HDTV Explained
1. What does HD Upgradeable mean?
2. Will I be able to use my current TV to watch High Definition broadcasts?
3. Can I get rid of the black bars at the top and bottom of the picture?
4. How long before everything goes Digital?
5. Can I get High Definition programming from Cable in Middle Georgia?
6. Is DVD High Definition?
7. What's the difference between Digital TV and High Definition TV?
8. I have a 16:9 aspect ratio TV and I still get black bars at the top and bottom of the picture. Why?
9. Can you record HDTV?
10. Is my current TV set going to be obsolete?
11. What is Digital TV?
12. Should I wait to buy a new TV?
13. How much more expensive is an HDTV set over the same size analog TV?
14. Glossary of Home Theater and HDTV Terms
15. Hookup Diagrams from Monster CableWhat does HD Upgradeable mean?
HD Upgradeable is a rather loose term used by TV manufacturers and salespeople usually to indicate that a TV is capable of displaying High Definition TV images but that it does not incorporate a DTV tuner of any kind (although it may have an analog NTSC tuner built-in). This is a little tricky, however, because some less scrupulous manufacturers or salespeople might claim that even an analog NTSC TV is "HD Upgradeable" since you could hook up to a DTV tuner to downconvert HDTV images and watch them.To try to help eliminate confusion, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has recommended that TVs that are capable of displaying High Definition images in their full resolution be referred to as HDTV Monitors sometimes referred to HD Ready or HD Compatible.
When you hear someone use the term HD Upgradeable or HD Ready don't assume that it always means the same thing. Always ask for a specific definition of the term.
Will I be able to use my current TV to watch High Definition broadcasts?
You'll be able to hook up most Digital TV tuners (terrestrial, cable, or satellite) to your current set and watch DTV and HDTV broadcasts. However, the quality of the picture will be no better than what you get when you watch a DVD on your current set.Can I get rid of the black bars at the top and bottom of the picture?
If you have a traditional 4:3 analog TV, the reason why you're seeing black bars at the top and bottom of the picture is because the aspect ratio of most movies today is much wider than your TV set's aspect ratio. The only way to get rid of the black bars is by chopping off the sides of the widescreen picture. On some movies up to 40% of the picture has to be cropped to make it fit your TV screen.But if you just can't stand seeing those black bars, many of today's Digital TVs have the ability to expand or stretch the image so that it fills the entire screen. Each manufacturer has a slightly different method of doing it, however, so make sure you try it out in the store before making a purchase.
But what about movies on DVD you may ask? Often when a movie is released on DVD, you can find both the widescreen and the pan & scan (that's the version that's been modified to fit on your screen) versions on the same disc. When that's the case, just watch the pan & scan version (and try not to think about what you're missing).
How long before everything goes Digital?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and congress have now mandated that analog NTSC TV broadcasts must stop by February 17, 2009.Can I get High Definition programming from Cable in Middle Georgia?
Yes, Cox Cable offers "HD Service" which is different from their regular "Digital Cable."Is DVD High Definition?
DVD is good, but it's not High Definition. If you have a Digital TV with a progressive input and a DVD player with progressive outputs, you'll be able to watch movies on DVD in 480 progressive (480p) which is on the lower end of the Digital TV picture quality scale. The images you'll see consist of about 300,000 pixels on the screen every 1/60th of a second. High Definition images display over 900,000 images every 1/60th of a second.High Definition on DVD has been available since 2006 but there are two competing standards - Blu-ray and HD DVD. With very few exceptions, players designed for one format don't work with discs encoded for the other format.
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What is Digital TV?
Digital TV is a new digital television broadcast format adopted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It is scheduled to replace our current analog NTSC broadcast format by Feb. 17, 2009. There are 18 different variations within the DTV format. A broadcaster can choose to broadcast using any of these variations. Some stations may choose to broadcast multiple low-resolution programs (multi-casting) while others may choose to provide one ultra-high-resolution (HDTV) program. Some stations may provide multiple signals during the day and switch to one for prime time programming.What's the difference between Digital TV and High Definition TV?
Digital TV is the broad term covering the new broadcast format mandated by the FCC. There are 18 different variations within the new Digital TV format. High Definition TV offers the highest picture quality of all the formats. Simply put, all High Definition is digital, but not all digital is High Definition.I have a 16:9 aspect ratio TV and I still get black bars at the top and bottom of the picture. Why?
Movies can be filmed in a variety of aspect ratios that can be as wide as 2.35:1. By comparison, your 16:9 TV translates to 1.78:1. When you watch a movie that was originally filmed in one of these super-wide aspect ratios, you'll still see black bars across the top and bottom of the set, but they won't be as big as those on a 4:3 T.V.Can you record HDTV?
Yes, you can record some HDTV programming, but you'll need a special High Definition D-VHS VCR to be able to do it. Also Cox Cable has an HD cable box that also includes a DVR that has the ability to record HD as well as SD programs. The satellite systems also have similar devices.Return to the top
Is my current TV set going to be obsolete?
No, not at all. When analog NTSC broadcasts finally do stop, there should be reasonably priced DTV tuners available that you'll be able to hook up to your current TV. They'll allow you to watch the new Digital TV broadcasts, although they won't look as good as they will on a Digital TV.Should I wait to buy a new TV?
Not anymore. There are now so many programs in HD that waiting simply means you are missing a lot of great programming. Most prime time programs are in high definition and with ESPN HD you have all sorts of sports programming in HD. On Time Warner Cable and satellite there are many HD only channels such as Discover HD, HDNet HD Movies and more. Another compelling reason for buying a new HDTV today is to watch widescreen movies on DVD. That's because most new HDTVs are not only widescreen aspect ratio sets, but they will actually improve the picture of whatever you're watching. So you'll not only see great HDTV programming, you'll be getting the most out of anything else you watch, too.How much more expensive is an HDTV set over the same size analog TV?
Today big screen HDTV's sell for what analog sets sold for only a couple of years ago. As a matter of fact, the major manufacturers of big screen T.V.'s have told us that by late 2006 - early 2007, they will no longer build CRT (tube) big screen T.V.'s.
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