Introduction

HDTV technology was first introduced in the US during the 1990s by a group of electronics companies called the Digital HDTV Grand Alliance. HDTV is capable of "theater-quality" audio because it uses the Dolby Digital (AC-3) format to support "5. HDTV offers a degree of clarity that is much closer to this. HDTV can be recorded to D-VHS (Data-VHS), W-VHS (analog only), to a HDTV-capable digital video recorder (for example DirecTV's high-definition Digital video recorder, Sky HD's set-top box, or TiVo's Series 3 or HD recorders), or an HDTV-ready HTPC. HDTV is just one part of the DTV transition. HDTV is best viewed on a new high-definition television. HDTV requires an HDTV tuner to view and the most detailed HDTV format is 1080i.

Definition

The term "high-definition" can refer to the resolution specifications themselves, or more loosely to media capable of similar sharpness, such as photographic film and digital video. High-definition television (HDTV) potentially offers a much better picture quality than standard television. NTSC system, established in 1941, were high definition only in comparison with previous mechanical and electronic television systems, and NTSC, along with the later European 625-line PAL and SECAMs, is described as standard definition today.

Television

While some early analog HDTV formats were broadcast in Europe and Japan, HDTV is usually broadcast digitally, because digital television (DTV) broadcasting requires much less bandwidth if it uses enough video compression. To get a better picture HDTV televisions require a High Definition (HD) signal. As of 2007, broadcasters may demand, or cable-television operators may elect, to place HD signals in a premium band that requires higher cable fees. HDTV has at least twice the linear resolution of standard-definition television (SDTV), thus allowing much more detail to be shown compared with analog television or regular DVD.

Resolution

It should be noted that while HDTV is more like a theater in quality than conventional television, 35 mm and 70 mm film projectors used in theaters still have the highest resolution and best viewing quality on very large screens. Digital NTSC- and PAL/SECAM-like signals (480i60 and 576i50 respectively) are transmitted at a horizontal resolution of 720 or 704 "pixels". In Australia, the 576p50 format is also considered a HDTV format, as it has doubled temporal resolution though the use of progressive scanning. For example, you can get a 72" projection HDTV that has 1920×1080 resolution from $2500 to $5000 depending on the brand and model.

Satellite

Satellite services and a Cable TV providers are providing an increasing number of HDTV feeds. Satellite-based TV companies, such as Optimum, DirecTV, Sky Digital (In the UK and Ireland) and DishNetwork, offer HDTV to customers as an upgrade. To receive an HDTV broadcast you need either a TV with a built-in HDTV tuner, like this Panasonic plasma HDTV, an HDTV receiver which can pick-up off the air HDTV channels, cable HDTV, or satellite HDTV receiver like Dish Network HDTV and this DirecTV H10 receiver.

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