HDTV
The TV – an 'Icon' of American culture for three-quarters of a Century - is obsolete. And in the UK the same can be said of the telly. . . The most familiar focal point in family living-rooms for generations, the traditional NTSC-Analog Television set – the one everyone had because it was the only one available – Is No More!
This solitary symbol, after standing steadfast through so many decades, TV as we knew it – Your TV – has now been replaced. Through the evolution of display technology, a new television has emerged; so totally different, a new TV 'paragon' has been created. This 'near-perfect' model comprises a whole-new-complex of icons in place of the One. Yesterday’s TV has yielded today’s: DTV … SDTV … EDTV … HDTV.
Since entering the new millennium, we've seen a number of significant societal changes that have effectively altered how we live, day to day. Television in the Twenty-First Century is a hallmark to certain of these changes. TV, so-long dormant, has finally emerged from the shadows where it dozed for decades. Now in the full light of a new era, TV has at last awakened to its full potential. The evidence is the revelation displayed by this astonishing, new vision. Digital TV is the bright dawn of a new day, after the long night of traditional TV.
The picture quality of the new, (Digital) Standard Definition TV - "SDTV" - is so surprisingly superior to traditional Analog TV, it raises the question - How did Analog Television survive for so long, with such obviously poor picture quality? Clearly, we didn’t know what we were missing!
But SDTV was just the beginning. At the same time we were learning about Digital TV, there was talk of another, 'better' TV. This was identified as “High Definition Television.” And it was said to be, “incredibly better” than Digital's SDTV. However, while High Definition TV (HDTV) is “digital” TV, it’s NOT at all the same as SDTV. The two have separate and distinctly different formats.
In fact, HDTV is just ONE of (18) formats that comprise the ATSC Digital TV Standard. But beyond all argument, HDTV offers the ultimate in TV Picture Quality. Yet to avoid any misconceptions, it’s important to note that Digital-HDTV is immeasurably, MORE than merely a “better TV picture.”
HDTV is the entrance to an awesome, new dimension; and an almost unbelievable, new experience; both visually and auditorily. Once you experience HDTV - You Want It! Often, people who have not yet experienced HDTV will ask how to tell when a television is an HDTV. No need to worry - you'll KNOW you’re viewing an HDTV when your immediate response is ... "W O W!" ... commonly followed with an involuntary exclamation of “…Unbelievable!”
But before you can experience that “wow” in your home, you’ll have to navigate your way along some new, strangely different and often complex paths. Unlike buying a traditional analog TV – a simple choice of size, price and perhaps a few extra features – Digital High Definition TV requires decisions covering a bewildering array of choices. Many of these decisions will be easier made after gaining some understanding of the basics of Digital-HDTV.
How HDTV Works
When the first high-definition television (HDTV) sets hit the market in 1998, movie buffs, sports fans and tech aficionados got pretty excited, and for good reason. Ads for the sets hinted at a television paradise with superior resolution and digital surround sound. With HDTV, you could also play movies in their original widescreen format without the letterbox "black bars" that some people find annoying.
But for a lot of people, HDTV hasn't delivered a ready-made source for transcendent experiences in front of the tube. Instead, people have gone shopping for a TV and found themselves surrounded by confusing abbreviations and too many choices. Some have even hooked up their new HDTV sets only to discover that the picture doesn't look good. Fortunately, a few basic facts easily dispel all of this confusion.
In this article, we'll look at the differences between analog, digital and high-definition, explain the acronyms and resolution levels and give you the facts on the United States transition to all-digital television. We'll also tell you exactly what you need to know if you're thinking about upgrading to HDTV.
