HDTV(High Definition Television)
In the field of television broadcasting there are plenty of acronyms to
go around and it all can all be very confusing. One of the most common
terms you will read about and hear is "HDTV". A lot of people use that
term in articles and at the consumer electronics stores and assume that
everyone knows exactly what they are talking about. HDTV
stands for High Definition Television. It is a broadcasting standard
for sending television signals in digital format instead of using an
analog signal. Originally, the television signal ,which originated at a
given cable station, was sent in analog format. The analog format was
only able to handle a limited amount of data for both picture and
sound. In addition once that limit was reached, regardless of the type
of television set was that was receiving and displaying the signal, the
picture quality could only be as clear as the limited available
information was allowing it to be. However, with the recent
advancements in television electronics, technology has improved to the
extent that analog television signals are now beginning to be replaced
by digital signals, which not only broadcasts on both cable and
satellite, but displays the picture in greatly superior
quality. For example, a standard television monitor
is able to display about 525 lines of information on the
screen, while HDTV enabled monitors are able to display up to 1080
lines on the same screen. That's nearly double the detail of analog
television. What that means for you is greatly improved resolution,
color, and smoothness of action on screen. It will also be easier on
the eyes.
Here are some FAQ ,with answers, about high
definition
television:
- What do resolution line numbers mean?
All television programs compatible for high definition are encoded with
one of three types of resolution; 720p, 1080i or 1080p. FLAT PANEL TV'S
often have these numbers which represent the quantity of lines embedded
within the signal. Notice the
letter that corresponds with the number. That represents the type of
scan used to display the picture. “I” stands for
interlaced and ‘p’ means progressive.
- Do the number of lines matter?
The amount of lines a television has gives it more detail in the image
on screen. Think about how printers with a high Digital Printing
Index(DPI) is used to print quality of a digital photograph. Older TV
sets only had 480 lines. TV’s today have doubled that and
which is mostly why the pictures are so much clearer.
- Which is better: Interlaced Resolution or
Progressive
Resolution?
The number of lines is more important than the type of scan but that
doesn't’t lessen its value. Progressive scan is more popular
because it doubles the amount of times the TV displays the image per
one second however the difference between 720p and 1080i is so small
that it is nearly impossible to notice. The 1080p is better than 720p
and 1080i, but the lack of programs made in this resolution almost
makes it not worth getting.
- Is my television HD compatible?
This is where you may run into an issue since only high definition
televisions are able to display HD content in HD resolution. There are
a few television that are capable of displaying HD content in a 480p
resolution DVD quality. Analog TV’s can not display HD
content in HD resolution because they lack the technology to do so.
- Am I watching high definition
automatically with an
HDTV?
The answer to this question would be not exactly or perhaps a better
answer would be not yet. Owning an HD compatible TV is only the first
step of three. The next is to buy an HD tuner digital box, though these
are usually built into the television. Once you have a TV that HD
compatible and/or an HD tuner you need to subscribe to cable service
that provide HDTV content, which most do. After these steps are
completed will you be able to receive and view the signal in High
Definition.
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