What is HDTV?

HDTV is the highest level of digital television (DTV), hence, high-definition TV. This page will give you a brief overview of what HDTV is and what it can provide.

HDTV Technology

  Resolutions of Today’s HDTV

The three main resolutions of HDTV, 720p, 1080i and 1080p and the transmission technology create images that are at least ten times sharper than that of a traditional analog TV.

• 720p

  The “p” stands for progressive. This means you get 720 horizontal lines that are displayed on your screen one after the other in a single pass for a single full-screen picture. Progressive scanning reduces flicker making it best for motion type pictures such as sports. ESPN and other sports oriented networks broadcast their HDTV shows using 720p.

• 1080i

  The “i” stands for interlaced. This means you get 1080 lines on your screen but it takes two passes for the full screen to be displayed. But don’t worry, the full screen is painted so fast the eye can’t detect it. 1080i is generally considered the best for still or slow moving pictures. Discovery HDTV broadcasts it’s shows using 1080i for this reason.

• 1080p

  Most large screen HDTV’s are coming out with this standard now. Smaller HDTV’s may still use 720p but the larger models will use 1080p in order to deliver the most realistic picture currently imaginable with the best picture detail.

  News Flash!    DISH Network presents groundbreaking techology with Video on Demand (VOD) in 1080p HDTV – same as Blu-Ray® Disc quality that you won’t find with ANY other TV provider! If you have a 1080p HDTV this is the programming service for you!

The question used to be, which of the two main HDTV resolutions, 720p or 1080i, are best for viewing different types of programs such as action sports? If you don’t have a 1080p model HDTV or you favorite channel or show is not available in 1080p, don’t worry about it. The network programmer or program service provider has already made that decision. ABC shows its programs in 720p, CBS in 1080i, ESPN in 720p, FOX in 720p, HDNet in 1080i, NBC in 1080i, TNT in 1080i, WB in 1080i and WGN in 1080i.

For what it’s worth, 720p is generally regarded as superior for watching rapid movement. That’s because the “p” stands for progressive scanning and this works best for pictures with rapid motion.

In any case, your High Definition TV will convert these to its own native resolution automatically. If your HDTV is made to display 720p or 1080p, it will convert all 1080i programs to that resolution while doing little or nothing to 720p programs. If you have a 1080i set, it will do the opposite. This is all possible because the programs are all in a digital format so very little picture quality is lost.

Just sit back and enjoy your HDTV!

  Widescreen HDTV

HDTV’s larger aspect ratio, which is the height to width ratio of the image, significantly increases the viewing area. This means it is widescreen. When you go to the movies the screen is not square like an old analog TV but is wider than it is tall. Watching movies on HDTV is much more like going to the theater. The networks don’t have to edit motion pictures for HDTV by cutting off the action on both sides of the picture to make it fit like they do with analog TV.

  Sound

Dolby Digital Surround Sound provides incredible sound quality. No more tinny sound coming from the TV’s internal speakers. We sometimes forget that the sounds we hear in the theater are a huge part of the movie going in experience. On old TV we heard the dialog, the gunshots and the screeching tires but we missed almost all of the more subtle sounds we hear in the theater. With an HDTV and digital sound you can truly experience home theater the way you always dreamed.

Do I have HDTV?

Let’s not get too hung up over the technical details. If you bought a new TV (tube, LCD rear projection, DLP rear projection, LCD or Plasma or whatever else shows up on the market) which can display a High Definition picture, then you have a High Definition Television or HDTV.

Even an older Enhanced Definition (ED) set can display a very good HDTV picture unless you are very close to the screen – too close for normal viewing.