In Business Since 2001 We accept Paypal
Home Article Directory
More from Bill Platt
"Bill Platt for Book Authors" Youtube Channel
Training for Book Authors
Other Resources for Book Authors & Publishers
FictionPlots.com (350+ Plots & counting)
Please Support Our Advertisers

 
D9 Hosting


The Coming Age Of HDTV - What Does It Mean To Me?

Copyright (c) 2008-2023

HDTV - high-definition television: it is something that has been discussed for some time now, however not everyone has a strong sense of what it is and why he or she would want to have it.

Because all television stations will be required to broadcast a digital signal after February 17, 2009, many viewers are beginning to ask a lot more questions about how the new digital age of television will affect their personal viewing experience. They want to know whether or not their television set will be compatible, whether or not they will have to replace it, and what steps they will have to take in order to keep watching their favorite shows.

How To Identify If Your Television Is An Analog TV

Analog television has been with us since the inception of television broadcasting. Analog is the old way of processing a television signal.

Television technology took a big leap in the 1960's with the transition from television tubes to circuit boards, but that conversion failed to bring with it any major strides in the quality of the television picture.

If your current television does not have a logo on its front that indicates DTV (Digital TV), EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV), or HDTV, then your television set is an analog TV.

Understanding The Transition From An Analog Signal To The New Digital Signal

Digital image processing is a technology that began in earnest during the 1970's, when Japanese technology companies began to explore the concepts of HDTV. The Japanese TV manufacturers were exploring ways to improve the picture quality of the television image, as a way to find more customers for their television products.

While Americans were busy playing with building the computer industry, the Japanese were hard at work trying to build a better television set. The first HDTV systems developed by the Japanese still relied on the old analog system of sending a broadcast signal to their televisions, but they were still able to produce a better television viewing experience.

When initially introduced to the U.S. Government, the new HDTV system produced a myriad of concerns, which included the issue of an analog HDTV-system needing more bandwidth than what was currently allotted to the television broadcasters.

In 1993, a consortium of American researchers and manufacturers (known as The Grand Alliance) joined forces to find a way to bring HDTV-quality to the American public, while keeping the bandwidth requirements of broadcasters within the existing limits.

Researchers soon understood that they would need to push at least part of the television signal in a digital format to make sure that HDTV could be transmitted within the limits currently allotted to the television broadcasters. By the time they had finished their work, the Grand Alliance had created a system that was 100% Digital.

In 1995, after considerable opposition from the television broadcast industry, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission officially set the standard for completely digital HDTV broadcasting system. This put into motion the events that are just now coming to fruition, with the rollout of the new Digital Television broadcasting system.

Although most television stations have been broadcasting a Digital Television Signal now for a few years, analog television owners have been none the wiser. But that will all change on February 17, 2009.

Will My Analog Television Stop Working In 2009?

The simple answer is "yes", but that does not mean that you will have to buy a new television in order to get the new digital broadcasts. While you may not need to replace your television set, you may have to make changes in how you get your television signal.

There are in fact three ways that the average consumer can continue to get a television signal using their old television set:

1. Subscribe to a cable television service (and use their digital television converter);

2. Subscribe to a satellite television service (and use their digital television converter); or

3. Buy a DTV converter (Digital TV Converter) to receive signals from your analog antenna and to convert that signal back to analog, so that you can continue to use your analog television. (If you receive your television signal over-the-air, the Federal Government has implemented a Coupon Program to help consumers offset the cost of the DTV converter boxes: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html )

Understanding The Three Facets Of The New Digital Technology

1. Lines Of Resolution

The newer digital technology is all about Lines Of Resolution. With more lines of resolution, the viewer will receive more image information, therefore bringing the viewer much more picture clarity and detail.

When the Japanese rolled out HDTV on the Japanese mainland, the lines of resolution numbered 1080. To put this into perspective, the standard analog TV signal exhibits 330 lines of resolution. This makes it more than clear that the original analog HDTV format really was a real issue for television broadcasters in the United States. To produce a resolution of 1080 lines on a system designed for 330 lines would have literally required three times the bandwidth of the current analog system.

Here are the standard television resolutions:

  • Analog Television - 330 Lines of Resolution

  • VCR's - 240 Lines of Resolution

  • DVD's - 480 Lines of Resolution

  • EDTV - 720 Lines of Resolution

  • HDTV - 1080 Lines of Resolution

  • There is a caveat to this chart though. The minimum requirement of the FCC is that broadcasters must produce a minimum of 720 Lines of Resolution. As a result, some broadcasters like ABC chose the 720-resolution, and yet they can still legally call their programming standard, HDTV.

    Other broadcasters like PBS opted for the higher 1080 format. Good for them.

    In 1998, when the first HDTV's became available to the buying public, the Headline News newscasters were joking that with the rollout of HDTV, we the audience would be able to see every blackhead and blemish on their faces. Of course, they were probably correct in that assumption. The detail of the HDTV-signal is absolutely amazing.

    2. Aspect Ratio

    Another factor connected to the new HDTV-format is the Aspect Ratio.

    In a standard analog television, the Aspect Ratio is a 4-by-3, which nearly looks square. The 4-by-3 ratio means that it can be measured 4-parts wide to 3-parts high.

    With the new HDTV format, the Aspect Ratio has been changed to the same format seen in the movie theatre - a 16-by-9 Aspect Ratio, or 16-parts wide to 9-parts high.

    3. Sound Quality

    The third factor connected to the new HDTV-format is Sound Quality. In fact, most HDTV programming will carry with it Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, as frequently heard on DVD's. So long as you have a surround sound unit attached to your television set, the surround sound will enable to the television viewer to be immersed in the sound, so much so as it often feels as if you are in the middle of the action happening on your television set.

    In Conclusion...

    While it is true that you do not need to upgrade your television from the analog format to the new digital format, you might seriously consider doing so anyway.

    Now that we are quickly approaching the end of the analog-television era, the cost of HDTV television sets has fallen considerably. Whereas five years ago, the average HDTV cost in the range of $3-4,000, the cost of most HDTV's has fallen to under $1200 today. After February 17, 2009, the cost of HDTV should drop again, making it much more affordable to the general public.

    Although it will be possible to convert the digital television signal to analog, you will lose the extra picture detail on the conversion. So, if you stick with your analog television, you will be restricting yourself to the quality of picture you are currently receiving, even after the change in television broadcasting formats is complete.

    Although color-technology was first introduced to audiences with the release of The Wizard Of Oz in 1939, color television did not become mainstream until the late-1960's. And although the technology of color was mainstream, black-and-white televisions were still being manufactured and sold well into the 1980's.

    Fortunately, this transition will be a bit quicker than the conversion from black-and-white to color. Under the FCC rules for the transition to digital television, television manufacturers were required to include a digital tuner in all television sets manufactured after March 1, 2006.

    This conversion is much like the transition from AM to FM as the standard listening medium in the radio industry. Radio listeners could not listen to FM stations until which time they had upgraded their radio from AM to the AM/FM format. The same thing will happen here as well. If you want to receive the beautiful, high-quality HDTV images, you will need to upgrade to a television set capable of displaying the HDTV images.

    If you have any lingering doubts about the better HDTV standard, all you need to do is to visit your local television store and see for yourself just how awesome of a picture HDTV actually produces. Just as Dolby Digital Surround Sound enables the listener to feel as if they are in the middle of the action on the television, HDTV permits the viewer to feel as if they are standing in the same room as the actors, on the sidelines at the football game, or on the same beach as the models - it really is that good of a picture.


    About The Author: Shop Amazon - Top Gift Ideas
    Lloyd Howard writes about technology and business. Satellite TV providers continue to outpace the performance of cable companies in the conversion to digital television programming. For example, DirectTV will have more than 100 channels and 231 NFL Football Games available in HDTV this year. To compare Satellite Television services, visit http://www.placeingit.com/satellite The growth of the Internet has spurred some of the greatest opportunities for small business entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. Visit the following website to learn more: http://www.gibline.com/lloyd559/revenue_sharing.html

    VOTE ON THIS ARTICLE
    Needs Work >> 0 - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 << Excellent Article

    Tell our authors what you think about their article.



    Top-Level Category: Technology Articles || Related Categories: Home and Garden Articles and Arts and Entertainment Articles

    10 Most Recent Articles Written by Lloyd Howard

    All of Author's Articles on this site:

    Most Recent "Technology" Articles

    How MrBean Led the Computer Industry
    Written by: Jennifer Robinson | Distributed: 2010-11-02 | Word Count: 917 | Page Views: 5202 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.00
    1955 seemed like any other year to most people, but unbeknown to the world '55 was to prove the arrival of the geeks. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Tim Berners-Lee and Eric Schmidt were all born in 1955.

    The Definition of Renewable Energy - Present and Future Outlooks
    Written by: M.S. Rochell | Distributed: 2010-07-29 | Word Count: 563 | Page Views: 4626 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 2.00
    The definition of renewable energy does not just include wind, solar, water and geothermal energy sources. There are some exciting new possibilities for harnessing a new and little known form of renewable energy that is already in abundant supply in our world.

    Do-It-Yourself Automotive Axle Assembly Repair Tips and Tricks
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-05-11 | Word Count: 619 | Page Views: 7389 | Votes: 23 | Rating: 2.52
    Replacing an axle assembly is not as difficult as you may think. For front-wheel drive cars, and for some rear-wheel drive cars, this can be a do-it-yourself job. You will want to review the repair manual of your vehicle to decide, based on your own mechanical skill, whether you feel comfortable tackling this project yourself.

    Car Antenna Replacements Are Quick And Easy When You Know What To Do
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-05-04 | Word Count: 586 | Page Views: 18260 | Votes: 41 | Rating: 1.90
    Antennas are not the most durable parts of a vehicle, and are prone to requiring replacement or repair. There are many ways in which a car's radio antenna may be damaged. Unfortunately, one of the most common causes for antenna damage is vandalism... The good news is that repairs are fairly easy and straight-forward. In this article, we will tell you how-to replace a retractable car antenna.

    Do-It-Yourself With a Automotive Service Or Repair Manual
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-04-22 | Word Count: 809 | Page Views: 5578 | Votes: 16 | Rating: 1.75
    It can be quite expensive to have your car in a mechanic's garage these days. Even fees for oil changes and tire rotations have increased dramatically over the years. One way to save money on these types of expenses is to buy the parts and tools needed and do the maintenance or make the repairs by yourself. Having the right manuals on hand will help you to handle those tasks with ease.

    Blu-ray Players Loading Times
    Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2010-04-21 | Word Count: 322 | Page Views: 6262 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 0.80
    The disc loading times of Blu-ray Players have always been a tricky issue with users. Why does it take forever for Blu-ray discs to load? Why are there no menus? Find out the answers by reading this informative article...

    Big Brake Kits Offer Extra Stopping Power for Family and Performance Cars
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-04-15 | Word Count: 617 | Page Views: 5501 | Votes: 24 | Rating: 2.00
    From the car aficionado to the daily commuter, all drivers should consider improving the safety of their vehicles. One of the best safety improvements available on the market is the addition of a big brake kit. Brakes are obviously critical in any car. But if the horsepower in a vehicle has been amplified, and the breaks have not been adjusted to accommodate that horsepower, it is likely that problems will occur.

    Cutting IT Costs: A Software Change May Be “Just The Ticket” To Trim Your Bottom Line
    Written by: Clark Tanner | Distributed: 2008-07-22 | Word Count: 649 | Page Views: 4842 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.60
    Current economic trends are forcing more and more companies to look for creative ways to reduce spending. When Senior Management decides to cut the budget across the board, even IT departments feel the crunch. That is why CTO's and IT Directors now have a new mandate. They must scrutinize every dollar they are spending, and make a decision as to what expenses are tied to 'must haves' versus 'nice to haves'.

    Garmin Dominates US Market for GPS Devices - But Stock Still Takes a Big Hit
    Written by: Jim Woods and Paul Carton | Distributed: 2008-05-06 | Word Count: 663 | Page Views: 4310 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.00
    When it comes to mapping out winners and losers in the GPS devices marketplace, we turn to the guidance of our 15,000-member ChangeWave research network. And what they've told us is that Garmin (GRMN) - the top GPS manufacturer in the world - has achieved near total domination of the U.S. marketplace.

    123di V5: A Review of the Digital Photographer's Library In A Box
    Written by: Royce Tivel | Distributed: 2008-04-24 | Word Count: 1519 | Page Views: 5005 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 0.20
    123di contains much more than just the practical tutorials for image processing. It has comprehensive theoretical coverage on the technical aspects of digital photography. These sections are great for understanding technical areas that can help you both select your photographic equipment and use it effectively. 123di explains both the *why* and the *how* of digital photography.

    Most Viewed "Technology" Articles

    How to Download Voicemail Messages and Save to CD or MP3
    Written by: Howard Richman | Distributed: 2007-11-07 | Word Count: 999 | Page Views: 157958 | Votes: 131 | Rating: 3.15
    Have you ever wanted to permanently backup your answering machine messages or store your voicemail messages to your computer before they are auto-erased? Learn how to permanently save those cute messages from your children or important business messages.

    Car Antenna Replacements Are Quick And Easy When You Know What To Do
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-05-04 | Word Count: 586 | Page Views: 18260 | Votes: 41 | Rating: 1.90
    Antennas are not the most durable parts of a vehicle, and are prone to requiring replacement or repair. There are many ways in which a car's radio antenna may be damaged. Unfortunately, one of the most common causes for antenna damage is vandalism... The good news is that repairs are fairly easy and straight-forward. In this article, we will tell you how-to replace a retractable car antenna.

    Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Types Of Truck Bed Liners
    Written by: Thomas Maverick Tucker | Distributed: 2006-08-29 | Word Count: 840 | Page Views: 9683 | Votes: 21 | Rating: 1.76
    A vehicle is typically the second largest purchase that a person will make in his or her life, second only to a home. Because of the high cost of automobiles, it makes sense that you would want to do the best job that you can to protect your investment. There are many ways that you can protect your vehicle and if you have a pick up truck, you will most likely want to protect the bed of your truck with a bed liner.

    ITIL 101: Understanding the Basics
    Written by: Anne Sych | Distributed: 2007-01-11 | Word Count: 488 | Page Views: 8941 | Votes: 16 | Rating: 1.75
    In the world of IT management, ITIL is the buzzword being heard around the globe. So what is ITIL and how does it affect your organization? Let's take a closer look!

    Analysis of Candlepower, Lumens, LUX and Foot Candles
    Written by: Magnalight | Distributed: 2008-02-20 | Word Count: 774 | Page Views: 8176 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 2.73
    LUX represents the amount of useful light that enables you to see something at that distance. For example, if I took a book and walked out 100 feet, how much light would I have to read by?

    Tissue Culture Applications To Improve Crops of Strawberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries
    Written by: Patrick Malcolm | Distributed: 2006-09-22 | Word Count: 763 | Page Views: 7948 | Votes: 24 | Rating: 2.08
    Why berry plants "run out" and what is being done about it.

    Do-It-Yourself Automotive Axle Assembly Repair Tips and Tricks
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-05-11 | Word Count: 619 | Page Views: 7389 | Votes: 23 | Rating: 2.52
    Replacing an axle assembly is not as difficult as you may think. For front-wheel drive cars, and for some rear-wheel drive cars, this can be a do-it-yourself job. You will want to review the repair manual of your vehicle to decide, based on your own mechanical skill, whether you feel comfortable tackling this project yourself.

    Using Security Cameras
    Written by: Jerry Tarrer | Distributed: 2007-04-23 | Word Count: 736 | Page Views: 7374 | Votes: 12 | Rating: 3.58
    Crime continues to rise not just in a physical sense but also in the world of white-collar business. Security cameras have become a worthy ally to many in the detection and prevention of crime. A simple observation of the city will tell you security cameras are everywhere these days. Once used in their infancy as a traffic-monitoring device, remote security cameras are becoming the weapons of choice in the war against terrorism and crime around the world.

    How To Get the Best Lighting For your Photos
    Written by: Cheryl Miller | Distributed: 2006-05-31 | Word Count: 576 | Page Views: 7189 | Votes: 28 | Rating: 1.86
    Lighting will make or break your photo. You can do all sorts of experiments with lighting to really make some stunning and amazing pictures. Before we go into that lets go over a few points about lighting that will make your photo picture perfect.

    How to Counter - Spy Phone Invasions of Privacy
    Written by: Jerry Tarrer | Distributed: 2007-02-23 | Word Count: 973 | Page Views: 6558 | Votes: 21 | Rating: 2.10
    The rise of electronic bugging, terms used in phone spying, how to protect yourself from electronic bugging.

    Highest Ranked "Technology" Articles

    Using Security Cameras
    Written by: Jerry Tarrer | Distributed: 2007-04-23 | Word Count: 736 | Page Views: 7374 | Votes: 12 | Rating: 3.58
    Crime continues to rise not just in a physical sense but also in the world of white-collar business. Security cameras have become a worthy ally to many in the detection and prevention of crime. A simple observation of the city will tell you security cameras are everywhere these days. Once used in their infancy as a traffic-monitoring device, remote security cameras are becoming the weapons of choice in the war against terrorism and crime around the world.

    How to Download Voicemail Messages and Save to CD or MP3
    Written by: Howard Richman | Distributed: 2007-11-07 | Word Count: 999 | Page Views: 157958 | Votes: 131 | Rating: 3.15
    Have you ever wanted to permanently backup your answering machine messages or store your voicemail messages to your computer before they are auto-erased? Learn how to permanently save those cute messages from your children or important business messages.

    Garmin Dominates US Market for GPS Devices - But Stock Still Takes a Big Hit
    Written by: Jim Woods and Paul Carton | Distributed: 2008-05-06 | Word Count: 663 | Page Views: 4310 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.00
    When it comes to mapping out winners and losers in the GPS devices marketplace, we turn to the guidance of our 15,000-member ChangeWave research network. And what they've told us is that Garmin (GRMN) - the top GPS manufacturer in the world - has achieved near total domination of the U.S. marketplace.

    Analysis of Candlepower, Lumens, LUX and Foot Candles
    Written by: Magnalight | Distributed: 2008-02-20 | Word Count: 774 | Page Views: 8176 | Votes: 15 | Rating: 2.73
    LUX represents the amount of useful light that enables you to see something at that distance. For example, if I took a book and walked out 100 feet, how much light would I have to read by?

    Diesel or Gas - Loud Smoking Dinosaur or Fuel Gulping Monster
    Written by: Simon Byholm | Distributed: 2007-06-27 | Word Count: 852 | Page Views: 4898 | Votes: 19 | Rating: 2.63
    In this article I'm going to discuss the properties of the diesel and gas engines, and compare them to each other. I'm specifically referring to their use in automobiles.

    Do-It-Yourself Automotive Axle Assembly Repair Tips and Tricks
    Written by: Quinton Becker | Distributed: 2010-05-11 | Word Count: 619 | Page Views: 7389 | Votes: 23 | Rating: 2.52
    Replacing an axle assembly is not as difficult as you may think. For front-wheel drive cars, and for some rear-wheel drive cars, this can be a do-it-yourself job. You will want to review the repair manual of your vehicle to decide, based on your own mechanical skill, whether you feel comfortable tackling this project yourself.

    An Automobile Driver? Several Benefits Why It Pays You Dearly, Any Way, For You To Have A Good Fuel Economy
    Written by: Benji O. Anosike | Distributed: 2008-03-31 | Word Count: 1757 | Page Views: 4984 | Votes: 14 | Rating: 2.50
    Following below, are some of the most significant reasons and benefits, aside from simply the personal economic or financial benefit accruing to the individual motorist, why it will still pay you, any way, to have a life of good fuel economy any way, regardless.

    The Importance of Proper Sanitization in the Homebrewing Process
    Written by: Mark Thurnau | Distributed: 2006-08-24 | Word Count: 628 | Page Views: 4668 | Votes: 17 | Rating: 2.41
    Sanitization is perhaps the most vital step that must be consistently undertaken during the entire process of homebrewing process, yet it is perhaps the one aspect of homebrewing that is most often rushed or overlooked. Problems with sanitization are the number one reason why homebrew beers fail.

    The Future Of Inkjet Cartridges - Could it be Without Cartridges?
    Written by: Rich Martin | Distributed: 2007-04-24 | Word Count: 434 | Page Views: 4302 | Votes: 10 | Rating: 2.40
    I do not know about you, but I do remember the days of the first Polaroid camera that would develop a black and white or color picture in just one minute. Wow, at that time, it was great. You did not have to wait days to receive your pictures. I know I am dating myself, but there is a reason why I am telling you this story. There could be a similar story brewing for the future of inkjet cartridges.

    7 Good Reasons For Buying A Laptop Online
    Written by: Titus Hoskins | Distributed: 2008-03-31 | Word Count: 885 | Page Views: 6319 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 2.13
    Ever wonder why more and more people are purchasing their laptops online? Well, now you can discover what they already know... here are 7 good reasons to buy your laptop online.











    Download an eBook today
     
    Directory Navigation
    Locate By Category:

    ALL Categories
    Arts & Crafts
    Arts & Entertainment
    Automotive
    Business - Offline
    Business - Online
    Career
    Computers
    Education
    Family
    Finance
    Food & Drink
    Health & Wellness
    Home & Garden
    Humor
    Internet
    Nature & Pets
    Real Estate
    Religion
    Self Improvement
    Shopping
    Society
    Sports & Recreation
    Technology
    Travel & Leisure
    Uncategorized
    World Events
    Writing & Speaking

    Change Number of Results:
    50 - 100 - 200 - 500
    Article Reprint Rights
    Creative Commons License

    This work is
    licensed under a
    Creative Commons
    License


    You are not required to show the creative commons license notice when you reprint this work.
    Article Statistics
    Word Count: 1568

    Total Views: 4174

    Article Rating: 1.29 of 5
    Votes Cast: 7

    More Articles By Author:



    Last Distribution Date:
    2008-04-04 10:00:00

    Internal ID: #5913





    All Articles are Copyright © 2001-2023 of the Defined Authors.

    All other material and images on this site are:
    Copyright © 2001-2023, ThePhantomWriters.com