Buying a new TV can be an overwhelming experience, especially when you encounter unfamiliar terms. To help you navigate the jargon, here’s a quick guide to the true meanings behind some of the most common terms you’ll come across on a television spec sheet.
What is 4K?
Imagine a grid of 4 x 3 squares, for a total of 12 squares. If you were asked to paint each square a different color to create a picture, it would be challenging to show any fine details.
Now, imagine that grid expanding to 400 x 300 squares, or a total of 120,000 squares. Suddenly, it becomes much easier to paint a detailed picture. This principle is how TV pixels work, but they are significantly more dense.
A High Definition TV typically has 1,280 pixels across and 720 pixels vertically, resulting in a total of 921,600 pixels. This is known as its “resolution.” Moving to Full HD, you’ll find a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels, or 2,073,000 pixels in total. And when it comes to 4K, the display boasts 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, totaling a whopping 8,294,400 pixels. In other words, a 4K TV has approximately four times the number of pixels compared to a Full HD TV.
What is Ultra HD?
For the average consumer, Ultra HD is essentially the same as 4K. The terms “Ultra HD” and “UHD” are often used interchangeably. While UHD is commonly employed in marketing, 4K is a more precise descriptor of resolution. It’s worth noting that you’ll likely encounter both terms when shopping for a 4K TV set. Additionally, both Ultra HD and 4K are used to describe content, video games, and media devices like the Amazon Fire TV Stick.
What is HDR?
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, a term used to describe content you might be watching. However, it also appears on TVs to indicate their ability to display HDR content in its true HDR form. HDR content offers improved contrast, with brighter whites and darker blacks, as well as a wider range of colors. Different types of HDR have their own standards, such as HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. HDR content is now quite common, with plenty of options available on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Video.
What is Dolby Atmos?
Unlike the other terms on this list, Dolby Atmos specifically pertains to audio rather than video. Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that adds “height” channels to regular surround sound, allowing for a more immersive audio experience. Originally developed for cinemas, Dolby Atmos is now available for home theater setups as well. You’ll notice the Dolby Atmos stamp on content that supports this kind of audio. Dolby also has its own visual standard called Dolby Vision, which is a form of HDR video.
What is OLED?
Traditionally, modern TVs featured LCD (liquid crystal display) screens, composed of numerous tiny crystals illuminated by a backlight. However, OLED screens are different. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode, and it eliminates the need for a backlight. Each OLED pixel emits light when an electric current passes through it. This innovative technology offers several advantages. Firstly, OLED displays can be much more power-efficient by avoiding the constant need for a backlight. Additionally, their lack of backlighting allows for thinner screens. But the most significant advantage of an OLED display is the ability to achieve a superior picture quality. Unlike LED-backlit LCD displays that can never display true black due to the panel illumination, OLED screens can turn individual pixels off completely or dim them significantly. This feature delivers more accurate blacks during dark scenes in movies or TV shows, making OLED screens ideal for viewing HDR content, which greatly benefits from enhanced contrast.
While OLED TVs were once prohibitively expensive, their prices have steadily dropped, making them much more affordable now.
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