid at this level. We carry a wide selection of TV stands designed to support flat-panel and tabletop rear-projection TVs and raise them to the correct viewing height.

Lighting in your room is another factor that affects your TV's picture. If you do much daytime viewing, daylight shining in through your windows can wash out your TV's picture and also create reflections on the screen. When watching TV at night, lamps and overhead lights can cause similar problems, although they're usually not as severe. You may find that watching with the lights dimmed enhances picture quality.

For more tips on TV placement and room lighting, see our article on Choosing Screen Size and Placing Your TV.
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Q: What's this 2009 "analog cutoff" I keep hearing about, and will it affect me?
A: A government mandate requires that all full-power TV stations stop broadcasting analog signals and switch to 100% digital broadcasting by February 17, 2009. This digital transition will primarily affect the 15-20 million TV viewers who rely on local over-the-air broadcasts received via antenna. The 85% of viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite TV shouldn't experience any interruption in those services. If necessary, your service provider will supply a set-top box that will work with your TV.

For continued reception after the 2009 cutoff, all old-fashioned TVs (those with an analog-only tuner) will need to be connected to a digital-to-analog converter box, or replaced by a new TV with a built-in digital tuner. These converter boxes are expected to sell for $50 - $70, and you'll be able to buy them starting in February or March, 2008. You can reduce the cost significantly by taking advantage of the government's coupon program. You can learn more about the digital transition in our DTV article.

Q: What is the difference between an "HDTV" and an "HDTV-ready" TV?
A: Originally, an HDTV was defined as having a tuner capable of receiving HD signals, a screen with the wide 16:9 aspect ratio, and the ability to display at least 720 lines of vertical resolution.

An HDTV-ready TV is not capable of receiving HDTV broadcasts on its own and must be connected to a separate HD tuner to view high-def broadcasts (HDTV-ready TVs may include a regular NTSC tuner for receiving analog broadcasts, or they may be tunerless "monitors"). As of March 1, 2007, any TV with a built-in tuner shipped to the U.S. had to include a tuner for receiving digital over-the-air broadcasts.
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Q: What are my choices when it comes to HDTVs?
A: Most of us grew up watching TVs with picture tubes inside, but the major TV makers have almost completely eliminated tube HDTVs. The current crop of HDTVs are based on various digital display technologies. These TVs cost more than plain old tube TVs did, but they can do a lot more, and they come in much larger screen sizes — and they continue to get better and cheaper.

When you're shopping, you'll find three basic HDTV categories:

• Flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs are extremely popular due to their thin designs and crisp, vivid picture quality. For tips on which type would work best for you, see our LCD vs. Plasma article.
• Rear-projection TVs have also made the switch from picture tubes to digital technologies like DLP, LCD, and LCoS. In today's market, rear-projection TVs are great values, costing much less than same-sized flat-panel models. For an in-depth look at these new, slimmer microdisplay rear-projection models, see our Choosing a Big-screen Projection TV article.
• Digital projectors have grown more popular recently, in part because HDTV's remarkable picture clarity and detail make it possible to enjoy larger images than ever before — up to 10 feet across or even bigger. You'll find tips on shopping for and installing a projector in our Choosing a Projector article.

For more ideas on what to look for in an HDTV, watch our video on Shopping for an HDTV.
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Q: I'm interested in a flat-panel LCD or plasma TV. How do I decide which type is right for me?
A: Flat-panel TVs are extremely popular due both to their elegantly thin designs and sharp, vivid picture quality. Flat-panel advantages include wide viewing angles, a bright picture that can overcome room lights or daylight, and dependable, long-lasting screens.

A plasma TV might be for you if:

• You want really rich, warm colors and deep blacks.
• You'll be sitting off-axis when you watch TV or movies.
• You don't watch a lot of TV shows or play lots of video games with static images on the screen for more than a few hours at a time.
• Your room doesn't have a lot of ambient light, or you can easily reduce the light by closing the blinds, for example.

An LCD TV might be for you if:

• You watch a lot of TV shows or play lots of video games with static images on the screen for extended periods of time, multiple days a week.
• Your TV room is relatively bright, or you do a lot of daytime viewing.
• You want 1080p picture resolution — the highest resolution currently available — so you'll see a very sharp, detailed picture. There are many more 1080p LCDs than plasmas.
• You're looking for ways to save energy. LCD TVs usually consume less power than plasma models of the same size.

For an in-depth look at how flat-panel TVs work, see our LCD vs. Plasma article.
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Q: What's involved in wall-mounting a flat-panel TV? Can I do it myself?
A: Most people who want a flat-panel TV mounted on a wall are after an uncluttered, elegant look. Achieving that means not only installing a wall-mount bracket to hold the TV, but also hiding the power and signal cables running to the TV. If you're comfortable with household tasks like mounting shelving and installing new light fixtures, you can probably handle wall-mounting a TV.

Our Wall-mounting Your Flat-panel TV article covers the topic in detail, from prep and planning to clean-up.
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Q: Is all high-definition TV content in the 1080i format?
A: No, but most of it is. The bulk of TV production and broadcasting is done at 1080i. However, both ABC's and Fox's HD programming is in 720p and looks very good — especially their sports programming.

• Over-the-air broadcasts: CBS, NBC and PBS use 1080i; ABC and Fox use 720p.
• Premium networks: HBO HD, Showtime HD, Discovery HD, HDNet and INHD use 1080i;
  ESPN HD uses 720p.
• Digital satellite providers: Both DIRECTV® HD and DISH™ HD channels broadcast in 1080i.
• Cable TV providers: All major cable companies use 1080i.

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Q: What is 1080p, and do I really need it?
A: 1080p is currently the highest HDTV screen resolution available, with 1920 x 1080 pixels and progressive scanning (see "i" vs. "p" question below). Since 1080p is higher than either of the broadcast HD formats (1080i and 720p) it means you can enjoy full picture resolution for all your video sources; the TV won't have to "downconvert" the signal and sacrifice detail. At this point, references to 1080p are mainly about TVs, since the only 1080p video sources are high-definition disc players (Blu-ray and HD DVD). To learn more about HD video resolution, see our Understanding HDTV Resolution article.
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Q: What do the "i" and "p" mean in picture resolution numbers?
A: The "i" and "p" refer to the video frame rate, where "i" stands for interlaced-scan and "p" stands for progressive-scan. These terms originated when all TVs used picture tubes, and images were "scanned" — painted across the screen line by line. Interlaced-scan images required two passes to create a complete video frame, while progressive-scan displayed the entire frame with just one pass (see illustration below). The frame rate for interlaced video is 30 frames per second while progressive-scan video is usually 60 frames per second.

Interlaced scan splits each video frame into two "fields," displaying all the even horizontal scan lines (2,4,6…) in 1/60th of a second, followed by the odd scan lines (1,3,5…) during the next 1/60th of a second. That means you'll see a complete video frame every 1/30th of a second. Progressive scan, on the other hand, displays all the lines in a single sweep (1,2,3,4…). You'll see a complete frame every 1/60th of a second.

Today's digital TV displays are nearly all effectively progressive-scan, so interlaced and progressive are mostly relevant when describing video source signals sent to the TV. The main thing to remember is that a progressive signal has twice as much picture information as an equivalent interlaced signal, and generally looks a little more solid and stable, with on-screen motion that's more fluid.

This topic is covered in more detail in our Understanding HDTV Resolution article.
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Q: What is "120Hz refresh rate"?
A: The digital display technologies (LCD, plasma, DLP, LCoS, etc.) that have replaced picture tubes are progressive scan by nature, displaying 60 video frames per second — often referred to as "60Hz." HDTVs with 120Hz refresh rate double the standard rate to 120 frames per second. Because each video frame appears for only half the normal amount of time, on-screen motion looks smoother and more fluid, with less motion blur and smearing. It's especially noticeable when viewing fast-action sports and video games. This feature is mostly found on flat-panel LCD TVs.
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Q: I have an HDTV, so whenever the "Available in HD" logo appears on the screen, I'm seeing a high-definition picture, right?
A: No, unfortunately it's not that simple. What that on-screen logo means is that if you have a high-definition TV that is receiving a high-definition signal, you'll be seeing HD. Sources of high-def programming include digital over-the-air broadcasts, and select cable and satellite channels.

To make sure you're getting the crisp, clear picture your TV was designed to deliver, please see our article called HDTV: Everything You Need to Know.
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Q: Primetime shows in high-def look great on my HDTV, but when my local news comes on, the picture isn't as sharp, and it's not widescreen. Why is that?
A: What you're seeing is the difference between high-definition and standard-definition digital broadcasts. At this point, relatively few local TV stations are producing their own shows in high-definition. It's common for stations to show daytime programs in SD (480i or 480p), and primetime network shows in HD (720p or 1080i).

Most HDTVs provide channel ID information, including resolution and aspect ratio. HD programs will be labeled "1080i/16:9" or "720p/16:9," while standard-definition shows are generally "480i/4:3." Usually, 480i over-the-air signals look sharper and clearer than standard satellite and cable TV signals, but they definitely don't have the same detail and depth as high-def.

For tips on how to make non-HD pictures look better, please see our Improving Non-HD Sources on Your HDTV article.
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Q: How can I get rid of those black bars on my HDTV?
A: Most non-HD video sources use the squarish 4:3 aspect ratio, which doesn't quite fit a 16:9 widescreen HDTV. Some folks stretch or zoom the image to fill up the screen so that they don't have to see the black bars. That can be a good idea for plasma TV owners as a way to avoid screen burn-in. But if you don't mind the black bars on either side of the picture, we recommend you leave them up. Stretching will distort an already poor signal, and zooming further magnifies any flaws.

4:3 image on a 16:9 screen When 4:3 programs are displayed on a 16:9 screen, black or gray bars appear on the sides of the screen — the image is "pillar-boxed."	4:3 image stretched to fill a 16:9 screen One way to get rid of vertical black bars is to use your TV's stretch mode. Some sets stretch the image evenly across the screen (as above), though a few stretch the edges only and leave the center undistorted.
4:3 image zoomed to fill a 16:9 screen Another option is to use the TV's zoom mode to expand the image to fill the screen. This cuts off the top and bottom of the picture, but leaves it undistorted.	16:9 image on a 16:9 screen When you look at the original widescreen version of the image we've been using to show 4:3, you can see just how much of the picture is lost with the 4:3 version.

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Q: My HDTV looks pretty good, but how can I make sure I'm getting the best possible picture?
A: Many new HDTV owners are so knocked out by the big, bright pictures of today's digital TVs that it never occurs to them that they might be able to get an even better picture. First, make sure you're actually getting a high-definition signal. Nearly half of HDTV owners aren't seeing a true high-definition picture, and unfortunately many of them don't even realize it. To make sure you have all the pieces in place to get a high-def picture on your HDTV, watch our What You Need for HDTV video.

Two other areas HDTV owners should explore to improve picture quality are picture controls and connections. For detailed suggestions covering both, see our Help Your TV Make the Most of Every Signal article.

Most HDTV owners still watch a lot of non-HD programs, and because their new sets have larger screens than the conventional TVs they replaced, some viewers are disappointed at the way standard-def TV shows and VHS tapes look on their HDTVs. For tips on making the best of lower-quality video signals, see Improving Non-HD Sources on Your HDTV.
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Q: I'm a cable TV subscriber. Do I need a CableCARD to watch programs in HD?
A: No, that's just one of three ways you can watch high-def cable programs. The option that will work best for you depends on the types of HD programs you want to watch, as well as which services are available from your local cable provider (check with them for details on services and pricing). Your options may include:

• An HDTV with a QAM tuner: Most new HDTVs include a built-in QAM digital cable tuner. If you have one of these TVs, you can connect it directly to the cable TV wall jack and watch unscrambled programs, including HD channels in many areas, without using a set-top box.
• A CableCARD-ready HDTV: CableCARD-ready TVs include a rear-panel slot for a credit card-sized security card known as a CableCARD. You lease the CableCARD from your local cable service provider (the monthly fee is usually much lower than for a cable box). The CableCARD lets you receive any premium (scrambled) programs that you subscribe to, like HBO or ESPN. However, the CableCARD doesn't duplicate all of the capabilities of a set-top box — you can't order pay-per-view content with the push of a button, and you won't be able to view your cable provider's on-screen program guide. There are currently few CableCARD-ready HDTVs, due mostly to lack of support from cable providers. To learn more about how CableCARDs work, see our Understanding CableCARDs article.
• Using an HD cable box with your HDTV: Cable providers that offer HD service usually encourage subscribers to lease an HD-capable set-top box, which allows access to the maximum amount of HD-related programming and services. These HD boxes often include a built-in DVR for recording high-def programs.

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Q: I just bought an HDTV and now I want a better DVD player. Should I get an upconverting player or a Blu-ray player?
A: An upconverting DVD player converts regular DVD video to a resolution — like 720p, 1080i or 1080p — that more closely matches the screen resolution of HDTVs. The picture looks noticeably sharper than a regular DVD player, but it's not really high-def because the original source, the DVD, isn't high definition.

For true high-definition video from a disc, consider a Blu-ray Disc™ player. These players deliver high-def video at 1080i or 720p resolution, and most players can even provide 1080p video to HDTVs that accept 1080p signals. As a bonus, Blu-ray and HD DVD players typically do an excellent job upconverting standard DVDs.

Whether you choose an upconverting or a high-definition player, most models can only send their highest-quality video to a TV via an HDMI connection. For the best picture quality from these players, be sure your TV has at least one HDMI input.
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Q: What should I look for in a TV for gaming?
A: That will depend on which video game console(s) you plan to use, your room and equipment setup, and what kind of gamer you are.

Both the Xbox 360™ and PlayStation® 3 can output 1080p video for games and high-def movies (the PS3 can play Blu-ray Disc movies; Xbox 360 requires an add-on HD DVD player). Most games are still in 720p, but 1080p games are on the way. To take advantage of that higher resolution, consider getting a 1080p HDTV.

If you often play games with several friends, you might prefer the wider viewing angles offered by flat-panel LCD and plasma TVs. These TVs also deliver very bright pictures, so you can play games in the daytime and still enjoy great color and contrast.

Larger images add to the immersion and impact of video games. If you want more screen for your money, rear-projection HDTVs are great values, offering 1080p picture resolution while costing much less than same-sized flat-panel TVs. And of course, HD projectors can deliver near-life-sized action.

For more specific tips on how to maximize the gaming experience, check out our article about getting great picture and sound with gaming consoles.
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Q: Why is it that not all TVs with picture-in-picture actually let you watch two stations at once?
A: TV manufacturers take two basic approaches to picture-in-picture (PIP). With 1-tuner PIP, the TV has one built-in tuner, so you'll need to connect a VCR or other tuner source if you want to watch two different TV broadcasts at once. Actually, with 1-tuner PIP, you can enjoy picture-in-picture with the addition of another video source like a DVD player or camcorder.

A TV with 2-tuner PIP has two built-in tuners, allowing you to watch two different TV broadcasts simultaneously using only the TV.
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