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What You Need to Know about TV

LG Design Philosophy for TV

LG’s Digital Display Innovations

LG designs its digital displays with its customers in mind, introducing new products that demonstrate a clear commitment to our core design principles. Our broad knowledge and ongoing commitment to developing next-generation digital display technologies are two of our key advantages over competitors in this fast-moving industry. We are constantly pushing the envelope with our innovative designs for LCD and Plasma TVs. For example, in 2008, LG launched the world’s slimmest LCD TV, the Scarlet LGX, just 44.7 mm thick. And LG will continue to invest in next-generation technologies such as flexible displays and 3D displays, both of which are redefining our entertainment expectations for the future.

LCD TVs

LG’s Full HD LCD TVs are optimized for movie viewing. Full HD processing takes low-resolution analog signals to near high-definition levels (1080p), and reproduces crisp images by displaying the original pictures without any blurring or distortion. At work here too is Intelligent Eye technology, which optimizes brightness and contrast by adapting to ambient light. LG’s Full HD TVs also incorporate 240Hz scanning technology allowing viewers to watch fast-moving action sequences with virtually no motion blur. Further, our exclusive Invisible Speaker Design provides clear and powerful sound at any volume, creating a completely exhilarating movie experience every time. View all the latest LG LCD TVs.

Plasma TVs

With LG Plasma TVs, viewers enjoy greater picture clarity with deeper blacks and more defined shadow detail – in a stylish, seamless panel design A Dual XD engine produces optimal quality for all kinds of video, and provides clearer overall picture quality. And our Super Bright panel further enhances effects, providing brighter and clearer picture quality, as well. View all the latest LG Plasma TVs.

Plasma or LCD? Which is Right for Me?

Both LG LCD and Plasma Display (PDP) flat panel TVs are sleek, thin, state-of-the-art, and capable of displaying stunning, high-definition pictures with surprisingly wide, off-angle viewing. But which technology is right for you

What is a Plasma Display?

Plasma Displays are larger flat panel TVs that use conductive plasma to produce colored light. Gas in the plasma state reacts with phosphors in each sub-pixel to produce vivid colors and an ultra-clear picture.

Plasma displays generate their own light to produce a stunning contrast ratio and smoother, crisper, high-motion video. This is one reason why some consumers prefer plasma displays to LCDs for watching sports and action movies. Plasma displays are also known for their deep, rich blacks, and incredibly precise colors, making them ideal for watching movies—where dark scenes are more common.

For several reasons, many experts consider plasma displays the better choice for home theater environments. Firstly, plasma displays tend to perform better in light-controlled environments, such as home theater rooms. Second, plasma displays also have a slightly wider viewing angle than LCD flat screens, so no matter where you’re sitting in the room, you can still enjoy a precise, vivid picture.

What is an LCD Display?

LCD displays are digital televisions with a fixed pixel structure. Each pixel has three sub-pixels of red, green, and blue. The image on a flat panel LCD display is generated by a backlight behind the panel. The image goes through a polarizing filter and each sub-pixel has tiny crystals that create different levels of brightness.

One advantage of LCDs is the wide range of sizes. LCDs start at 15” and go up to 55 inches. Smaller LCD TVs are offered in both 4:3 and widescreen versions. Screens above 22” are strictly widescreen models, and come in either enhanced definition (ED) or high definition (HD).

LCD displays also offer a great deal of versatility. Their wide size range allows for a wide price range, so you can find one to fit your budget. Also, since LCDs use adjustable backlight technology, the picture won’t wash out in brighter rooms or environments where light conditions cannot be controlled. LCDs also perform wonders for video games and computer graphics. In other words, no matter what you’re watching, LCDs deliver stunning high-definition picture.

What are LG’s Core Technologies for HDTV?

What are LG’s Core Technologies for HDTV?

Most LG HDTVs possess core technologies that provide smart ways to optimize your viewing experience and make adjusting picture and sound a snap. Have a look at what lies at the heart of an LG HDTV.

•    Picture Wizard Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with a wave of your hand. Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. The remote is the new magic wand.

•    Invisible Speaker System You won’t believe what you’re hearing. Fine-tuned by renowned audio expert Mr. Mark Levinson, LG TVs utilize a unique, hidden speaker system that delivers a clean, polished look and enhanced audio with a wider sound field.

•    Clear Voice II Not sure who or what you’re hearing? The upgraded Clear Voice II now allows you to customize your personal preferences based on your home environment through an easy adjustment process. This calibration process is based on distinct voice zoom levels and does not interfere with surrounding sounds, so you’ll hear dialogue well and won’t miss a word.

•    AV Mode II Quickly and easily select from one of three AV modes for “Cinema,” “Sports,” or “Games” to enjoy optimized HDTV picture and audio quality.

What does the Energy Star® mean?

LG gives its customers the opportunity to participate in greenhouse gas reduction by providing them with products that meet the U.S. government’s Energy Star® standard for energy-saving consumer products.

Energy Star is the U.S. government's international program that encourages the use of energy-saving consumer products. It was formed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992, as part of energy-saving and greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The majority of LG Electronics' products meet the Energy Star standard. For example, the battery charger for handsets produced for the U.S. market fulfills 100% of the Energy Star requirements.

LG and Energy Efficiency

LG Electronics is one of the largest global companies of its kind. Because of this, we feel we have a social responsibility to actively take on the environmental issues that arise from the carbon output of our industry. We have implemented, and are continuing to perfect, two independent strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of our company:
1. Develop more environmentally friendly technologies in our factories
2. Continuously raise the energy efficiency of our products

LCD & Plasma TVs

Of the LCD and Plasma TVs released since 2005, some 90% satisfy the Energy Star standard, with many exceeding these requirements by more than 30-percent.

	Met	Exceeding(30%)	List
LCD	88%	45%
PDP	91%	29%

We’ve also greatly reduced the number of parts in our plasma TVs by adopting a single-scan method during production. For this reason, our LCD and plasma TVs not only reduce energy consumption (saving you money on your energy bill), they also reduce their impact on the environment by employing environmentally friendly materials.

For more information visit the government’s Energy Star website.
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How can an LG HDTV save energy?

Friendly energy is smart energy. In addition to adhering to the new Energy Star 3.0 guidelines, LG HDTVs with Smart Energy Saving have energy-saving options like the ability to choose a content-specific setting, “video mute” or engaging exclusive Intelligent Sensor Technology that automatically dims the backlight.

What is HDTV?

High-Definition Television, or HDTV, is the highest form of digital television (DTV). What’s more: We're in the midst of a national transition from fuzzy old analog TV to crystal-clear HDTV.

HDTV: The Future of TV

In the new digital era, broadcasters will be able to offer HD’s higher resolution for free, over-the-air—theater-quality pictures and CD-quality sound far surpassing anything possible under the current system. Networks may continue to broadcast in multiple resolution formats at the same time (called “multicasting”)—but with all the new DTV programming on-air, there'll be no shortage of breathtaking digital entertainment to enjoy exclusively via your new HDTV.

Plasma To Fit Every Lifestyle
LG's cutting edge plasmas provide the ultimate viewing experience from 42" to 60", including models with 10,000:1 contrast ratio and technology which provides over 40 years (60,000 hours) of picture performance.*

Important Things to Know:

• There are five types of High-Definition TVs: standard shaped direct-view tubes, LCDs, plasma monitors, and rear- and front-projection units that require separate screens. Variations aside, remember that high definition refers to resolution—the number of horizontal lines that can be displayed on the screen—not the screen technology upon which the TV is based.
• Virtually all TV stations are now broadcasting digitally, with analog broadcasts expected to end in early 2009. To aid in the transition, manufacturers and service providers are producing reasonably priced converters to “down-convert” digital signals to analog, so that analog TVs can continue to receive over-the-air signals even after analog is a thing of the past. Nonetheless, upgrading to a digital TV is the only way you’ll be able to get all the great benefits of digital broadcasts (like theater-quality sound and additional digital services and perks, as soon as they’re released).
• Digital Cable is generally not HDTV. This is a common misconception. Digital cable is usually analog-grade television that’s been digitized and sent, via cable, as a digital signal. Digital cable’s video and picture quality is superior to standard analog cable, but it’s still far inferior to the luster of high definition. That said, some cable systems do offer a handful of HDTV channels.
• There are currently more than 200 hours of HDTV available per week, including 70 hours of free, over-the-air programming from the major networks, with new programming being added all the time.

What is the difference between Digital TV and HDTV?

Digital Television packs 5x the picture detail as analog within the same broadcast channel space, and it eliminates snow, ghosts, and interference. Televisions (the combination of a display and a receiver) in the digital world are known as DTVs. DTVs come in three levels of performance: standard definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), and high definition (HD). All the DTVs on the market today can receive all DTV signals—and can adjust a signal to match the performance capacity of a TV’s display. In other words, an HD signal can be received by a digital television and be “down-graded” or converted to a lower performance signal to allow it to be viewed on a digital TV’s lower-performance display.

SDTV

TVs that receive all DTV broadcasts and display 480 interlaced lines of resolution presented in 4:3 aspect ratio (today's square-shaped analog TVs). This is the same resolution (or “picture detail”) as today's analog TV systems

EDTV

TVs that receive all DTV broadcasts and display less than 720 lines (for example, 480p) are called "enhanced definition," or EDTVs. These TVs may come in either widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3), but the image displayed is always widescreen—the same resolution as today's DVDs.

HDTV

TVs that receive all DTV broadcasts, and display 720 or more progressive lines (rows of pixels, as measured vertically), are called "high definition," or HDTVs (including 720p, 1080i, and 1080p). HDTVs may be widescreen (16:9) or standard (4:3), but the image displayed is always widescreen. HDTV is the fastest-growing segment of its market—delivering the best performance, and matching the quality of most broadcaster signals.

How Does HDTV Work?

In the world of HD, there are two basic choices in televisions: TVs that include a digital tuner (HDTVs), and TVs that use a separate digital tuner (HD Monitors). Current regulations require all televisions 25" and larger to include a digital tuner, so HD monitors are normally found only in products under this size. HD monitors and HD televisions offer the highest form of DTV performance—about 5x more picture detail than analog. This resolution is used by most broadcasters, and the image quality is nothing less than stunning. An important development in DTV has been the introduction of Digital Cable–ready televisions. These are televisions that include special circuits that eliminate the need for a separate cable set-top box. Digital Cable–ready televisions can be identified by a slot, in the back of the set, meant to accept a CableCARD®. When the CableCARD is received from your cable operator and inserted into the slot (easily done by any consumer), it allows you to view both scrambled– and subscription–digital programming. It’s worth noting here that some cable operators will assert that you must utilize one of their set-top boxes to access digital cable—a method which costs more per month, and is harder to use. By law, however, cable operators must give you a CableCARD if you so request.

Important Things to Know:

• Not all DTVs include a CableCARD slot. This is an important capability that makes your TV easier to set up and use, and does not require the use of a separate cable set-top-box.
• Not all CableCARD televisions include a program guide. It's important to have a program guide so you can easily navigate all the cable and broadcast channels. All CableCARD-compatible LG DTV's include a program guide.

Integrated HDTV
HDTV Ready displays include Digital Cable Ready (DCR) HDTV which is an integrated HDTV that adds the ability to tune encrypted digital and high-definition cable signals to its over-the-air reception capabilities. These TVs have a built-in high-definition, over-the-air tuner.

HDTV Monitor
HDTV Capable displays are TVs that can display HDTV but need an external set-top box tuner

Broadcast Signals

There are three ways to get an HDTV broadcast signal:
Broadcast: There are currently 1,315 stations in the U.S. transmitting digital TV signals. Many of these stations broadcast high-definition content as well. HDTV is offered by CBS, NBC, FOX, WB, UPN, and PBS stations. All over-the-air content is free. (Requires a digital tuner—either built into the TV, or as a separate set-top box.)
Cable: Many cable systems offer premium HD movie channels and regional sports, as well as some local HD broadcast channels. Cable also has its own exclusive network called In HD and In HD 2, providing movies, music and varied programming in HD quality. (Requires a CableCARD® and digital cable–ready TV, or a digital HD set-top box.)
Satellite: The satellite companies are continually expanding their HD offerings. Currently, these include movies on HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, The Movie Channel, Starz, HD Net Movies, and Encore. In addition Arts, Music, Animation, Extreme Sports, and Travel Log programming are now available in HD, round the clock, via satellite. (Requires special satellite HD receiver. Availability of local HD broadcast channels varies by market and satellite provider.)

What is the difference between analog and digital Broadcasts?

A digital direct-view TV will have a much greater resolution than its analog counterpart. Almost all digital TVs can display progressive-scan DVDs (480p) and HDTV (usually 1080i) at full resolution, where as analog cannot. With a digital TV you are offered better quality picture and sound, giving you the best entertainment experience in your own home.

Broadcasting

With analog broadcasting signals, the quality of the reception is directly related to the quality of the signal. But, with digital broadcasting signals, no matter how strong or weak the signal, the quality remains the same on your TV—unless there is no signal at all.

Image Rendering

TV displays old and new are made up of a series of horizontal lines, which in turn are comprised of tiny dots, called pixels. The number of these lines and dots make up what is called "resolution."

Image Quality

Sound

Resolution

Under the ATSC system, networks can broadcast in any resolution they desire. But, to ensure that consumer televisions receive their signals, networks have standardized their broadcasts and consumer television production has followed suit, resulting in three categories or formats of broadcast resolution (amount of picture detail): Standard Definition (SD), with the same resolution as today's analog signals (but again, with digital displays, interference is eliminated and the picture is perfect); Enhanced Definition (ED), with the same resolution as today's DVD players; and High Definition (HD), which has about 6x the resolution of standard.
These differences are also reflected by signal shape, with SD signals "standard" shaped (with a 4:3 aspect ratio), and ED and HD signals "widescreen" (with a 16:9 aspect ratio). HD is further differentiated in this regard, broadcast in two signal formats: 720p x 1280 and 1080i x 1920—the first interlaced (TK definition), and the second, progressive (TK definition), though it’s nearly impossible to discern any difference between the two.

Why Get HDTV?

There are many reasons to get HDTV, from stunning picture quality, to enhanced programming, to HD sound—not to mention the upcoming national transition to digital.

Picture Quality

Invested in the quality of your entertainment? Get richer color, deeper blacks, and sharper images when watching your favorite TV, movies, or the big game on HDTV.

Resolution

TVs old and new are made up of a series of horizontal lines, which in turn are comprised of tiny dots, called pixels. The number of these lines and dots make up a TV’s "resolution," or picture clarity.

Screen/Room Size

Check out our interactive HDTV Viewing Distance Calculator to find the perfect TV for your room.

Widescreen

Enjoy a bigger, better picture—and cinema-style viewing—with a widescreen TV. With a 16:9 format, you get the full benefit of watching "true" widescreen television. And digital widescreen is the future of TV. Roll over the 4:3 and 16:9 links at right to see the difference.

Surround Sound

Many high-definition programs are broadcast in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound—the very same high-fidelity sound quality found in Dolby Surround movie theaters.

HD Programming

Today, there are dozens of high-definition programs transmitted to American homes every hour—day or night. HD Programming is available via cable, satellite, and over-the-air broadcast. Programming can vary by station and delivery type. For example, satellite currently does not deliver the TNT network in HD, though some cable systems do.
Broadcast networks provide a large portion of their primetime programs in high definition. They also provide some major sports in HD, including weekly football, regional baseball (as well as national playoffs and the World Series), basketball, and NASCAR. Many specials and major awards shows are also available in HDTV.
Satellite companies are continually expanding their HD offerings. Currently these include movies on HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, The Movie Channel, Starz, HD Net Movies, and Encore. Additionally, they offer networks that provide a variety of content, such as HD NET and ESPN HD. Arts and music are mainstays of Bravo HD. And channels devoted to Animation, Extreme Sports, Travel Logs, and Music Videos are also available in HD, round the clock, via satellite. In some markets, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX HD programming are provided as well.
Cable systems have joined the HD initiative as well. In addition to local channels, many cable operators now offer premium HD movie channels and HD regional sports. Cable also offers its own exclusive networks, In HD and In HD 2, providing movies, music, and other varied programming.

Standards Transition

Currently, television stations in markets across the country are airing digital TV programming, though they may continue to provide analog programming until the target date set by Congress for the completion of the transition to DTV, February 19, 2009. Until this transition is complete, television stations will likely continue to broadcast both digital and analog.
Go to the government’s DTV website for more information on the federally mandated digital transition.

What is Full HD 1080p?

Full HD 1080p Resolution lets you enjoy enhanced picture quality over standard HDTV with almost double the pixel resolution. See sharper details like never before. Just imagine a Blu-ray disc or video game seen on your new LG Full HD 1080p TV. It’s time to put resolve back in your resolution.