Q. What is HDTV?

A. HDTV or High Definition Television is the highest form of digital
television. It has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is the same as a movie
theater screen. This is possibly HD’s biggest selling point. The other is
the resolution. High definition is the best available picture on a
television. It comes in three different flavors: 720p, 1080i and 1080p.

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Q. What do 720p, 1080i and 1080p mean?

A. High definition programs are encoded with a type of resolution: 720p,
1080i or 1080p. The number stands for the amount of lines embedded within
the signal. The letter describes the type of scan the television uses to
display the picture. The ‘i’ means interlaced and the ‘p’ means
progressive.


Q. Why does the amount of lines matter?

A. The number of lines on a television is important because it allows for
greater detail in the image. This is a similar concept to digital photos
and how dpi determines print quality. The type of televisions all of us
grew up watching had 480 visible lines on the screen. By doubling the
amount of lines in combination with the type of scan, HD essentially
doubles the quality of picture.

Q. Does it matter if the resolution is interlaced or progressive?

A. The type of scan is arguable considering the amount of lines for each
HD format. Progressive scan is a better type of scan because it doubles
the amount of times the TV displays the image per one second in comparison
to interlaced. Still, the difference between 720p and 1080i is so minimal
that is isn’t an issue at all. While 1080p is better than 720p and 1080i,
very few programs are made in this resolution so it really isn’t a factor
right now…and, it might never be.

Q. Can my television display HD content?

A. Only high definition televisions can display HD content in the HD
resolution. Enhanced definition televisions can display HD content in a
480p resolution, which is DVD quality. All other televisions that are
analog of standard digital will not be able to display HD content in a HD
resolution because they lack the technology to do so.

Q. How do I get HDTV?

A. Anyone that owns a high definition television can get high definition
content. You have three options: over-the-air signals, cable or satellite.
Over-the-air signals are those that a typical rooftop antenna would
receive…only these signals are digital and encoded in HD. Over-the-air
signals are free to receive. The only cost out of pocket would be for the
equipment needed to receive them. To receive HD programming from your
cable or satellite provider you would need to subscribe to their HD
package. This subscription is not free. The provider might require a
minimum length of service.
(Please note: The Edmonton area does not have over-the-air HD signals at
this time. We may never have over-the-air HD signals in our area.)

Q. Does owning a HDTV mean that I am watching in high definition?

A. No. Owning a high definition television is just the first step in
watching HD content. The second step is to acquire a HD tuner. The tuner
is either built into the television or an external set-top box. The
set-top boxes can be bought in stores, but most will come from the cable
or satellite provider. The third step is to either subscribe to a HD
package or buy an antenna for over-the-air reception. Once steps one, two
and three are in place then it is up to you to turn to the HD channel to
get started watching high definition programming. And, this is only when
the signal on the HD channel is delivered in high definition.


Q. What are the most popular type of HDTV sets?

A. Most of today's HDTV sets come in either LCD (liquid crystal display)
or Plasma. These sets are usually about 30% more expensive than
traditional TV sets and can be thousands of dollars more for extremely
large sets, usually over 60 inches. All HD television sets are in 16:9
ration, have outputs for 5.1 AC3 digital sound and are extremely thin.
Most LCD and Plasma TV's are only a few inches thick; ranging from about 2
inches to less than 6 inches in width.