OTHER TECH

Newcomers to Sound & Vision's HDTV test reports are likely to come across some tech talk that might seem confusing or arcane at first. The truth is, video technology has become much more complex since TV started to go digital and high-def nearly a decade ago, and a side effect of all that increased picture resolution and clarity has been mounds of strange new jargon. But jargon aside, many of the practices we use to test high-def sets actually go back to TV's pre-digital days. To put these practices into context, and to better relate them to the descriptive terms commonly found in S&V's HDTV test reports, we're going to dissect a typical review. (Pardon me for a second while I pull on rubber gloves and find a scalpel.) Once we're done, you'll know your Grayscale from your Overscan.

THE INTRODUCTION The first section of a TV test report is dedicated to giving an overview of the product. It also describes notable characteristics - for example, the first 1080p-resolution plasma TV to break the $5,000 price threshold - and the set's overall position in both the market and the manufacturer's product line. From there we move on to features that distinguish the set or make it distinctive in its category. Looks also matter when it comes to an HDTV - remember, this is something you might be living with for the next 10 to 20 years - so we make a serious effort to describe its appearance and call out details that might not come across in the glossy photo that accompanies the review.

For new TVs, connectivity is extremely important: You need to know whether a particular set has the right type and number of inputs to accommodate the gear in your A/V system. We call out important jacks relevant to high-definition hookups, as well as mention any out-of-the-ordinary ones. A comprehensive list of inputs can also be found on the second page of the review in "Key Features" - a box giving exactly that, including screen resolution, the set's dimensions and weight, and the manufacturer's Web site and phone number. Back on the first page, a box called "The Short Form" provides a Snapshot evaluation of the product along with price information and helpful Plus and Minus bullet points.

The last thing that gets a look in the introduction is the TV's remote control, a photo of which can be found on the second page of the review. The key thing we're looking for here is ease of use in the dim-light environments that work best for watching movies. Some other points on our checklist: Does it have a backlit keypad? Are the buttons cleanly arranged and easy to locate? And with some new HDTVs sporting upwards of 10 video-input jacks, how simple is it to switch sources via the remote's keypad? (A set of Direct Input buttons gets a gold star.) Last but not least, we check out the Aspect Ratio (also known as Display, Picture Size, or Picture Shape) options for various signal formats.