# Solved: Meaning of "Class" in HDTV descriptions?



## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

When you see an ad for say a "Sanyo 50 inch Class Plasma HDTV" or "Sharp 37-inch Class LCD 720p HDTV", exactly what does word "Class" mean? Is this some type of marketing term to make it sound like the picture diagonal size is larger than it really is?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I can't seem to find anything that makes that an "official" term, so your analysis may be the correct one.


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

I started noticing it in the Sunday paper's Best Buy and Circuit City sales fliers the last few weeks. I wonder if it is the same kind of marketing term that the FTC or FCC cracked down on CRT TV manufacturers years ago when the advertised size was the diagonal size of the whole picture tube, not the viewing area.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I don't know, but with LCD's the viewable size is actually the stated size, so it can't be that.


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

I looked at the detailed specs of a few different HDTVs that included a Class entry. It appears that the size class is the actual diagonal size rounded up or down to the nearest whole number. Instead of advertising a "41-33/64 Inch HDTV" set", they call it a "42 Inch Class HDTV". Now I have to wonder if this is some kind of voluntary "Truth in Advertising" term agreed upon by the manufacturers or if the FTC or retailers require it.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

That could be, I guess even a fraction of an inch is technically false advertising.


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

Unless someone else can come up with a more definitive answer, I'll consider this topic Solved.


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