HD ready
In January 2005, EICTA announced the requirements for the HD Ready label. EICTA introduced the label as a quality sign for the differentiation of display equipment, capable of processing and displaying high-definition signals. It is awarded on the basis of minimum functionality requirements that are detailed in the "EICTA conditions for HD Labelling of Display Devices".
In the USA, "HD Ready" refers to any display that is capable of accepting and displaying a high definition signal at either 720p, 1080i or 1080p using a component video or digital input, and does not have a built-in HD-capable tuner.
HD ready caveats
The fact that a product bears the label "HD ready" does not necessarily mean that it can display the full picture resolution possible from a HD source. Most HD-ready sets do not have enough pixels (1920x1080 or 1280x720) to give true pixel-for-pixel representation without interpolation of higher HD resolutions. Theoretically, even pixel-for-pixel is not enough, as sampling theory shows that proper image reconstruction requires more pixels in the display than were used for the original picture. This is why SDTV video sources (especially DVD) look much better on a HDTV than on the best SDTV (this is a consequence of basic sampling theory, and not a matter of image enhancement).
The term HD compatible is also being used in the UK to indicate that a display device has HDMI capability but with lower than HD-ready resolution.123
Alternatives to HD ready TVs
Many PCs and laptops are actually more HD-ready, in the true sense of the phrase, than the HD-ready label requires. They will not, however, qualify for the HD-ready label, unless they also meet the connector requirements.
Any PC with a 1280x720 or higher resolution display is fully ready for HD video from the Internet, or from data files, a fact not appreciated by many computer sales-people. The Internet represents a possible alternative source of HD material, as already demonstrated by movie trailers available for free download from Apple, outside the HD-ready concept which is mostly about enforced copyright protection.
HD ready requirements
In order to be awarded the label “HD ready” a display device has to cover the following requirements:
- Display, display engine
- The minimum native resolution of the display (e.g. LCD, PDP) or display engine (e.g. DLP) is 720 physical lines in wide aspect ratio.
- Video Interfaces
- The display device accepts HD input via:
- Analog YPbPr. “HD ready” displays support analog YPbPr as a HD input format to allow full compatibility with today's HD video sources in the market. Support of the YPbPr signal should be through common industry standard connectors directly on the HD ready display or through an adaptor easily accessible to the consumer; and:
- DVI or HDMI HD capable inputs accept the following HD video formats:
- 1280x720 @ 50 and 60Hz progressive scan (“720p”)
- 1920x1080 @ 50 and 60Hz interlaced (“1080i”)
- The DVI or HDMI input supports copy protection (HDCP)
- The display device accepts HD input via:
The following technical references apply to the above descriptions:
DVI: DDWG, “DVI Visual Interface”, rev 1.0, Apr 2, 1999 as further qualified in EIA861B, “A DTV Profile for Uncompressed High Speed Digital Interfaces” May 2002, furthermore allowing both DVI-D and DVI-I connectors, requiring compliance to both 50 and 60Hz profiles, and requiring support for both 720p and 1080i video formats.
HDMI: HDMI Licensing, LLC, “High-Definition Multimedia Interface”, rev.1.1, May 20, 2004
HDCP: Intel, “High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection System”, rev 1.1, June 9 2003.
(NB: on DVI HDCP rev 1.0 will apply)
YPbPr: EIA770.3-A, March 2000, with the notice that the connectors required may be available only through an adaptor.