April 2007 - Explaining Video "Number Soup" - page 3
Formats for the Future
 I have been told that the next set of chips and the HDMI 1.3 standard are working, so that we can have 1440p video, which is a pretty significant improvement in terms of resolution, but for now, enough is enough. Consumers are confused to the point of paralysis. Dealers are frustrated to the point where many won’t adopt HDMI because of HDCP issues and overall it is hard to market a floating target of video resolution. This isn’t like the old days of computer processors, when people who had a need for processor speed would constantly upgrade to the faster machine simply because it had a bigger number associated with it. For nearly all of us, this kind of upgrading is too costly to consider more than every few years.
Digital cinema in the theaters is done at an even higher resolution of what the industry calls 4k. Those projectors grace the product list of only a handful of home theaters, as they are designed for very large screens and are supposed to replace film projectors in professional settings. I have seen 4k projectors on the Sony lot here in Hollywood, as well as in other large theaters, and they are frighteningly good. Cameras are now available that can be used by filmmakers to shoot an entire film in ultra-high-resolution digital video, removing the need for film. The Adam Sandler movie Click is a good example of HD filmmaking that you can see on Blu-ray. Just as native HD looks better than scaled video, native movies look better to me than HDTV that was originally shot on film. If you wish for trickle-down technology, wish for 4k chips to become affordable by the time you are ready for your next HDTV. This is no subtle improvement. A move from 1080p to 4k is like trading in your E-Class Mercedes for an F1 race car. It is more performance on every level and it won’t be realistic for any consumers to buy for at least three to five years, but it is important to know it’s coming some day.
What HDTV Should I Buy?
This is always a complicated question, one which I get asked a few times every day. The basics of the discussion start with questions about your room and overall logistics.
• How big is your room?
• Can you make your room completely dark or only partially dark?
• Can you accommodate a projector and a screen of some sort?
• How much money can you comfortably invest?
• Do you already have HD sources like an HD-DVR, an HD DVD player, an Xbox 360, a Blu-ray player and/or a Playstation 3?
For many users, dragging home a big, bright and affordable HDTV from Costco is a surprisingly good solution. I spent some time watching Dish Network HD on my soon-to-be father-in-law’s brand-new Vizio 46-inch LCD HDTV and it looked nothing short of great in a room that was far from pitch black. For the money, it was hard to beat.
As you get into higher levels of performance, service and calibration, I recommend you look to the higher-end video brands. Runco and Meridian-Faroudja come to mind, as does the amazingly now defunct Qualia Mark from Sony. These brands are sold through the best dealers and installers and come with installation, calibration (a BIG deal – something you can’t live without, considering a $20 DVD gets you started and $300 to $500 in labor gets you the whole package that really makes your HDTV look its best and last its longest), as well as service. Yes, they are more expensive and sometimes they aren’t first to market with the newest technology, but the companies treat you like a king and get you a system that is rock solid in terms of performance and reliability and will last you for years to come. To me, this is the definition of value.
For more ideas as to which HDTV to buy, read our archive of reviews or email us. If we can help you, we will.
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