OTHER TECH

Digital still cameras are also getting on the HDTV connection train. Both Sony and Samsung have announced models with HD video outputs, and they should be sitting on store shelves by the time you read this. Several new Sony point-and-shoot models have a component-video output similar to the one on the company's high-def camcorders. And Samsung's Digimax L85 is the first digital still camera with an HDMI jack (see HDTV-Friendly Cameras). Although digital stills viewed on an HDTV can look wonderfully crisp, enthusiasts should note that the highest-rez HDTV screens max out at 1,920 x 1,080 pixels - a step down from the pricey computer monitors used by photo pros, which generally offer 2,500 x 1,600-pixel resolution.

Photos in a Flash

Yet another, more convenient method for screening high-rez digital photos on your TV is via removable memory cards. A number of HDTVs provide slots that accept Secure Digital (SD)/Multimedia Card (MMC) or Memory Stick cards, as well as formats such as Compact Flash and xD Picture Card via a PC card adapter. Simply pop the card out of your camera, walk over to the TV, and plug the card directly into a memory-card slot to view JPEG-format images.

Even if your set lacks such slots, you can still get around hooking up your camera directly to an HDTV to view high-rez photos. Samsung's BD-P1200 Blu-ray Disc player has a Multi Memory Card Interface that supports all current card formats - Microdrives included - while Sony's PlayStation 3 is packed with photo-friendly features, including Compact Flash, SD Card, and Memory Stick slots, as well as inputs for plugging in USB mass-storage devices. Both the Sony and Samsung players read the image files from the removable media and then display them at high-def resolution via your TV's HDMI connection.