RCA HD56W41 - Manual (Page 3)

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Introduction
Thank you for choosing RCA
Congratulations on your purchase of an RCA High Definition television—a true viewing experience. Your
purchase decision represents an investment in a new generation of technology. Even though this is a
technologically advanced HDTV, it is the most user-friendly of its kind—with comprehensive on-screen
instructions that guide you through the TV’s features.
High Definition: What Makes it a True Viewing Experience?
High Definition refers to a new way of sending programming information over the airwaves and into your TV.
There are many technological advancements working behind the scenes that make HDTV so special but there
are basically three things you’ll notice that make HDTV a true viewing experience: (1) resolution, (2) aspect
ratio, and (3) digital signal and sound.
Resolution
The crisp, lifelike picture people rave about when experiencing true HDTV is due to the resolution this
technology provides. A regular television (called standard definition or analog) displays about 200,000 pixels. A
pixel (which stands for picture element) is a small dot. The picture you see on your TV is composed of these
dots. HDTV displays 1 million to 2 million pixels (up to 10 times the resolution of the picture on a regular
TV).
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio is the width and height of the picture. Regular TVs use a 4 x 3 (also written
4:3) aspect ratio, which means the picture is a little wider than it is tall (a screen that is 20
inches wide is about 15 inches tall).
When the standards were being developed for television broadcasting in 1941
by the NTSC (the National Television Standards Committee), it made sense to
adopt the 4 x 3 aspect ratio the film industry was using at that time.
As TVs dropped in price and people prospered in the 1950s, the movie industry had to find a way to get people
out of their living rooms and back to the movie theatres. That’s when they created the
16 x 9 (16:9 or widescreen format) aspect ratio. When the standards for HDTV were being developed
by the ATSC (Advanced Television Standards Committee), the 16 x 9 aspect ratio was chosen as the
format for HDTV.
This widescreen format makes sense because it’s much closer to the way we see. Our field of vision
is actually much wider than tall because of our peripheral vision. Not only is it closer to the way we
see, but the pictures are crisper and cleaner with more detail in the close-up and panoramic views.
Signals for Analog and Digital Formats*
*This TV is not necessarily capable of these levels.
Format Analog (NTSC) HD Digital (ATSC)
Total Scan Lines 525 1125
Effective Scan Lines 480 1080
Aspect Ratio 4:3 16:9
Max Resolution 720 x 480 1920 x 1080
Sound 2-Channel Stereo 5.1 Channel Surround