Considering adding HDTV viewing to your cable or satellite plan. Read on for a look at how hi-def compares to standard digital.
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It used to be that analog frequency fueled TV service. Eventually digital signal entered the mix and the two mediums existed in concert. Analog signal has become a thing of the past and TV is now all digital. Rabbit ears and rooftop antennas no longer provide a use. Cable and satellite now reign supreme in the world of TV service. TV technology has also become more advanced. Digital signal is also a compressed medium. This allows a broader scope of data to stream through the networks, providing TV watchers with access to more channels, better audio clarity and sharper resolution like HDTV. Digital signal also works more reliably. Its code is based on a system of ones and zeros. This allows the signal to travel farther without experiencing quality degradation. For the most part, it’s also impervious to the whims of weather, issues that plagued analog for decades.
In the present of age of digital programming, two types of digital signal exist: standard-definition and high-definition TV. That you realize HDTV provides a superior product is no stretch. Still, you may wonder how exactly it is better. The short answer: HDTV provides a higher resolution. Today’s HDTVs can offer resolution that run as high as 1080 p. For SDTV, resolution runs a mere 480. The aforementioned numbers refer to the number of lines that span the width of your TV set. More lines equal a higher picture resolution. As the amount of lines increase, so do the amount of pixels. On an HDTV, the pixels run smaller and come arranged in closer proximity to one another. This does away with image distortion and fuzziness. It also yields richer color detail and separation.
Differences between hi-def and standard sets emerge when you examine their aspect ratios. On a standard set that ratio equals 4:3, resulting in a more square like shape which leads to cropped viewing. Your typical HDTV comes equipped with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the same as the screen you’d see at a movie theatre. This is also known as widescreen format. With an HDTV set in your home, you can watch films in full view. There’s also the matter of Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Choose an HD set hardwired with DDSS and it will lift your home cinematic experience to new heights.
Some may hold back from buying an HD set due to cost concerns. HDTVs continue to drop in price all the time. People may also balk because viewing channels in HD nets an additional service fee every month. This is true, but the cost of HD programming is not substantial. You may gain access to channels in HD for as low as $10 a month from a satellite TV provider. It’s also common for cable TV providers in communities to offer access to HD channels for free, but charge a small, monthly lease fee for the use of an HD receiver. Know also that satellite and cable providers continue to bolster the amount of channels in HD.
