HD-Ready, HD Monitor, HDTV: What's the Difference?

A reader writes: I'm in the market for a new HDTV, but I can't figure out the difference between a model that's "HD-ready" an "HD monitor," an "EDTV," or an "HDTV." Is there a difference?

Good question and one to which there isn't always a clear answer, as is often the case with all things HD. But in a nutshell, and generally speaking, the aforementioned terms mean the following.

EDTV: Stands for Enhanced Definition Television. This may take the form of a swanky-looking plasma TV, but don't be fooled. EDTVs show up to only 480i or 480p (standard TV and DVDs) signals natively. These TVs can accept an HDTV signal in 720p or 1080i, but they will downgrade those signals to non-HD 480p resolution. If you're just seeking something that looks nice and doesn't cost much and you're only planning to watch standard DVDs, these models are bargains, but otherwise, I say steer clear of EDTVs.

HD monitor: This is a monitor that is capable of showing at least 720p signals natively, which is the minimum to be considered HD. Because they lack built-in TV tuners of any kind, however, they can only officially be called "monitors." But since most people get their HD programming from their cable or satellite operator, the increasingly scarce HD monitor can be a great value.

HD-ready TVs: The jury's still out on what exactly this means (nothing?), but loosely and generally this refers either to an HD monitor with no tuners whatsoever or to a TV that can accept and display HD signals of at least 720p but has only an NTSC (standard TV) tuner built in. Again, since they lack the superfluous, built-in HD tuner, these TVs are often a decent bang for the buck. The FCC has mandated that all TVs over 25 inches must now have built-in HD tuners, so it's increasingly hard to find large-screen HD-ready TVs, but deals abound online.

HDTV: This is a TV that can natively show at least 720p signals and has built-in NTSC (standard) and ATSC (HD) tuners, so you can grab over-the-air HD signals using an antenna. This knocks up the price a bit, but the advantage is you can use things like HD-ready CableCards and other space-saving technologies.

Bottom line is: Make sure you have a TV that can display at least a 720p signal natively and you'll be fine!

Related links:

For Dummies: Determining the Right HDTV Fit for Your Needs

HDTV Buying Basics

How Big a TV Do You Really Need?