Stretch Marks

The Age

Thursday December 8, 2005

Rod Easdown

Digital broadcasts and DVDs are boosting the popularity of widescreen TVs, writes Rod Easdown.

IF YOU'RE a big fan of DVD movies, a widescreen television makes a lot of sense. One of the most common aspect ratios in which movies are shot is 1.85:1.

It can be reproduced on a conven-tional 4:3 television only with black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, but it matches quite nicely to a widescreen television's 16:9, or 1.78:1, aspect ratio.

Because television manufact-urers want to ensure the top, bottom and sides of the picture form neat, straight lines, they tune them so a fraction of picture overshoots the screen on all sides. It's not enough that you'll miss any of the action, but rules out ugly, jagged borders. This process is called overscan and manipulating it a little will make a 1.85:1 movie fill a 16:9 TV's entire screen, despite the slight difference in ratio.

The other popular shooting format among movie directors is 2.35:1, a very wide image often used for action movies and blockbusters. This leaves wide black bands at the top and bottom of 4:3 TVs, and the remaining image area on smaller sets, such as 51cms, is very small. Again, a 16:9 TV does a better job because black bands, while still there, are much narrower.

Widescreen televisions entered the market here years before most people knew what DVD was and began embracing it.

However, there's another reason for buying a widescreen - digital broadcasting. Many programs on digital - indeed most of them in prime time - are broadcast to fit a 16:9 screen.

There is some debate about whether digital broadcasting helped sell widescreen TVs or the other way around.

Many retailers say people buy widescreens to watch DVDs, but get a digital set-top box at the same time, figur-ing they may as well watch TV shows in widescreen.

Whatever, widescreen is now such a force in the market that most 4:3 screens come only in the cheaper conventional cathode ray tubes and entry-level rear-projection. CRT screens is the value format here, undercutting both plasma and LCDs of up to 76cm. We particularly like 66cm CRT screens for balance of screen size, cabinet size and price. Here we looked at three costing about $1000.

Three contenders

Panasonic TX28F250

$999 (spotted for $899)

Looks good and is a well-featured 100Hz high-definition television with clever technology that analyses images to optimise quality. It also has good virtual surround sound, an equaliser and a volume leveller. Headphone and RCA connections are at the front.

Specs: 731mm high x 498mm wide x 545mm deep; weighs 41kg.

panasonic.com.au

LG Lafinion 70W

$1299 (spotted for $999)

We were surprised by the picture quality at this price -- and the sound is good too.

This is a 100Hz 0television with a full range of features including twin tuners, picture-in-picture and virtual surround sound, and it's NTSC and SECAM compatible.

There are headphone and RCA connections at one side.

Specs: 854 x 535 x 509mm; weighs 42kg.

lge.com.au

Sony KVDA28M36

$1399 (spotted for $1299)

This looks great and has Sony's DRCMF, its equivalent of 100Hz technology. It also has a signal booster for problem reception areas and headphone and RCA connections at front bottom. Sound is good with virtual surround and an equaliser. The picture quality is terrific. Specs: 786 x 504 x 544mm; weighs 45kg.

sony.com.au

Verdict

This is a strange one. We reckon the Sony is best, followed by the LG and then closely behind is the Panasonic. Roll the prices in, however, and it's exactly the reverse - we'd recommend the Panasonic first and then the LG before the Sony.

© 2005 The Age

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