Apple TV has n’t gain computer storage ledge yet — it only began shipping to client Tuesday — but the impending arrival of Apple ’s set - top corner could think of that it ’s clock time for possible Apple TV owners to upgrade their old stock - definition television sets .

orchard apple tree designed Apple TV to wreak specifically with widescreen , enhanced - definition ( ED ) or eminent - definition ( HD ) TVs equal to of at least 480p resolution with HDMI , DVI , or ingredient picture connection . ( Seeour glossaryfor helper decoding the terms used here . ) Although the Apple TV will work with an EDTV , the future tense of television and menage movies is HD . With prices dropping on HDTVs all the fourth dimension , there ’s no skilful ground to invest in EDTV ’s stop - crack technology .

high-definition television uses many unlike engineering to produce range of a function . Tube high-definition television use cathode irradiation tubes ( CRTs ) , just like traditional televisions and estimator monitors . plane - sieve TVs use either limpid quartz glass show ( LCD ) engineering , which is made up of pixels in front of a abstemious source , or plasma technology , which is made up of cells filled with petrol between two jury of glass . nates projections television receiver come in CRT , LCD , digital light processing ( DLP ; utilize M of tiny mirrors ) , or fluent crystal on silicon ( LCoS ; use liquid crystals instead of mirrors ) .

They also come in many soma , sizes , and prices , and each type has its pros and cons . Tube HDTVs have fantabulous picture quality , wide viewing Angle , and are relatively inexpensive , but are bulky and have small screen ( 34 inches or less ) than other types of television . LCDs are thin and light ; they come in large sizes ( up to 46 inches or so ) , and their prices have fall . On the downside , they do n’t offer up see angle as wide-cut as tube TVs . blood plasma TVs are also thin and lite , come in large sizes ( 60 - plus inches ) , and have beneficial picture quality and wide look at angles , but they ’re more expensive than other type of HDTVs at the entry - level and do n’t support the highest HD resolutions . jutting boob tube ( CRT , DLP , and the like ) have very large screens ( set about at around 42 inch and going up to 65 inches ) , are comparatively inexpensive , and offer high resolutions ; they can also be bulky , and some technology have trouble with viewing angle , semblance , brightness , or uniformity .

so as to reckon HD message , a TV need decoding hardware to change over the signaling to something your television can exhibit . Some TVs have HD tuners built in , which is utilitarian for displaying digital content encounter over an feeler . But cable television and satellite companies provide their own hardware for decoding their several signal ; you do n’t really need a incorporate HD wireless unless you plan to get your HD channels using an feeler to get the devoid , over - the - gentle wind broadcasts .

As far as content from your Mac goes , Apple TV is all you demand to connect to an HDTV to observe TV shows or moving picture downloaded from iTunes . But note that Apple currently does n’t sell HD cognitive content on the iTunes Store . However , Apple television will let you play HD broadcast that you ’ve captured on your Mac using compatible ironware , although you may need to re - encode the show first . And most ( if not all ) of the impression in your iPhoto library are high - definition and should look great on an HDTV .

With so many HDTVs out there , how do you decide which is right for you ? A undecomposed start is to first figure out your budget and the size of set you ’re look for . Once you have an idea of what you are unforced to spend and how big you want your viewing experience to be , you ’ll only be appear at a subset of the various technology . Then decide which feature are most significant to you , and endeavor to see a bunch of TVs in action at a few different stores . ( We ’ve got some passport below . ) And if you do n’t have a surround intelligent stereo system , it might be a adept time to check those out too — most HD scheduling is deport with 5.1 - channel sound , as are the standard DVDs you already watch .

TV picks

If the dizzying number of HDTV ads in your Sunday newspaper has you scratching your head , we ’ve got a few suggestions . Here are a few top - rated televisions from the research lab of our sister publication , PC World . ( you’re able to learn the full critique of these and other products atPC World ’s HDTV page . ) As with many consumer electronics product , the suggested retail prices lean are often higher than what you ’ll pay in a entrepot or online .

Vizio P42HDTV($1,200 ): 42 - inch plasma show has a hopeful cover with good image quality and a low - price , but has somewhat over - saturated immature tones . Has HDMI and component stimulant , integrated HD radio set , 10,000 - to-1 contrast proportion , 1,024 - by-768 pixel aboriginal resolution , and sustain 720p and 1080i picture .

LG Electronics 42PC1DA($2,500 ): 42 - inch plasma display has great color character and detail . Has HDMI and constituent inputs , 10,000 - to-1 demarcation ratio , HD receiving set , CableCard time slot , support 720p and 1080i video , and has 1,024 - by-768 pixel native resolve .

ViewSonic N3760w($1,199 ): 37 - inch LCD display offers fantabulous color and trope quality , but has mediocre built - in speakers . 1,000 - to-1 direct contrast proportion , 1366 - by-768 - pixels native resoluteness , HDMI input , HD tuner , and supports 720p and 1080i video .

RCA Scenium M50WH185($2,099 ): 50 - in DLP television has an attractive , easy - to - use design and good loudspeaker , but has an unattractive remote . Has built - in radio set , CableCard slot , two HDMI and two component comment , 1,280 - by-720 - pixels resolution , and supports 720p and 1080i television .

Glossary: Video terminology

SDTV : Standard - definition telly ; classic 4:3 aspect ratio congeal at 480i resolution .

EDTV : Enhanced - definition television ; sometimes widescreen , it can exhibit higher quality than SDTV , but not as much as HDTV . Often used as a term for goggle box capable of 480p resolution .

high-definition television : gamey - definition television ; widescreen and capable of displaying at least 720p .

4:3 : Square scene proportion of Coyote State television broadcast .

16:9 : wide-cut prospect proportion of HD television broadcasts .

Interlaced Scan : Used on most SDTVs and some high-definition television , an latticelike sign refreshes all odd line of each frame and then starts over from the top with even origin ; can produce flicker .

Progressive Scan : This method acting displays the lines of each skeleton sequentially , making for smoother movement .

480i : Interlaced scan telecasting mode with 480 phone line of vertical declaration and 704 or 720 pixels of horizontal resolution ; this is the traditional format used for SDTV broadcast .

480p : Progressive video mode with 480 assembly line of vertical resolution and 704 or 720 pel of horizontal resolution ; used on received DVD and for EDTV .

720p : reformist scan video fashion with 720 lines of perpendicular resoluteness and 1280 pixels of horizontal answer ; used by electronic connection including ABC and Fox .

1080i : Interlaced video modal value with 1,080 lines of vertical resolution and 1920 pixels of horizontal resolve ; used by networks including CBS and NBC .

1080p : reform-minded video recording mode with 1,080 lines of erect solving and 1,920 pixel of horizontal resolution ; currently used only on Blu - shaft of light and HD DVD film .

HDMI : Digital connector that carries a high - definition telecasting signaling as well as multi - channel audio signal .

Component video : High - quality analogue connector uses three disjoined plugs for video recording signal .

Toslink audio : Digital connecter that carry multi - channel audio signal .

[ Jonathan Seff isMacworld ’s fourth-year news editor in chief . ]