Burn In

So you just bought the biggest Plasma set ever. But you are still pondering will the urban myth of burn in come around to curse you? Fear not, technology will save you.

Since the introduction of plasma displays about a decade ago, a lot has changed in the technology that is used to fabricate and design those TV screens. While it is true that at the beginning of the flat panel era burn in was often seen in cases where static or monotone images were continuously displayed on a screen for hours on end, things have changed. In the past, as an example, you may have seen ghost images of the CNN logo if that was your favorite channel during daytime and you then switched to say a movie or other program. This was caused by the first generation of gases and tubing used to manufacture 1^st generation plasma TV’s.

Lucky for us, manufacturers have addressed this issue by designing and integrating tubing and gases that decrease if not eliminate the burn in issue. This allows them to offer projected durability of 60 000 hours of viewing pleasure, which amounts to 6 years and 5 months of non stop viewing, without even turning off the tube. This ensures that under normal usage your new plasma TV will last as long as any CRT set would.

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Analog Vs Digital

Will the completion of the digital revolution, which will terminate upon the entire implementation of FCC regulations concerning signal broadcast doom all of your trusted analog equipment? Not quite. But it will make it more complicated and expensive to use it through required signal converters.

The truth is, that your old analog televisions will no longer be able to directly capt content as it will all be sent in digital format, much like it already is by cable and satellite dish providers. So this revolution will mostly affect those that still use either analog cable or antennas.

In the case of analog cable, it will be replaced by strictly digital content and one will have no choice but to buy or rent a digital cable box that will be provided by their carrier. This box will then convert the digital signal into analog and display it on your older TV.

When one uses antennas, they will have to buy new digital units that will capture digital and high definition content that will still be broadcast free of charge. In order to display digital signal on an analog television, the user will have to buy a signal converter. This will work much like the old cable converters of several years ago did when uhf and vhf signals were still the norm and cable had just become popular.

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Understanding Burn In with HDTV

If you’re like me and researching the possibilities for upgrading to an HDTV one phrase that you might have come across several times is “burn in”. Well admittedly, I’m not too bright when it comes to all this technical stuff so I was looking at the screen with a confused tone; what exactly is burn in? What does it do? Can I get rid of it? My questions went on and on so I set out to look.

What I found is that burn in is evident when parts of the screen develop uneven wear from the rest of the screen viewing area. It’s unlikely that you can eliminate the chances of dealing with burn in unless; of course you purchase a more expensive television that includes its absence. However, if you prefer not to drain your pockets there are ways that you can greatly reduce the chances of it developing. One significant way to do this is to keep your contrast down to a maximum of 75%. Within the first 100 hours after purchase, reducing it to 50% is even better. Eliminate fixed images. This most often occurs with video games or DVD viewing with long periods of freezing the frame. Don’t run your television 24/7.

As you can see, making some adjustments to your television and your life can help ease the discomfort of burn in. 

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TiVo HD

If you are like me, you may have heard of TiVo but had no clue what it is. TiVo is actually a digital video recorder that allows for television programming. It is also CableCard compatible. Without the CableCard you are still able to record programming to the non-removable hard drive but with the CableCard you can actually record to the card allowing for viewing in a separate area. TiVo also has many more recording options as opposed to most other DVRs. TiVo has also regained its association with Direct TV.

TiVo is compatible with cable and satellite services. However, there is a monthly subscription fee to use this service. They are also compatible with over the air antennas. TiVo can also connect to the internet leaving you able to send music, movies, photos, and more to your television with the click of a remote.

Deciding which TiVo to purchase has a lot to do with which television you have and which service you use. For instance, a Series 2 Dual Tuner is not compatible with over the air antennas. TiVo HD and TiVo Hd XlL are not compatible with satellite. However, all are compatible with cable and/or high speed internet. Before buying TiVo take the time to do your own research. There is much more to learn about this particular service.

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The Difference between High Definition and Standard Definition

I’m sure by now you have heard the word HDTV. Like many, you may be confused about what all the chatter is about. One of the major things you may hear often when it comes to the modernized era of television is picture quality. Yes, the one thing that most of us have had drilled in our heads is that HDTV has a much better picture quality and the reason for this is that the SDTV has a limited amount of pixels. Because of this, you can expect the picture in a standard definition television to be less detailed. Another big difference between the two is size and weight. Standard definition televisions are built bulkier while many of the HDTVs offered are thin. Keep in mind, that although they are thin in style, some types of HDTVs are still quite heavy.

Let me make one thing clear because many people have panicked thinking because they own an older TV it will be useless after February, this is not true. You can easily purchase equipment that will just as efficiently allow you to continue with your television viewing. Whether you choose to purchase an HDTV or are quite satisfied with the standard version is a matter of personal choice and the decision should be made in regard to your own wallet and comfort level.

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The Basics of Plasma TV

Because of the agreement between Congress and the FCC to eliminate analog broadcasting by February 2009, most of America has been discussing the possibility of affording a new TV. The plasma TV is one of the newest that has been brought to consumer’s attention. Let me tell you though, these televisions can be expensive. That being said, these TVs have their benefits.

Plasma TVs are mostly available in 42 inch to 50 inch in size. The good news is they are a flat type TV however, they are still quite heavy. Plasma televisions also have a great quality especially when it comes to showing darker colors. One thing you might want to note when considering a plasma TV is asking the retailer if the particular TV you are looking at has an anti-image-retention feature. This may also be called a pixel shifter or pixel orbiter. The reason for this is that without it you are more likely to have problems with image retention which makes your viewing much less enjoyable. While the plasma television has a high resolution rating be aware that even with its’ excellent picture quality it still does not give justice to the HDTV experience. 

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Rear Projection HDTV

There are four styles of rear projection televisions. The least expensive of these of course is the CRT or tube based TV. Many people are still quite satisfied with these types of televisions however; others are looking for a more advanced viewing experience. For this reason, microdisplay has taken over the market. DLP or digital light processing televisions are just one of the styles offered with a microdisplay chip. There quality is likely to be determined by their expense. Most have relatively good pixel performance however; you might find a rainbow effect in some which means that you may find streaking of the colors especially in frames with a darker back view. The LCD or liquid crystal display television has a slightly better picture performance and eliminates the annoyance of the rainbow effect.

Myth has it that these particular styles degrade quicker than most other styles while this is unlikely it may do you well to investigate. Finally in rear projection, we have the LCoS or liquid crystal on silicon. This are said to have excellent pixel performance allowing for an essential image display. They are very detailed and highly compliment HDTV viewing. However, these types are much more expensive and are subject to burn in. 

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HDTV Tuner

Digital tuners will become a necessity after February 2009. This is because the FCC has opted to eliminate analog usage and replace it with digital signals. The reason for doing so is simple; digital is far more advanced. So what does this mean for you? It’s fairly simple, you’ll either need to purchase a television, VCR, DVD player, DVD recorder all with HDTV tuner or a digital tuner. That’s not to say you need all of this equipment but one or the other must have a digital tuner in place.

A tuner basically works by generating audio and video signals from over the air television broadcasting systems. In the United States multiple signals are combined and transmitted through one antenna source then decoded and transferred as one transport stream to your TV. The picture is made available to your television through a process called media reformatting. This is significant because not all televisions have an interfaced picture nor do they all equip themselves with progressive scan.

Within the US there are some important things for you to note:

After July of 2005 all televisions with screens larger than 36 inches had to be equipped with a digital tuner. In 2006, this number was lowered to include televisions as small as a 25 inch screen size. Following in March of 2007 it was ruled that all televisions, regardless the size, had to be equipped with a tuner. Thus, buying a newer television also decreases the need for additional equipment for tuning. 

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HDTV Sources

Since the current peak of the big screen television the standard TV has been pronounced by its limitations. One thing to keep in mind though is that high definition televisions are not sufficient for viewing standard definition programming. Therefore, if you wish to switch to a HDTV you will also need to obtain an HD signal. Some typical sources of HD signals are over the air antenna, cable, satellite, gaming systems which allow for digital boxes through an internet connection, or graphic computer cards that are compatible with HDMI or DVI interfaces.

An antenna will work fine in most cities affiliated with major networks but if you’re from a dead zone, such as me, this may not be a good option for you. Also be aware that in running an antenna you will still need a separate HD tuner box. Most cable companies will provide you with the equipment needed to view HDTV broadcasting stations. Satellite, whether Direct TV, Dish Network, or a more localized company: will also equip you for pleasant programming. Blu-ray Disc and DVD-R will also make your digital world a happier place to be. Whether you are destined to thrive on the experience of HDTV or are comfortable with the traditional screen that you’ve viewed for years, the popcorn still tastes the same and the husband will always hog the remote.

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HDTV: Over the Air Broadcasting Networks

In the United States broadcasting networks can be divided into four categories: Commercial broadcasting networks that generate general audience programming in English. An example of this type of network would be CBS. Non-commercial and educational networks such as PBS stations are a second category. Thirdly are religious broadcasting networks such as CBN. Lastly, Spanish language broadcasting networks such as Telemundo. The largest of the four are the traditional big three television networks NBC, CBS, and ABC. However, FOX, the WB, and other networks have been added to the fold. These stations, and stations similar to these, will be able to be viewed freely through over the air broadcasting even after February 2009.

While availability may be greater through your local cable or satellite provider, you are likely to be able to pick up many of these broadcasting networks through an indoor or outdoor antenna. Personally I live in what I call a dead zone are when it comes to program availability so I’ve used cable service for several years but many people can’t afford the expense of cable service providers and understandably so. With cable providers consistently increasing rates I may not be able to afford them in the near future as well. With this in mind I stumbled upon a website that actually provides you with a list of antennas compatible with your specific area. For more information about antennas and compatibility please visit http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx .

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