The R49W36's vivid, 49-inch widescreen (16:9) display makes your movies and TV programs larger than life, bringing a world of entertainment to your doorstep, from full HDTV resolution (with optional DTV receiver) to enhanced standard-definition (SD) viewing. The rear-projection Zenith offers a host of picture-enhancing technologies, upconverting interlaced (480i composite- and S-video) signals to bring VCRs, non-progressive DVD players, cable boxes, and other entertainment devices up to 1080i or 540p resolution. The set accepts, and renders at full resolution, decoded 1080i or 480p video signals from DTV set-top boxes or progressive-scan DVD players and satellite receivers.

Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p or 540p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The R49W36 also performs 3:2 pulldown. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; Zenith's 3:2 Pulldown Cinema Correction digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.

The set's HD-grade optics improve brightness and focus and reduce the cabinet depth to a manageable 19.2 inches. HD Focus eliminates the need to manually adjust the picture--just select HD Focus from the onscreen menu, and to automatically adjust the picture from center to edge. Specifically developed for digital program content, the R49W36's HD-grade, high-output CRTs maximize brightness and picture detail. Further, the unit's improved digital display eliminates most of the standard video artifacts that afflict typical analog upconversion, or line doubling (such as pixelization).

Velocity-scan modulation improves the definition at picture edges, creating sharper images by slowing the CRT (cathode-ray tube) beam's horizontal scanning during demanding work--say, when rendering transitions from light to dark parts of an image--and speeding it up when scanning easily rendered sections, like broad dark areas. Three selectable velocity-scan modulation and fine (0.52 mm) dot pitch ensure a detailed picture.

Two-tuner, split-screen PIP (picture-in-picture) with 4-picture POP (picture-outside-picture) lets you watch a second channel in the PIP inset screen while watching the main channel on the full screen, all without having to use any outside tuner source, such as a VCR, etc.

A pair of 1080i-capable component-video inputs grants optimum connection with high-definition devices, while standard composite- and S-video inputs accommodate all DVD players and most other video devices. (For older VCRs and cable boxes, there's also 2 threaded RF inputs and 1 RF output.) A set of variable-level AV outputs lets you hook the set up with your audio/video receiver, while side-panel AV inputs makes it easy to plug in a camcorder, digital camera, or gaming console for spontaneous use.

You get stereo audio (with an impressive 15 watts per channel from AV sources or broadcast programming via Multi-channel Television Sound (MTS), which permits broadcasters to encode stereo audio within the video portion of TV programming signals. Not equipped with a surround receiver? Built-in Dolby Virtual Surround simulates enveloping surround sound from the set's 2 speakers or, when hooked up, from your stereo system.

The set also features a high-contrast protective shield, detail enhancement, gamma correction, auto flesh-tone adjustment, built-in rear carrying handles (making it a cinch to move), auto volume limiter, auto channel programming, bass/treble/balance controls, 6 DSP sound fields, a trilingual onscreen display (English, Spanish, French), closed-caption display, 2-level mute, V-Chip parental control, a sleep timer, an on-timer, and an illuminated universal remote control.