HDTV In Plain
English -(part 2)
click here for part 1
Learn the Basics of Digital Television and HDTV In Ten Minutes!
HDTV compared to DTV - What's The Difference?
The country is going to all Digital TV, (referred to as DTV) after February 17, 2009, but
not all programs that are broadcast over the air will be HDTV quality signals. In short, HDTV signals are digital signals but not
all digital signals are HDTV signals. Some programming will be carried at a lower resolution than HDTV. Some programming for
instance, will be broadcast in SDTV, which is called Standard Definition TV. It's basically the same resolution as the pictures you are
accustomed to getting now on your analog TV. Some programming could be viewed as EDTV, which stands for Enhanced Digital
TV. If you see an SDTV or an EDTV set in the store, just realize that it will not display the most clear and detailed image
possible. A true HDTV set will display a higher resolution (more detailed) image than an SDTV or EDTV set.
They may cost less, but for most people, the cost difference is probably not worth the loss in quality.
What Has To Happen In Order to See "Full" HDTV Images Being
Displayed?
An HDTV signal is the highest resolution digital signal broadcast over the air. To
really get the maximum amount of information possible in both picture and sound, an HDTV program has to be "born" as an
HDTV program. The stunning pictures displayed on the best TVs in that big box retail store will probably be HDTV signals,
displayed on an HDTV resolution display, and feature content that was filmed and produced using HDTV
equipment.
It is important to realize that just because you buy an HDTV set, it does not mean that
every show that you watch on that HDTV will look as good as that HDTV program you saw displayed in the store. In fact, much of the
programming you see will not be High Definition resolution. Some viewers have complained that they purchased an HDTV set and the picture
seems worse, or at least no better, than their old analog TV. When an HDTV set is receiving an SDTV broadcast, it is true that the
picture will not likely look any better than your old analog TV. Why? Because SDTV is basically the same resolution as your analog
TV. Over time though, it is expected that more and more content will be produced and broadcast using HDTV
resolutions.
Does Your TV Have A Digital (ATSC) Tuner?
If you want to receive Digital TV (DTV) broadcasts over the air, including
HDTV broadcasts, you will need a digital tuner. If you have a TV that was manufactured and sold within the
last few years in the U.S., you might have a digital tuner already. Here's some ways to tell.
If you purchased a 25" TV in the US since July 1, 2006, if it has an analog tuner built
in, it should also have a digital tuner built in. Smaller TVs, regardless of screen size, sold in the US after March 1, 2007 are
supposed to have digital tuners built in, again if they also had an analog tuner built in. Having a digital tuner built in to your
TV means that you do not need a converter box to receive HDTV signals over the air.
If you are not sure if your new TV has a digital tuner built into it, look for labels such
as ATSC, HDTV, "digital tuner", or "integrated tuner", possibly accompanied by the words "built in." If you still are not
sure you may want to consult the manufacturer's website or your TV owner's manual. If your TV has a digital tuner built into it, all you
need is to connect an antenna to it in order to receive HDTV signals, assuming you are in an area where HDTV digital broadcasts can be
received.
Be aware that you may have purchased something called an HDTV monitor or an "HD Ready" TV
set. These are basically TVs that can display the clearer picture offered by High Definition TV, but they must be connected to an
external digital tuner.
How To Get HDTV Over The Air
The title really should say "How to get digital TV over the air," because that's
what is being broadcast. Many people mistakenly believe that HDTV is what will be broadcast over the air all the
time. Some of those Digital TV signals will be HDTV signals, and some will be lower resolution (not as much detail).
With that being said,
let's focus on how to get HDTV over the air. Click
here for more.
|