Tuesday, January 26, 2010

HDTV: The World's New Broadcasting

By Mel Loewe

HDTV, or high-definition television, is a system of digital television broadcasting that offers higher resolution than standard-definition TV. It is broadcast digitally, as opposed to analog broadcasting.

As bandwidth and standards for television programming have changed over the decades, high definition television options have been adopted by the Federal Communication Commission and TV industry.

Adoption of this type of broadcasting was slow to be picked up. Standardization was a difficult process due to technical and economic reasons, which prevented satellite distribution and recording. Japan, nonetheless, first made the switch from analog to digital, high-definition TV airing in 2007.

Find The Best Digital HD Cable TV Providers In Your Area

Europe followed suit and first introduced the technique by airing Vienna New Year's concert in HD on the HD1 channel in 2004. The U. S. Has also made strides in developing high-def programming. It was first introduced to the market in the 90's by the Digital HDTV Grand Alliance, with the first broadcast airing in 1996 out of North Carolina. The country is working to make a full switch away from standard-definition television.

Particular frame sizes and rates, as well as scanning systems, characterize HDTV. As a result of such specifications and technological advances, the resolution is nearly twice as high as standard-definition TV, which creates much better picture quality.

HD television requires specific equipment, including a HD-ready television, tuner and cable box with cable card slot. Because equipment specifications vary by location, it is best to consult with cable professionals before purchase or installation.

Amongst worldwide TV viewers and customers, one of the most well-liked features of HDTV is recording capabilities. TiVo is the most famous version of such a feature, and it allows you to record and view more than one program at the same time. This also allows viewers to record programs while watching others at the same time.

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission requires that cable companies provide customers with a set-top box for HD customers as a means of recording and storing.

Traditionally, these television products have been available for in-store purchase with in-home installation. Now, however, online purchases are becoming more common and available around the country.

High-def TV sets can range in price from as low as four hundred dollars to more than five thousand dollars, depending on the retailer and model. Some have been sold for as much as fifteen thousand dollars. It is expected that as high-definition television becomes increasingly popular, prices will begin and continue to drop, making it easier and more attainable for most consumers.

Despite higher prices and the need for new equipment, many customers are ditching their analog TV sets to go digital. They cannot resist the higher picture quality, even on smaller screens. Companies enjoy the ability to "multicast", or the ability air multiple signals and information at the same time with the same bandwidth. In spite of the major disadvantage of having to invest in new equipment and lack of compatibility between analog and digital system, high-def systems are selling well and appear to be the new system to have. - 33366

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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Analog And Digital In Simple Terms

By Edward McKellen

Lots of people talk these days about digital television, but very few actually know what is the difference between analog and digital television. Actually the only difference is the way the signal is transmitted. Analog television signal is transmitted very much like radio signals. The video signal of analog television is AM, and the audio is FM. Because of this, there can be annoying interferences in the signal, depending on meteorological conditions or geographical location.

The resolution and image quality are also restricted, because there are certain bandwidths assigned to analog TV channels. The analog signal is the United States follows the NTSC standard. This had been adopted in the 1940's, and served well since then, but nobody thought at that time that about color television. One major weakness of the NTSC standard is color implementation, so it is no wonder a lot of people call "Never Twice The Same Color" the NTSC standard.

On the other hand digital TV signal is transmitted very similar to computer data: there are two kinds of signal, "on" or "off". This way, the user either sees an image, or not. Gradual signal loss is an unknown term in the era of digital TV: it has no difference how close or how far away the transmitter is from the television, the viewer either sees the exact image, or sees nothing.

Digital TV format has been designed considering all main factors of television signal: B/W, color and audio can be transmitted as progressive or interlaced signal. Basically this means the signal content has greater integrity and flexibility.

Because digital TV signal is made out of "bits", the same bandwidth one analog TV signal requires can transmit digital signal of much higher quality, and there will be even some extra space left. Broadcasters can use this space for extra video, audio or text signals.

This way broadcasters using digital technology can supply more features, like surround sound, multiple language audio or text using the same bandwidth a standard analog TV signal requires. Digital TV has one more advantage: it is able to transmit High Definition (HDTV) signal.

Unlike analog TV, digital technology is also able to broadcast programming in a true wide screen (16x9) format. This means the shape of the picture is very much like a movie screen, so the viewers can see a movie just as the director intended to be seen. Those who watch sports can see more action in one camera shot: it is possible to view the entire length of a football field without having the sensation that it is far away from the camera. The 16x9 format means there will be no more black bars on the top and the bottom of the wide screen image.

In the United State, the date of the digital transition was June 12, 2009. This day all analog TV signals went black. Analog televisions became useless, unless there was an analog-to-digital converter connected to them. The transition was originally scheduled to 2006, but authorities postponed the transition with 3 years because they realized the consumers were not ready. - 33366

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Digital TV Rapidly Increase As Analog Signal Continues To Phase Out

By Mel Loewe

A big deal of television set right now in the United States electronics retailers is digital TV or DTV. US in fact were the first country to broadcast it way back 1998 that basically initiated the idea towards other countries to follow the US illustration of their systems. Most of the stores then laid areas for digital television sets alone as they know that changes are coming.

So people may presume about the thought that if you are not situated in United States, it naturally means that you are probably using still a normal TV that is also an analog one. That might appear fine despite the hype but considering for its replacement to new digital product is a good idea. There is actually a proliferation of such products now so why not opt for this change?

You cannot deny that you have experienced most probably that poor reception with that old TV. There are hinges which potentially can be improved and the fuzzy, low and grainy state can be wiped out in the system. Using the digital signal, you have the assurance of a clear picture when compare to your analog. Even before 1950, there are already reviews about the many improvements.

Find The Best Digital Cable TV Providers In Your Area

There are many factors that can affect the clarity without leaving the blame to the signal type. First is inclement weather. Second is a too far area because that will make it hard to catch the signal in your antenna disregarding its size. If it is cable or satellite you are using, there might be no disturbance in the flow of your TV screen as you watch shows. The reason for that is because the innovation already deals with improvement of the digital reception.

The confusing part is the advance forms that most digital have. People who can understand the field might wonder the idea about its digital signal. For those who are not aware, the medium after all was from analogs. Only that the antenna was set up in each community with different stations. It is somehow like that of radio signals and homes shall receive single and composite video signal only separates with the sound.

It was twelfth of June 2009 when television stations completed the transitions in analog to broadcasting digital. Though that was scheduled February 17 for business reasons of increasing their sales, they still have undergone it just months of waiting.

Some television companies have agreed to map the related areas and decided to more detailed measurements of digital television reception. Digital broadcasting networks have complemented digital TV broadcasting in the same manner with the total 101-sub transmitter stations. With that 101, a new 48 sub-transmitter mainly built with no existing analogue sub-transmitter stations in each households in order to receive the broadcast in their antenna.

Now that most of people have big screens for digital TV, users might consider the use of signal preamplifier since it works wonders when the signal degrades. Make sure that you have proper connections with your cable because that will greatly affect the strength of your signal. Another benefit of doing that checking is that it will soon let you achieve the quality picture for a digital transformation you've been longing to experience. The massive change in technology indeed now works particularly with digital over analog. - 33366

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