TV Screen Standards (Check the tags in the store)

The 'classic' Australian PAL TV resolution is 576 x 720
with a 4:3 ratio of width to height of the screen.

DVD Quality, wide screen, SD, 576 x 1024 with a
16:9 ratio of width to height is the standard which is
broadcast by the current TV stations in Australia, and
can be picked up by a standard digital $60 set top box.
The box plugs between the TV aerial and
your VCR/TV combination.

Some TV stations in Australia are broadcasting HD pictures
which have an increased resolution of 720 x 1280.

Full HD pictures have a substantially improved quality,
with some 3.5 times more picture information than 576 x 1024
DVD quality pictures.


High contrast screens (Look at the tag in the shop)   TOP

Richer colours and darker blacks result from picture systems
with higher contrast performance. This is achieved with a
improved anti-glare filter attached to the front of the screen
system. A ratio of 700:1 is a good start point, between the
darkest blacks and brighest whites.


Big screen video monitors vs TV's (Again, look at the tag)

In the heat of shopping, realise that big screen monitors
DO NOT have a TV station tuner. You will need a set top box
or tuner in a video/DVD recorder to generate a TV picture
from the Channels 2,7,9,10, 31 & SBS etc.
(Big screen TV's do have a built-in tuner)


High Definition DVD vs BLU-RAY DISC systems      TOP

There were 2 competing replacements to the common DVD.
Recorded capacity is substantially improved. Note the difference
between 2 hours of FULL HD on the Blu-ray system vs
3 hours of the lesser resolution HD on the HD DVD platform.

And the winner is .... Blu-ray! (Check this out)

Other points:

DVD 5 - Single sided standard DVD
DVD-9 - Dual layer, single sided standard DVD
DVD-18 - Dual layer, double sided standard DVD


Why consider a SET TOP Box?                                     TOP

You get a few more TV channels, like the "ALL-NEWS" SBS
programs from around the world in different languages,
the second TV Channel "2" from the ABC with time shifted
programs and other national stuff, HD versions of 7,9 & 10
and a range of audio programs like Dig, SBS & Jazz.
Community Channel 31 hopes to upgrade to digital transmissions
before the analog TV turn off across Australia in 2012.


How is the SET TOP Box installed?                             TOP



Above is the standard setup from aerial, via VCR to the
TV's RF in.  Wiring is the standard 70 ohm coax cable.
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Adding a set top box for digital TV signal feed to an old TV
is usually done by using a VCR and using a yellow video and
red & white audio leads. (If VCR is mono, do not use red lead).

Select AV (or AV!, AV2 depending on VCR to get the picture
from set top box to the TV). Using this setup, old TV's with only
RF in (the antenna connection), can be used until the TV fails.
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If you want a set top box plus a DVD replay unit with an old TV,
you will need a VCR with 2 AV inputs. See above for connections.
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This setup shows how a set top box could connect to a screen
with no tuner in the TV. The RF link from the VCR to screen is gone.

Notes:

New combination VCR, DVD & multi-tuners IN ONE BOX
makes it easy to connect to a big screen or LCD projector.
New optical digital cables improve the system's quality
if available.

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