Why All the Buzz Around HD?

Look around — it’s turning into an HD (high definition) world. When HDTVs (high definition television) came on the market several years ago, the world caught a glimpse of what it’s like to view movies, sports, and TV programs in the superior clarity and breathtaking detail of HD. Since then, the availability of HD content has grown considerably, as has the number and type and devices designed to deliver the HD experience.

In fact, just about everywhere you turn these days people are talking about new HD movies, games, and devices. HDTVs now line the retail sales floor at many electronics retailers, and you’ve probably seen or heard about your options for acquiring HD content, including digital cable or satellite services and next-generation HD disc formats like Blu-ray Disc™ media.

Why all the exposure? In short, HD content comes alive with sharp, vivid detail combined with bright, beautiful colors. Once you’ve seen the spectacular picture on an HDTV, it’s hard to go back to watching “regular” television (that is, standard definition). But HD’s amazing picture quality is just the tip of the iceberg.

Digital Differentiator

HDTV is the highest quality digital television (DTV) technology. First and foremost, the digital pipeline that carries the HD signal is a critical component to delivering the substantially increased resolution that gives HD content at least twice the picture detail of standard definition programs. However, the fact that HD is a digital signal also means that you won’t experience the problems associated with traditional analog signals, such as snow, double images (ghosting), or washed-out images.

Not only does HD programming provide a clearer, crisper picture than standard definition content, it also carries high quality digital audio. The HDTV specification supports Dolby® Digital 5.1 channel surround sound, so you can get five discrete channels of digital audio to match the phenomenal picture. Furthermore, high-def movie formats like Blu-ray Disc media are capable of encoding 7.1 channel surround sound formats for a truly immersive audio experience when played on compatible audio systems.

A 5.1 channel format delivers 5 channels to front left and right, center, and rear left and right speakers, plus a dedicated channel to a subwoofer (the “.1″ in 5.1). 6.1 channel formats add a channel for a sixth speaker — a center surround speaker — for even more realistic sound. Finally, 7.1 channel formats add two side surround speakers to the standard 5.1 surround configuration, for sound from all sides and angles.

The combination of superb sight and sound lend a more lifelike and breathtaking quality to HD content that brings you closer to whatever you’re viewing. Whether you enjoy sports or prime-time programming, HD is a great option for everyday television viewing. And if you enjoy movies, an HDTV and components can deliver a cinema-like experience from your home theater setup.

Displaying HD Content: It Begins with HDTV

No matter what type of content you enjoy in HD or how you prefer to get it, an HD display is the centerpiece of HD entertainment. There are many different types of HD displays to choose from, all with their own qualities that make them well-suited for different viewing environments, personal preferences, and budgets.

For instance, flat-panel HDTVs such as LCDs continue to get bigger and better, and they’re getting more affordable, too. With bright, crisp images from screens measuring only inches deep, they also can become part of your room’s décor in ways a tube-based television never could. If you want a space-saving design that can be hung on the wall1 or set atop a stand, flat-panel HDTVs give you the ability to place your television almost anywhere.
An LCD display.

Another option is one of the different types of microdisplay rear-projection HDTVs, such as LCD or SXRD®. Microdisplay HDTVs are an especially good option if you want a large screen size for a comparatively lower price than a similar-size flat-panel display. The design of microdisplay HDTVs can also have its advantages. If you plan to place your HDTV in a built-in home theater unit or cabinet, a microdisplay will sit flush with the edge of the cabinet (unlike a similarly sized flat panel display). As a result, there’s no risk of a shadow-box effect or of the cabinet interfering with your TV viewing angles.
A rear projection display.

And then there are front projectors, which are an excellent choice if you want to have a truly big image for the latest HD movie releases, sporting events, or even everyday television. Home theater front projectors can not only deliver the largest HD images available, but they’re also less expensive than other display types if you figure the cost per inch of screen. If you want to feel like you’re stepping into your own personal movie theater every time you turn on the television, no other type of display can match the immersive visual experience of a quality HD front projector matched to a high quality screen.
An HD front projector.

Regardless of which type of HDTV best suits your needs, wants, or desires, the best part is that HD isn’t confined solely to HDTVs. As mentioned earlier, there’s a wide range of complementary devices that can help you get even more enjoyment from your HDTV. Some of these devices can provide you with more sources of HD content, while others help you get the best experience possible. In any case, though, expanding your HD ecosystem can take your HD entertainment to a whole new level.

Broaden Your HD Horizons

Think about your current television and the other devices that you may have connected to it. For instance, chances are you already have a DVD player connected to your TV (and maybe even an old VHS player, too) — how about a digital camcorder or camera? Do your kids (or you, for that matter) like to take an occasional break from reality with the latest video game? What about a living room PC that stores all of your digital content, from movies to music to photographs?

All of these devices are now available with support for high definition media. If you have or plan to purchase an HDTV, why not take full advantage of its capabilities with HD versions of your favorite home entertainment devices as well?

Exploring High-Def Discs

If you’re a movie fan, hundreds of titles are available in HD on next-generation discs similar in size and appearance to traditional DVDs. These new high-def discs come in two different formats — Blu-ray Disc™ media and HD DVD.

Because the true-to-life picture and sound of HD programming consumes more storage space than standard definition content, Blu-ray Disc technology and the HD DVD format were developed to provide the higher storage capacity necessary for HD content. Whereas traditional DVDs hold 4.7 GB (gigabytes) of digital data, single-layer Blu-ray Disc media holds about 25 GB and double-layer discs hold about 50 GB. That’s more than 10 times the amount of data on the same size disc as traditional DVDs. By comparison, single-layer HD DVD discs hold about 15 GB and double-layer discs hold about 30 GB.
Discs in the Blu-ray Disc format look like a standard DVD, but can store significantly more data.

The substantially increased storage capacity of Blu-ray Disc media provides plenty of room for feature-length HD-quality movies with multi-channel sound and supplemental programming, such as behind-the-scenes featurettes, director’s commentary, outtakes, and other bonus features.

Moving to one of these formats doesn’t mean that your existing DVD collection will become obsolete. Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD players are both compatible with current DVDs, meaning you can continue to view and enjoy your existing DVD library. Some players even “upscale” (or digitally enhance) regular DVDs to display them at a higher resolution that more closely matches the capabilities of your HDTV.

Your Home Video Options

Just like traditional analog televisions, HDTVs aren’t just for watching television and movies — they’re also great for viewing your home movies and digital photos. Likewise, home videos are now getting the benefit of the same great HD technology major motion picture studios are using, and digital cameras have gained the ability to output images in HD resolution.

Camcorders

HD camcorders that record professional-quality video with vivid colors and striking clarity are available in a range of formats, including DVD, hard disk, MiniDV, and even flash memory such as Memory Stick® media. With an HD camcorder, you’ll enjoy details that other camcorders simply can’t capture. Many even record 5.1 channel surround sound audio. And as HD technology moves even more into the mainstream, the ability to shoot home movies in HD is getting more affordable.
HD Camcorders are available in a wide variety of recording formats, such as this hard disk drive model.

While HD camcorders make the most of your HD television’s capabilities, they’re still compatible with standard definition televisions. For instance, Sony® HD Handycam® camcorders can “downconvert” HD content for playback on conventional TVs or, at your option, they can record and play standard definition video.

Digital Cameras

Although most current digital cameras enable you to view your pictures on a television set, their output capability is typically standard definition. Displaying digital photos in standard definition almost always results in lost image quality between the camera and your television.

That’s why some new digital cameras, including many of Sony’s current Cyber-shot® models, are enabled with HD signal output that lets you view your photos in Full HD 1080 clarity and detail on compatible HDTV screens. When connected with the appropriate HDMI™ cable (available separately), Sony cameras with HD output not only let you share single images, but also include a built-in slideshow function that can play back a series of images, complete with dynamic transitions and your choice of music (stored in the camera or downloaded from your PC)4. Once you’ve viewed your photos on a large HDTV screen, there’s no going back. It turns your digital pictures into a cinematic experience your friends and family can truly enjoy.
Many current digital cameras include the ability to output your pictures in HD resolution to a compatible HDTV.

Getting HD on a PC

If you record home movies or digital pictures, and want to share large quantities of them conveniently, you can add a Blu-ray Disc player or HD DVD rewritable drive to your PC. Because Blu-ray Disc media store up to 50 GB of data, you can store hours of video plus thousands of images all on one disc.

But perhaps you’d like to have a computer that can also connect with your HDTV and manage your movies, music, and photos — a hub for your digital entertainment lifestyle. Of course, since you have an HDTV, you’d want the PC to be HD capable, too.

That’s where a media center PC like the VAIO® VGX-XL3 Digital Living System™ from Sony comes into play.

With Microsoft® Windows® Media Center capabilities, the VAIO XL3 offers the ability to record and watch HD and standard definition television programming, enjoy Blu-ray Disc media5 and DVD movies, and access your digital music and photo library. And because it’s based on the Windows Vista® Home Premium operating system, the VAIO XL3 fulfills the needs of users with advanced computer requirements. If you want to bridge the gap between your computing and entertainment worlds, the VAIO XL3 Digital Living System delivers what you’ve been looking for: an entertainment powerhouse and a powerful computing platform in one magnificent device.

A living room PC can become the hub for your digital home entertainment. The VAIO Digital Living System pictured here includes an optional 200-disc CD/DVD changer.

HD Gaming Systems

HD has made it to the home gaming system in a big way. Next to movies, no other activity benefits more from the fluid motion and vivid clarity of HD, as well as the heart-pounding immersion of surround sound.

Although some previous versions of popular gaming consoles are HDTV-compatible, most don’t deliver high definition resolution. Those that do deliver high definition resolution only offer a handful of titles. If you’re a console gamer and want the ability to play a wide array of games in high-def, accessorize your HDTV with the latest generation of HD-friendly gaming systems. For instance, Sony’s PlayStation® 3 system offers true high definition gaming for eye-popping graphics, and it also doubles as a Blu-ray Disc player.

Home Theater A/V Receivers

Your A/V (audio/video) receiver is the brains of your system. A home theater A/V receiver captures input from your audio and visual sources, like a Blu-ray Disc movie or video game, and optimizes each signal for the best possible quality.

Like any other component of your home theater, A/V receivers are available with a range of capabilities. One of their most fundamental tasks is decoding surround sound formats, which can be particularly important when viewing HD discs that are encoded with advanced multichannel audio formats.

For instance, just about any A/V receiver supports the Dolby® Digital and DTS™ (Digital Theater Systems) 5.1 channel formats, which typically are found on standard DVDs and some digital cable and satellite television programs. Although 5.1 channel audio has been the standard surround sound configuration for a decade, many new home theater receivers are capable of delivering 6.1 channel surround sound.

However, receivers supporting up to 7.1 channel formats are increasingly available. Some models support formats such as Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital True HD, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, or DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, which were designed to fully support the audio capabilities of next generation DVD technologies such as Blu-ray Disc™ media.
A high-quality home theater A/V receiver helps ensure your HD entertainment sounds as spectacular as it looks.

Some receivers also support another audio technology called LPCM (Linear Pulse Code Modulation). In addition to the Dolby Digital True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 channel formats, LPCM is known as “lossless,” which means that the audio reproduced is a bit-for-bit match to the studio master. When coupled with high-definition video, these new formats offer an unprecedented HD home theater experience. In effect, you hear the movie more like the way the director intended.

Winding Down

With digital content in all its forms quickly shifting in favor of HD, it’s important to understand how high definition permeates your entertainment experience. Whether HDTV, video discs, gaming systems, camcorders, or digital cameras, a common thread emerging between all of these devices is their ability to output a high-def video signal. When you put it all together, you take a step closer to discovering the true potential of HD and an expansive new world of stunning visual entertainment.

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