HDTV is the highest level of digital television (DTV), hence, high-definition TV. This page will give you a brief overview of what HDTV is and what it can provide.
Technology
Resolutions
The two main resolutions of HDTV, 720p and 1080i, and the transmission technology create images that are ten times sharper than that of a traditional analog TV.- 720p
The "p" stands for progressive. This means you get 720 horizontal lines that are displayed on your screen one after the other in a single pass for a single full-screen picture. Progressive scanning reduces flicker making it best for motion type pictures such as sports. ESPN and other sports oriented networks broadcast their shows using 720p.
- 1080i
The "i" stands for interlaced. This means you get 1080 lines on your screen but it takes two passes for the full screen to be displayed. Compare this to standard definition television which is 480i. You get a huge amount of detail but it is not quite as good as 720p if there is a lot of motion in the program, as with sports. But don't worry, the full screen is usually painted so fast the eye can't detect it. 1080i is generally considered the best for still or slow moving pictures. Discovery HD broadcasts it's shows using 1080i for this reason.
- 1080p
This doesn't exist in broadcast television . . . yet. HDTV's are coming out with this standard and you can use it for high defintion DVDs but it is still a dream for broadcasters. 1080p combines the best features of both 720p and 1080i to deliver the most realistic picture currently imaginable. When connected to a 1080p Blu-ray Disc by the proper HDMI cable you get true movie theater quality at your house!
News Flash! DISH Network presents groundbreaking techology with Video on Demand (VOD) in 1080p - same as Blu-Ray® Disc quality that you won't find with ANY other TV provider! If you have a 1080p HDTV this is the programming service for you!
For what it's worth, 720p is generally regarded as superior for watching rapid movement but your High Definition TV will convert these to its own native resolution automatically. If your HDTV is made to display 720p, it will convert all 1080i programs to that resolution while doing little or nothing to 720p programs. If you have a 1080i set, it will do the opposite. If you have a 1080p set, it will convert to 1080p giving you the best of both worlds. This is all possible because the programs are all in a digital format so very little picture quality is lost.
Just sit back and enjoy!
Widescreen
HDTV’s larger aspect ratio, which is the height to width ratio of the image, significantly increases the viewing area. This means it is widescreen. When you go to the movies the screen is not square like an old analog TV but is wider than it is tall. Watching movies on HDTV is much more like going to the theater. The networks don't have to edit motion pictures to cut off the action on both sides of the picture to make it fit like they do with analog TV.Sound
Dolby Digital Surround Sound provides incredible sound quality. No more tinny sound coming from the TV's internal speakers. We sometimes forget that the sounds we hear in the theater are a huge part of the movie going in experience. On old TV we heard the dialog, the gunshots and the screeching tires but we missed almost all of the more subtle sounds we hear in the theater. With HDTV you can truly experience home theater the way you always dreamed.Do I have it?
Let’s not get too hung up over the technical details. If you bought a new TV (tube, LCD rear projection, DLP rear projection, LCD or Plasma or whatever else shows up on the market) which can display a High Definition picture, then you have a High Definition Television or HDTV.Even an older Enhanced Definition (ED) set can display a very good HD picture unless you are very close to the screen - too close for normal viewing.
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