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HDTV setup

You need to know - how to get the right HDTV and recording equipment. A well planned HDTV setup must be at the heart of a great Home Cinema. A surround sound system makes it complete.

Getting the best HDTV setup from Sky and Virgin Media HD

Virgin Media (previously branded Telewest under NTL) provides a V+ box (formerly known as TVDrive). There's actually little by way of adjustments needed to the TV. Virgin Media's V+ box is constructed for standard definition TVs in addition to HD Ready TVs. So some programming is needed. From Display & Audio menu choose "High Definition" from "Set TV display format". Select "HDMI" or select "Component" (whichever is applicable) for "High Definition output port".

Almost all HD Ready TVs can receive either 720p or 1080i signals from an HD box. But, Sky boxes and Virgin Media HD boxes can also be adjusted to give just one output signal (either 720p or 1080i output). That's very useful if your TV only accepts one format.

When you have your surround sound system connected, just be sure that the optical audio is adjusted to output Dolby Digital audio, not just for stereo. With Sky HD, adjust the "Optical Output" (that's in the Sound Settings menu) to "Dolby D". With the TVDrive, adjust the "Convert Dolby Digital to Stereo" (that's in the Display & Audio menu) to "off".

So what do I really need for a good HDTV setup?

In order to get high definition TV reception - using Sky satellite: you'll have to get a Sky HD Digibox and dish or, via cable from Virgin Media, you'll have to get a V+ box and cable connection.

One other thing you certainly will need is an HD Ready television. Just make sure that really is HD Ready. Some are (a little misleadingly) called HD Compliant or, maybe, HD Compatible or words to that effect. Some retailers use such descriptions for what are actually TV's which can't do the job. You'll see a picture, but HDTV it won't be.

An HDTV must have a native screen resolution of at least 1280 x 720 and an HDMI or a HDCP-compliant DVI connection to truly qualify for the HD Ready logo.

Another highly technical requirement for your TV selection is that it must be big! Don't aim low. Don't invite regrets later. Just go for the biggest screen you can afford. As big a screen as your room can take. In simple terms - the bigger the screen the bigger the impact you'll feel as you take in all those amazing extra pixels. You only get that effect when it covers most of your field of vision (the cinema experience).

HDTV is broadcast with Dolby 5.1 surround sound. Since that's so, you'll more than likely (if you haven't already) get around to concluding that you ought to have a 5.1 sound system so as not to miss out on great sound enhancement.

How do I get the HDTV connection to work at its best?

The TV has to be connected using the one of the following sockets: HDMI, DVI or (YPbPr) component video. To get high definition pictures you have to use one of these connections.

As first choice, HDMI not only gives the very best picture but also automatically takes care of everything. If the TV has a DVI connection, you'll need to use an HDMI-DVI converter lead (HD boxes have HDMI and component outputs) together with separate audio connections.

Next choice would be analogue component video. It certainly won't produce pictures of such good quality as direct digital HDMI or DVI. Also, you'll have to have separate audio connections.

Second or third TVs (perhaps in the kitchen or in a bedroom) for standard definition, can receive from the Sky box using the aerial/UHF socket. When this is done, the V+ box disables its UHF output whilst HDMI out is enabled. You'll have to connect, for example, a VCR via a Scart connection to the V+ box and send its UHF out about your home.

Surround sound for HDTV setup - how to connect

There are optical digital audio outputs on all of the HD boxes. These will directly connect to a 5.1 sound system. Also, you can, if needed, make use of the stereo analogue outputs (these are encoded for Pro-Logic surround sound) both in providing sound to the TV or, if you wish, for piping out to a room elsewhere in your home.

I've got the whole system, including DVD deck. How do I do an HDTV setup connect?

To ensure that you get the very best pictures, you need to use HDMI connections to the HD Ready TV for all of the equipment using their HDMI outputs. That also includes the Sky or Virgin Media V+ HD box, and an HD or upscaling DVD player/recorder and any HD games console.

It might just be the case that your particular HDTV doesn't have enough remaining HDMI sockets to allow you to make direct connections. If that's the case, you'll need to get an HDMI switcher. There are two-way and four-way versions. They're a bit expensive but readily available from shops/online.

If you have only one HDMI socket free on the TV, you could do a compromise by using HDMI for, perhaps, Sky HD and then use the TV's component video connections for DVD (assuming they're not already being used for some other gadget).

Any equipment you have which only has Scart connections cannot actually give High Definition signals, either from HD sources or in upscaled form. They ought to be connected by a Scart cable to your TV's RGB Scart input, for standard definition.

Recording HDTV programmes

This is, obviously, highly important for HDTV setup. The Sky and Virgin Media HD boxes both include HD PVRs (Personal Video Recorders) which record HD (or SD) programmes. They can pause live broadcasts and allow instant replays. The recordings are of the very same quality as broadcast and are recorded in the same broadcast format (whether HD/SD). It's an extremely user friendly and intuitive (although recording from an external HD source is a bit more involved).

Although a VHS video recorder or a standard DVD recorder can't record programmes in high definition, you can (if you connect to the HD box's Scart output) record HD programmes, but only in standard definition quality.

With a DVD recorder which can store programmes in high definition, you can connect to one of the HD box's HDMI or component outputs which is not used by the TV. Another option is that some of the HDMI switch boxes also have another output for connecting recorders. Using that output, you can then share the HD box's HDMI output with a TV and DVD recorder.

A HDTV broadcaster can elect to disable a high definition output from an HDMI connector. Thus, HDMI output is content protected if it's connected to anything other than a display screen. Likewise, component video outputs can also be disabled for certain channels. It can also be done for particular programmes.

The thing is - it can't yet be said whether or not Sky or BBC will actually choose this kind of approach to content protection.

What about a projector for watching HD now and then?

An HDTV setup can be used as a platform for other media. Where the impact of HDTV really does hit you between the eyes, is when a projector is used. Standard definition pictures just can't hope to match the massive picture and its image quality. The several HD Ready models have an HDMI output. That output should be connected in order to get the most benefit from that much bigger picture. If you plan to use only now and then, you'll need to either swap the HDMI TV connection or add an HDMI switcher.

Can my TV work with 720p and 1080i?

There are relative merits of the HDTV and HD channels use of 720p and 1080i formats and they generate ongoing debate. Channels will choose the one which best works with their particular material and equipment. Thus far, Sky has now chosen 1080i to cover all of its channels. It's seems possible, however, that the BBC may eventually choose 720p.

Almost all HD Ready TVs can take 720p and 1080i signals just as easily as each other. The native resolution of the TV doesn't make any difference. The HD signal is processed inside the TV to match up to the exact pixel resolution of the screen. The Sky HD box is, likewise, quite OK with both 720p and 1080i transmissions. Set up can be for the same as the reception format or for just one format (720p or 1080i) as you wish.

Do I need to do something to watch a standard definition TV channel?

You don't need to do a thing. Just choose whichever channel you want (format isn't an issue). The HD box then immediately finds and identifies before processing the signal appropriately. An HDTV channel is then output as an HD signal. In the same fashion, an SD broadcast is then output as an SD signal. The TV will, in both circumstances, identify the relevant signal format at the input and then display the picture properly.

Virtually all HD Ready TVs briefly show an on-screen message saying which format is actually being received. V+ also has an HDTV indication. You'll know immediately whether or not you are tuned to an HD or traditional SD broadcast. That's, of course, before you see the huge difference in picture quality.

The 1080p (yes "p") question

OK, we're getting used to the idea that HDTV broadcasts are now done in two formats - 720p (1280 x 720) and 1080i (1920 x 1080). But, there are those who will point out that these two formats aren't true high definition.

Nearly all HD Ready TVs have a 1280 x 720 native resolution. That means they can't even manage directly the 1080i format in which Sky's HDTV channels are broadcast. There is an HDTV setup controversy. True HDTV, many enthusiasts will maintain, is 1080p.

Perhaps oddly, even 1080p is not obviously as superior an HD as might at first be thought. It's all to do with perception. Perception of the detail in HDTV definition heavily depends on how many pixels there are. But that's not all - the rate at which they appear on screen is hugely important.

It's generally understood that the 720p and 1080i formats are near enough as makes no difference when it comes to their perceived resolutions.

That's down to the fact that the lower resolution 720p signal is placed on the screen in one go, whereas the higher resolution 1080i is an interlaced image and so is displayed in two goes. Interlacing is done by having alternate lines of the picture making up two individual fields of the frame.

These formats are more or less equally matched when it comes to the number of pixels shown on the screen per second. In addition, displaying the 1080i picture in two halves also brings in to play a kind of stagger to the image. It's something which noticeably affects the effective resolution, particularly when showing movement on screen.

Is 1080p the way to go?

Should you conclude that 1080p, being a whole 1920 x 1080 picture (shown in one go), is the way to go for the right HDTV setup? Perhaps. However, there is one snag. HDTV 1080p isn't actually broadcast. It's not broadcast in any part of the planet. The thing is, it just uses up far too much bandwidth. So, unfortunately, it'll be some time before it becomes a technically practical option.

With the latest generation of DVD players, a 1080p signal is specified. But they're actually 1080p/24 signals which place 1920 x 1080 images on the screen at a rate of just 24 times a second. That needs to be compared to the 50 images a second you get with 1280 x 720 which standard 720p gives (720p/50). Pixel-wise, it all ends up in pretty similar territory. Not much to choose between them.

Simply put - if you come across an HDTV at the right price, having a native resolution of at least 1920 x 1080, then just get it! It'll easily work well with everything in development for years ahead.

But, don't just junk a 1280 x 720 resolution HDTV (not for a while anyway). Since 1080p broadcasts are not yet a reality and nor are HD DVDs fully working on 1080p and 1080p/50 signals, it's almost impossible to see any actual difference in quality.
HDTV setup
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HDTV setup