How High Is Your Definition?

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The tremendous growth in the popularity High Definition Television sales along with their crystal clear pictures indicates that HDTV has arrived and is here to stay. The shift from analog television technology to all-digital television technology heralds the dawn of a new era in the history of television broadcasting. HDTV content is already available every night on many cable stations. The “Presented in high definition where available” message is becoming a more and more common event for television viewers all over the US.

Here are some of the basics of HDTV technology:

HDTV- a new type of television that combines an HDTV tuner and HD-capable display. Almost all of HDTV’s available in the market use the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio. An HDTV tuner can receive analog and digital over-the-air broadcasts.

HDTV ready TV- features only the high-resolution display and can only receive digital broadcasts if connected with a separate HDTV tuner. HDTV-ready TVs can have the 16:9 widescreen ratio or the square like 4:3 aspect ratio.

Choosing the right shape of your HDTV is important for your HDTV viewing experience. A 4:3 screen is the best choice if a considerable amount of your local and network broadcasts dominate programming.

However, the arrival of the new HDTV technology also presents consumers with some upgrade choices in order to get the most out of their HDTV viewing experience. To make this happen, you need to have a tuner that can receive and decode HDTV signals along with a high-quality screen that can reproduce the outstanding details and colors from an HDTV broadcast.

The main reason HDTV pictures look so much clearer and crisper than normal TV is due to the higher resolution of the HD signal. Traditional TV pictures only have 480 lines of vertical resolution, while the most common HDTV’s have a 1,080-line interlace scan and a720-line progressive scan. The best quality that can be offered by analog TV is 480i, which, by the way, is the lowest quality signal in digital TV.

Getting started in HDTV is much cheaper now than when the technology was first introduced  as prices of tuners and HDTVs continue to drop. But the best news is that this market has become super-competitive so not only are the prices lower, but the quality of HDTV products is constantly improving. A definite win-win for consumers.

To help you get the most out of your HDTV experience without spending money on unnecessary features, here are some quick tips that will help you enjoy HDTV at its best.

Finding HDTV broadcasts within your area:

Over-the-air-broadcasts: Over 1,500 local station across the US are transmitting Digital TV signals today. About 90% of digital station broadcasts are made in the UHF range and these can be accessed with the use of a normal UHF antenna. For this scenario you need:

  • an HD-compatible TV
  • an HDTV tuner – many are already built into the HDTV
  • outdoor or indoor UHF antenna
  • the HDTV broadcasts in your area

Cable HDTV:

Nearly all cable companies in the US offer HDTV service to their subscribers.. Digital cable will offer more channels and the picture quality of broadcasts will be noticeably more crisp. However, consumers must also remember that “digital cable” is different from HDTV via cable. For this setup you’ll need the following:

  • HD-compatible TV
  • HD-compatible cable box
  • HD programming from cable company

Digital Satellite TV:

HDTV via satellite is available for those living in areas that have a clear view of the sky (which is pretty much anywhere except in heavily populated urban areas). HDTV channels are already available from the top satellite TV providers DIRECTV and ISHNetwork. Those lucky enough to live in major cities can even get local stations in HD via satellite. For this setup you need:

  • HD-compatible TV
  • HD-compatible satellite dish
  • HD-compatible satellite receiver
  • HD programming

Once you get used to your HDTV, going back to normal TV will quickly become out of the question. The crystal-clear viewing experience becomes addictive and anything less than HDTV becomes mediocre by comparison.