What does 60 Hz mean on your LED TV?

Answer 1

All television signals use a series of still images that change frequently. By changing the still image fast enough, the appearance is of a moving image.

60Hz means that the image is updated 60 times each second. This is the standard refresh rate for television in North America, Japan and other regions that use NTSC color systems. In Europe, the refresh rate is 50Hz or 50 times each second.

A television will display an image at the refresh rate of the incoming signal. There are an increasing number of televisions that offer 100 or 120Hz refresh rates or even higher. The incoming signal is still updating the image at 50 or 60Hz but the television carries out complex calculations to create an image that would have been there if the camera had captured the intermediate image. Some are more successful than others. If the calculations are not carried out correctly, the result may look jerky. Done well, the image will appear to move more smoothly. The only way to judge is to look at the image on each television.

Answer 2

North American television delivers images 60 times each second. Technically, most television standards deliver half an image each time, with the full image being delivered 30 times each second. This is known as a 60Hz field rate.

Some televisions offer a 120Hz display. The television takes the original signal and adds a new image between each of the original images so producing 120 images every second. The aim is to make motion appear smoother and to reduce flicker.

However, the process means that new images have to be created 60 times each second and this is a complex process. Similar techniques are used in broadcast systems and the converters cost thousands of dollars. $50,000 is not an unreasonable figure for a top end converter. Frame doublers inside televisions are manufactured at a much lower cost and are not as good as the top end converters. In many cases this won't be a problem but sometimes, the final output can suffer from lack of definition and juddering of fast moving objects on the screen. It is important to see the frame doublers at work before investing money. The test is very simple - if the image looks clear and smoother then without the doubler, it is worth buying. Remember to watch a variety of content, especially with fast movement.

In Europe, television runs at 50Hz, so an equivalent TV will offer 100Hz display rather than 120Hz but the principle is identical.

Answer 3

60 Hz is the refresh rate. In other words, you get a new image up to 60 times per second.