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Q:What is
"Digital Television" (DTV)? For a few years I've heard that High
Definition Television (HDTV) will be coming soon. Are HDTV and
DTV the same thing?
A:The Federal
Communications Commission, its Advisory Committee on Advanced
Television Service, and the Advanced Television Systems
Committee (a consortium of companies, research labs, and
standards organizations) has defined eighteen different
transmission formats within the scope of what it broadly calls
the "Digital Television Standard." DTV is the umbrella term for
all 18 new formats. Six of these formats are considered "High
Definition" because they constitute a significant improvement
over the resolution quality of current TV, referred to as NTSC
(the acronym for the organization that created the current
standard almost 50 years ago!). Most consumers willsee a huge
improvement in image quality even with the other twelve formats
because of digital transmission. Consumers will also benefit
from DTV improvements such as wide-screen theater-like displays,
enhanced audio quality, and new data services.
Q:Besides
better resolution, audio, and "data services," why would I
wantDTV?
A:One of the
basic improvements with DTV is the way it is transmitted.
Digital transmission can deliver a perfect signal, free of
ghosts, interference,and picture noise.
Q:Will I be
able to watch the new DTV broadcasts on my current TV set?
A:Yes. You
will be able to watch DTV broadcast programs by using a special
DTV decoder. These set-top-boxes receive digital transmissions
and convertall 18 formats to standard TV, allowing you to see
and hear digital programming as easily as connecting a VCR to
your TV.
Q:So, can I
watch High Definition TV using this set-top-box and my currentTV?
A:Not High
Definition, but still a big improvement. Most boxes provide
many different solutions for great images and sound using A/V
equipment that you may already own. These boxes decode and
output DTV broadcasts with Dolby® Digital Audio giving more
precise localization of sounds and a more convincing, realistic
ambience. Many people already have a multi-channel,
multi-speaker audio system at home to take advantage of Digital
TV's great audio.
Q:How can I
receive the new DTV signals?
A:You should
be able to receive DTV with any standard UHF antenna. The
exactstyle of antenna that you will need for optimal reception
may vary depending on your geographic location and distance to
the transmission source.
Q:What about
digital signals from cable or satellite? Aren't some cable and
satellite systems already transmitting "digital television"
today? Will new digital TV's display signals from these systems?
A:That is
correct, some cable and satellite systems already use digital
technology to transmit their television programming. And in
these cases, they have developed several different transmission
standards and image formats that require consumers to rent or
purchase a converter box. Most of these standards are not
compatible with each other, much less the new ATSC standard for
digital television. These industries are currently working on
ways of modifying their technology to incorporate the new DTV
standard, and should have a solution in the near future.
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What is HD?
HD is the new standard of television viewing. HD stands for High
Definition. The hallmark of a true HDTV is the rectangular
"Wide" screen and the high resolution of display. From the
consumer's perspective, High Definition translates to better
visual and acoustic enjoyment to TV viewing. Wide screen is
defined as 16:9 ratio of width to height. An analog TV has a 4:3
ratio.
Why HDTV?
To simply put, HDTV is the inevitable upgrade from today's
analog TVs. The future format of broadcasting will be in High
Definition and Digital, analog TV signal will be phased out.
HDTV vs. Analog TV:
There is no doubt HD is the winner here. HDTV is clearly a
better technology. HDTV is the technology of the digital age.
Analog is a primitive technology.
Features of HDTV:
As the technology implies, HDTV gives better screen resolution.
The obvious feature of a true HDTV is the physical wide screen.
Like your computer monitor, a HDTV screen is measured in dot
pitch. A HDTV screen has more vertical and horizontal lines than
an analog TV, giving it a much finer and crisper display. The
standard is 720 (progressive) or 1080 (interlace) horizontal
line of resolution. Just think of it as the SVGA display as
compare to the "EGA" display of the early computer monitors.
Because the screen format is wide, it can display a wider
picture similar to that of a movie theater's screen. Analog TV
can only display "cropped" movies. In addition, HDTV broadcasts
will be in the Dolby surround digital format that further
enhances the TV viewing experiences.
Why do we still have analog
TVs?
The answer is simple, COST. We are not just referring to the
cost of the HDTV sets. We are also talking about the cost of
producing HDTV programs. Media production companies have been
reluctant to embrace this new technology due to the equipment
upgrading costs. This is a catch 22 situation, equipment are
expensive because there are not enough production upgrading,
that means no mass equipment production and therefore resulting
in higher upgrading costs. The same is true for the high costs
of the HDTV sets. But once the consumer's demand increases,
production will increase and the prices of HDTVs will drop.
Is there any broadcast
standard format for HDTV?
No, of course not. Just like analog broadcasts, different
regions of the world have different broadcasting formats. There
is no industry standard for digital broadcasting format either.
But from the consumer's perspective, it does not matter as long
as the HDTV sets we buy can receive and display those formats,
and they do.
What are DTV and HDTV-Ready?
To simply put, they are the pretenders instead of the real
things. These standards are temporary but necessary to ease the
transition from analog to HDTV. HDTV refers to sets that are
able to 1) receive digital signal, 2) display in high
definition, 3) without any additional equipment. DTV is Digital
TV, DTV can receive digital signal but can only display 480i
screen resolution. Most DTV sets are not wide screens.
HDTV-ready is a strip down version of the real HDTV. HDTV-ready
TVs are either standard or wide screens but do not have the
built-in digital decoder to display high resolution. The
decoders come separately.
When does HDTV programming
start?
Now. Every major network along with several cable channels
broadcast their primetime and special event shows and movies in
HDTV. HDTV Demo. Every major electronic store carries HDTV sets.
HDTV sets are a part the stores' normal inventory now. Circuit
City, Fry's, Good Guys, Microelectronics, etc...
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