EDTV/HDTV compatible?

Just bought a TV set today. It is an LCD 15" for my office at home. The box/manual states that the set is HD compatible. Does this just mean it can accept an HDTV signal or that the set has sufficient resolution to actually transmit HDTV (assuming I have an HDTV cable box, which I do).

My other set (a Sony) stated that it was HDTV "ready" and it is. The word compatible is throwing me off. Any help would be appreciated

Here's how I understand it:

HDTV Ready, means it is ready to accept and display an HDTV signal.

HDTV Compatible means that the TV can accept HD signals, but it won't display in HD quality.

EDTV means it can support 480p, which is better quality than standard TV, but not as good as true HD (720P)

does this mean anything? The manual said that it had the following signal type: NTSC, decoded ATSC (480p, 1080i).

What brand and model?

sylvania model 6615LE. Am really trying to find out if it is EDTV or HDTV. It says it is HD compatible, but doesn't use the words "ready". Having said that I have seen "ready" and "compatible" used interchangably. It does have component input jacks.

I cannot find the resolution in the manual. It also has 3 line digital comb filter for what that is worth. This is a set for my den, I have a SONY HDTV in my family room

thanks

sylvania model 6615LE...I cannot find the resolution in the manual...
The answer lies in the specs...the native resolution of your LCD screen determines if this is a true HDTV display. According to this link (http://dealmac.com/articles/75321.html) the display is 640x480 VGA so it's not an HDTV display, it simply has the ability to receive an HD signal of 1080i.

And while the 480 lines would qualify as EDTV, the 4:3 screen and 640 pixels in width would take it out of the EDTV category. When you input a HDTV 16:9 signal, there will be black bars top and bottom of the picture. This will effectively reduce the picture to approximately 640x360 which is not EDTV. 16:9 EDTV resolution is 720x480.

very very helpful. I thought I was somewhat knowledgable until I started really looking into this stuff.

My father and I recently purchased a Sharp 4:3 model AQUOS LC-15S1UB it says that it is EDTV, however it lists the resolution as 640 x 480. Is there something else I may be missing?

Based on the specs, might this not be EDTV?

LC-15S1U-S (http://www.sharpusa.com/products/ModelLanding/0,1058,1354,00.html)http://www.sharpusa.com/images/clear.gifhttp://www.sharpusa.com/images/clear.gifhttp://www.sharpusa.com/images/clear.gifhttp://www.sharpusa.com/images/clear.gif15" AQUOS Liquid Crystal Television, less than 3" deep, 480p (EDTV Monitor), Advanced Super View panel, Black TFT low reflection coating, Also available in black.

At 480p, your TV is an EDTV. I have the Aquos LC-13S1U-S.

HD compatible is not true HD.

so if rbinck says that 480 x 640 in 4:3 isn't EDTV, but my Dad's Sharp is 4:3 and 480x640 and states that it is EDTV then how do I determine if my Sylvania set mentioned earlier is EDTV or not? Is there a way to determine if the set is 480p?

J

so if rbinck says that 480 x 640 in 4:3 isn't EDTV, but my Dad's Sharp is 4:3 and 480x640 and states that it is EDTV then how do I determine if my Sylvania set mentioned earlier is EDTV or not? Is there a way to determine if the set is 480p?
Technically, any native display with 480p vertical resolution is EDTV, but as rbinck has pointed out, the only way you will really see a widescreen 480p image is if there is a horizontal resolution of 720. So on a 640x480 display, the image is fully EDTV if the source is in full screen format. As for the Sylvania, it's a digital LCD so it will display 480p via the component video connection.

borrowmini and others many thanks. Now I get it. Everyone has been very helpful. What was happening is that I was getting more questions from the answers...

I have another set that has component inputs, but cannot read progressive scan. The Sylvania can read progressive scan from my DVD player, must have something to do with the digital?

In any event, I was looking at the Sharp and found a price as low as $429, however I then discovered the Sylvania for $299. Probably not as good as the Sharp, but then $299 is a heck of a deal for an LCD with component inputs...That was my primary reason for asking all those EDTV questions. My father's Sharp claims EDTV, but may not be true EDTV because it is a 4:3 set up, although if it allows a widescreen format, it may be! On the Sylvania, brightness equals the Sharp and contrast does too. In any event, I appreciate any more comments on the progressive scan issue

To put a finer point on what I was saying, the resolution of widescreen EDTV is 720x480p. On a set that has only 640 pixels wide, to show a widescreen picture there will need to be black bars at the top and bottom of the picture, thus reducing the picture to 360 pixels high. In that mode, you will not be viewing a EDTV picture. 640x480 is a valid 4:3 EDTV resolution as well.

HD compatible is not true HD.Unless the user has an HD receiver then he or she gets true HD with an HD compatable. My 57HDX82 Toshiba is an HD compatable HDTV and not an HD ready TV. In other words, the tuner is NTSC and not ATSC.

Unless the user has an HD receiver then he or she gets true HD with an HD compatable...
That's not always the case. Some retailers market certain LCD TVs as HD compatible because the TV is capable of accepting a 1080i signal but the TV's native display resolution is 640x480 and therefore is never at any time true HD...even with an HD receiver :)