| How can I receive HDTV programming? |
High definition programming is available from three sources: off-air broadcasts (free), satellite service (paid subscription), and in select areas, cable (paid subscription).
Satellite services (such as DIRECTV) offer the broadest coverage, with HDTV programming availability throughout the contiguous U.S.
Local off-air broadcasts are now available in markets that cover over 95% of U.S. television households. If you are among this majority, you can receive free off-air HDTV broadcasts from the major networks with an off-air antenna and the right equipment. Complementing off-air channels with DIRECTV greatly expands the variety of sporting events and movies available.
HDTV via cable is being rolled out in an increasing number of select markets. HDTV via cable should not be confused with digital cable, which is widely available. |
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| What is HDTV? |
| HDTV (High Definition TV) is the most advanced form of digital television (DTV), a new television format that offers dramatic improvements in picture and sound quality. HDTV sets are capable of displaying pictures that are 5 to 10 times clearer than the images offered by traditional (analog) televisions, and are characterized by their wide screen format (aspect ratio of 16:9). An HTDV has a fully integrated receiver/decoder, 720 or 1080 horizontal scan lines, and 5.1 channel Dolby Digital 2 surround sound. |
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| Will I be able to receive HDTV over cable? |
| Cable providers are rolling out high definition TV in a limited but steadily increasing number of markets throughout the country. There is no guarantee that your local cable operator will carry the signal, and most cable companies offer a limited number of HDTV channels for an additional monthly fee. HDTV via cable should not be confused with digital cable, a widely available service that offers marginal picture improvements over analog cable. |
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| Will HDTV make my existing television set obsolete? |
| No, your existing television set will still continue to receive the current analog television transmission. However, you will not be able to receive the new digital high definition transmission. If you tune to a digital high definition station with your existing set, you will see a series of black and white dots or snow. In order to receive High Definition Television, you must purchase a new DTV receiver, which are now available at American Satellite & Entertainment. The new televisions will be able to receive existing analog television transmissions as well as the new High Definition transmission. |
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| What does HDTV-ready mean? |
| There has been some inconsistency in the way the terms "HDTV-ready" and "HDTV-Capable" have been used. Industry purists reserve the phrase "HDTV-ready" for televisions that contain an internal tuner/decoder and do not require a set top box to display HDTV. However, most retailers have used this term for televisions that are capable of displaying high definition digital television pictures but require the purchase of a digital receiver/decoder (set-top box) as an add-on. It is important to know if the TV set you are purchasing requires an external set top box in order to display HDTV programming. Many set-top boxes double as satellite receivers capable of receiving DIRECTV programming, a service that must be purchased by subscription.
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| If I'm getting local channels through DIRECTV, why are they not
coming through in high definition? |
| Local stations broadcast analog and digital as separate signals - two signals leaving the broadcast facility at the same time with each represented by different channel numbers. HDTV versions of local broadcasts look to be available in the near future via satellite because of DIRECTV's continued commitment to expanding technology. However if you wish to get your local stations in high definition now, you may choose to purchase an off-air antenna. |
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| What's the difference between HDTV and DTV? |
| Digital televsion (DTV) is a broad, all-encompassing term that refers to the various standards of digital televison transmission, of which 18 are recognized by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). High Definition TV (HDTV) is a specific term and refers to the highest level of digital television. HDTV offers the greatest level of clarity (720 or 1080 scan lines) and features Dolby® Digital surround sound. Most of today's digital progamming is currently broadcast in Standard Definition TV format (SDTV), a lower form of DTV that provides essentially the same resolution as analog TV (480 scan lines), but offers better picture quality and eliminates ghosting and picture noise. Increasingly however, programming is being offered in the higher resolution digital formats. |
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| Why would I want to buy an HDTV set? |
| Digital television and its centerpiece application, HDTV, represent an advance in TV technology even more significant than the introduction of color TV four decades ago. Besides delivering much clearer images and six-channel surround sound, HDTV lets you watch motion pictures the way they were intended to be seen: on a wide 16-by-9 screen, one-third wider than today's 4-by-3 screens. In addition to its entertainment and home theater uses, digital TV will offer a variety of interactive applications. With its wider picture, more than four times sharper than today's television, digital TV is capable of delivering virtually any combination of video, audio and data to the home. |
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| What will I get when I buy an HDTV-ready DIRECTV® System? |
Higher-resolution picture is the main selling point for HDTV. Visualize 720 or 1080 lines of resolution rather than today’s 525 (in the U.S.) or 625 (in most of Europe). Wider picture - the width-to-height ratio for HDTV will be 1.78:1 (or 16:9), compared with today's TV broadcasts at 1.33:1 (or 4:3). Most motion pictures are shot at a 1.85:1 or greater ratio. HDTV broadcasts will be encoded with Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio, featuring six separate audio tracks. Each track can be sent to a different speaker, allowing detailed and realistic surround sound.
Additional data: Although the term HDTV specifically refers to picture quality, digital signals will also contain a data channel which could carry related information such as scrolling text or computer software downloads. |
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| What are the key features of HDTV? |
| The first noticeable difference of High Definition Television compared to the current television system is that the screen is much wider. The second key feature is that High Definition has up to 10 times the sharpness and clarity of the standard television system. The color resolution is also more than twice the current system. High Definition television also has six channels of CD-quality surround sound (left, right, center, left rear, right rear and low frequency effects). Finally, the signal is digitally transmitted, which eliminates all of the current imperfections we have lived with for the past thirty years, which includes: snow (weak signal), double images (ghosting or multi-path) and picture sparkles (impulse noise). As a result, the picture is perfect whether you are one mile or fifty-five miles from the transmitter. |
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| Will I still be able to use my current home theater components (VCR, DVD player, game console) and watch regular TV shows? |
| Yes, consumers would be pretty angry if they bought a HDTV only to find that it didn't work with current technology. All the companies we spoke with said that their HDTVs and digital-ready TVs would have component video inputs (for peripherals) and antenna inputs (for receiving analog TV signals). Your existing VCR will be able to play back your library of tapes on the new digital television receivers. Today's VCR's will not be able to record the widescreen high definition signal or play back newly released W-VHS and D-VHS tapes. |
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