QandAs: Tech

What is an HDTV?

Answer:
HDTV is an acronym which stands for High Definition TeleVision.

HDTV is considered to be the best possible digital television viewing attainable to date. HDTV utilizes a similar aspect ratio as movie theater screens at 16:9, for the "wide-screen" format.

Although the human eye might not notice much variation between them, HDTV is typically geared to three resolution measures; namely 720p, 1080p, and 1080i, where the numerals represent the number of "lines" encoded in the digital signal, and the letters represent whether those lines are considered "progressive" (more signal repeats) or "interlaced" (less signal repeats); in this case more is better.

Thus, resolution of 720p represents 720 progressive lines; 1080p represents 1080 progressive lines; 1080i represents 1080 interlaced lines. But again, if our eyes really can't perceive the variations, I'd say HDTV has pretty much perfected the viewing experience...at least visually. Ahhhh...but HDTV goes beyond the visual, thankfully!

HDTV superiority also spills over into the audio experience. Using the same Dolby Surround Sound as DVD's and movie theaters, HDTV signals pack all the tweaks and digital sound enhancements available for a solid, bone-deep blowout of audio pleasure.

HDTV is likely to become the bridge that helps to close the gap between passive and interactive television. Federal Regulations mandate a complete transition to digital broadcasting from current analog signal transmissions by February 17, 2009.

At that time, analog signals will no longer be broadcast (hypothetically, anyway--time will tell if everything or everyone is actually ready by then). Folks who still own analog receivers will either need to upgrade to digital ones or purchase a digital to analog signal converter box to view television of the future.

Indeed, it seems a natural evolutionary step for the PC and HDTV to hitch up pretty tightly before the analog switch is flipped. The days of full-wall, flat-screen, high definition, satellite/cable/internet or internet/cable/satellite computer-vision (or is it tele-computing?) is right around the corner. The remote might necessarily grow into a flip-out keyboard gadget of all gadgets for computing, Internet surfing, telephone, satellite radio & television, camera, etc.; but, hey...at least we might be able to find the darn thing!