Digital High Definition Television

Will we all have to eventually transition to HDT?

Since late 1940's, the television signals you can receive by putting up an antenna have been analog. Same as radio signals. We are talking channels 2,3,4,5,... on an old television.

Most of these CHANNELS have digital versions which newer TV's can deal with.

A "Converter box" for about $75 allows older TV's to pick up the new digital channels from an antenna. The antenna connects to the box, the box feeds analog on channel 3 or 4 to the old TV.

Thats the "Digital Transition".

The 1940's television standard is 480 lines of video per screen. This was enough to fill a nine-inch screen. But to remain backwards compatible - this standard could never change.

About year 2000 - after years of testing, debating, the government helped define 2 more video standards: 720 and 1080.

These are called High Definition.

If a TV station broadcasts these higher-definition signals, they are Digital. (we are not going to repeat the mistakes of analog with year 2000 delivery).

Does this help?

You have around your home right now:

- Analog TV signals for channels 2,3,4,... (standard def)
- New digital TV signals for channels 2,3,4 (standard def)
- New HD digital signals for channels 2,3,4 (720)

The first one is going away in 2009 and the frequencies will be given to Police, Fire, and some cell phone use.

2008-04-25 10:45:58 by Cap'n Starbuck

How to connect digital cables to an HDTV; get professional tips and instruction from an expert on HD and SD television sets and signals in this ...

Please help!
I know what HDTV is... but whats the difference between them? besides HDTV being clearer, like better quality. Or am I wrong?
Please help!
so your saying that HDTV is a type of digital television?

Yes, HDTV is a type of digital TV. You can have digital TV that is not high def, but (as far as we consumers are concerned) you can't have high def TV that isn't digital at some point in the path.

i.e. there is no broadcast or cable source of analog, high-def TV. Direct-to-home satellite has always been digital, it's just recently been upgraded to include HD channels.

Note that this does not mean you can't use component cables (which are analog) for high def. You most certainly can do that, say from a HD cable box, or HD satellite box, or BluRay player, to the TV. The "digital" part is in how the signal gets to those sources, not necessarily in the final connection to the TV.

Later: Uh... Aaron... I *said* you could use component cables. See paragraph above. But I challenge you to find a high def source available in the home that did not use digital for the transmission or the signal source. HD over the air? Digital. HD over cable? Digital. HD from satellite? Digital. HD from BluRay? Digital. HD from an Xbox 360 or PS3? Digital sources again. Even if you are using component cables for the connection from "box" to TV, the source is still digital in all of these cases. The closest to your idea would be an HD camera with component out... and those do, of course, exist... but the image sensor + processor is still a digital source; the camera has to convert it to analog component.

Aaron also writes:

> However, some older TVs that are not high definition can
> also pick up digital signals,

No, just the opposite: Some older TVs that ARE high definition do not have digital (ATSC) tuners and so canNOT pick up digital signals; they must be used with some other HD source such as an HD cable box or BRP. There was never a non-HD TV made with an ATSC (digital TV) tuner.

2009-02-05 15:34:53 by babyblu09182

Price: $156.00

Two Digital Tuners, Anywhere on Your Network
Works with popular DVR software
Requirements: Dual core recommended for HD playback, 1 GB RAM recommended, 1-4 GB per 1/2 hour of DTV recording
Seamless operation with multiple computers
TV sources: ATSC digital TV (antenna), Unencrypted digital cable TV (Clear QAM), DVB-T digital TV (antenna)

You don't. To achieve any manor of surround sound you will need a completely separate component system, complete with at least 5 speakers and an A/V receiver. You can acquire these systems ranging from just a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, and so on.... The TV itself will not produce any sort of surround sound and don't be fooled by stickers that say "tru-surround" or any other form of that. If you want to learn how to actually hook it up. you can find hook-up guides on the Internet. For me to explain how to hook-up your system would be futile without a list of your components.

More questions? I've owned a home theater business. Just let me know and I will be happy to help.

2008-03-15 08:01:03 by PinkStars

Price: $104.99 $79.99

7" hi-definition LCD, 800 x 480 resolution
Portable and handheld; convenient for use on vacation, airplane, road trips; built-in rechargeable battery
Includes free car adapter, remote control, external antenna, and AC adapter
Built in ATSC digital tuner to receive digital TV channels; external antenna included for maximum signal reception
Portable TV, multimedia player and FM radio; 3-in-1(MS/SD/MMC) card reader capability

Write HIGH DEFINITION in marker across your brand new screen.

2008-11-15 19:55:21 by Janice B

Check whether both countries use the same system (PAL or NTSC).
If not, buying a new tuner and connecting it to the video input should work.

2007-03-26 10:58:05 by henry31