HDTV - The Future of Television

HDTV is growing in popularity and with good reason....

Many consider HDTV to be one of the greatest inventions since sliced bread. By providing wider pictures with enhanced details and the clear look of a movie screen, it's no wonder so many people are excited about this revolutionary product. In comparison to standard television, HDTV images hold twice the definition both vertically and horizontally and are a full 1/4 wider than a normal television set.

However, the biggest draw for HDTV is its clear picture. Plus, when you add in the the sound quality, you begin to understand why so many folks are rapidly swithching to HDTV. HDTV pictures contains close to 1100 lines in comparison to only 500 in a normal tv set. While you can possibly see the lines in a normal tv set, you will likely not detect the lines in an HDTV set.

There are a few varieties of hdtvs; hd traditional projection tvs, hd flat panel tvs, and hd advanced micro displays. The first is hd traditional projection tvs. This type of hdtv offers larger screen sizes and lower prices, but this hdtv also takes up more space, is quite heavy, and has a thinner viewing angle than other forms of hdtv. Next, is hd flat panel hdtv. This hdtv is thin and lighter and is a type of hdtv that can hang on a wall.

Most of these types of hdtv are HD ready and provide the widest viewing angle and the highest contrast. However, with this hdtv technology usually comes a higher price. Finally, there is the hd advanced micro displays. These hdtvs offer a lightweight design and advanced technology without the expense of flat panel hdtv. These hdtvs are hd ready and provide a big viewing angle, quality contrast, and have a replaceable light sources.
Tip! Cable and satellite operators don't distribute all the available free-to-air HDTV channels. In particular, many local free HDTV channels aren't carried on cable or satellite.

All signs point towards hdtv being the wave of television's future. With it's clarity, sound quality, and wider viewing angle, hdtv will likely become the standard for television viewing and broadcasting in the immediate future.

HDTV - Providing HDTV information. Learn about hdtv tuners, antennas, monitors, along with the various hdtv brands like Samsung, Panasonic, and Mitsubishi. Find out about plasma hdtvs and why they are so popular.

HDTV is Coming - For Better or Maybe Worse

America's TV stations currently broadcast their programs using analog signals. However, this will come to an end in on February 19, 2009 by which time all stations must have converted to digital signals.

The problem for many Americans is that their TVs cannot receive digital signals. In fact, it is estimated that there are more than 70 million TV sets that will become instantly obsolete when analog broadcasting ends.

How will this affect you?

If you subscribe to cable or satellite television, this change will probably have no effect on your televiewing. This is because satellite and cable broadcasters have more than four years to get ready for the changeover.

On the other hand, if you are one of about 20 million Americans who do not subscribe to either cable or satellite TV, you will have to do one of two things. First, you can buy an HDTV capable TV. The least expensive of these receivers currently sell for about $1,000 but prices are expected to drop substantially between now and 2009. Second, you can get a set-top converter box that will enable your analog TV set to receive digital signals.

What will these set-top boxes cost and where can you get one?

As of this writing, no one knows exactly what these converter boxes will cost and when they will be available. The good news is that the Federal Government has set aside about $1.5 billion dollars for vouchers that those who own only the outmoded analog TVs can use to buy the set-top converters. The vouchers will be for $40 and each household that have only analog TV receivers will be eligible to receive two.

So, get ready. HDTV is coming - for better or maybe worse.

There's another HD technology you should know about. It's called HD Radio and it enables AM and FM radio stations to broadcast their programs digitally. These digital broadcasts provide listeners with radically improved audio quality, more radio channels through multicasting, and new data services. To learn more about this amazing new technology, just go my Web site, http://www.hd-radio-home.com, to get all the buzz.

Douglas Hanna is a retired marketing executive and the author of numerous articles on HD radio, the Internet and family finances.

Why You Should Watch Sports on HDTV

# What is HDTV? Do I have it?

Let's not get too hung up over the technical details. If you bought a new TV (tube, LCD rear projection, DLP rear projection, LCD or Plasma or whatever else shows up on the market) which can display a High Definition picture and you have purchased a High Definition programming package with High Definition hardware (Set-Top-Box or DVR), then you have HDTV. Even an older Enhanced Definition (ED) set can display a very good HD picture unless you are very close to the screen - too close for normal viewing.

As for which of the two main resolutions, 720p or1080i, are best for sports, don't worry about it. The network programmer or program service provider has already made that decision. ABC shows its programs in 720p, CBS in 1080i, ESPN in 720p, FOX in 720p, HDNet in 1080i, NBC in 1080i, TNT in 1080i, WB in 1080i and WGN in 1080i. For what it's worth, 720p is generally regarded as superior for watching rapid movement but your High Definition TV will convert these to its own native resolution automatically. If your HDTV is made to display 720p, it will convert all 1080i programs to that resolution while doing little or nothing to 720p programs. If you have a 1080i set, it will do the opposite. This is all possible because the programs are all in a digital format so very little picture quality is lost.

Just sit back and enjoy

# Why are sports better on HDTV?

There are many reasons but these are three of the most important:

1. High Resolution provides more detail on the screen

At the lowest HD resolutions, you still have many, many more times the number of dots and lines on the screen making up the picture than the old television standard and this means you see more details more clearly. If you have seen some of the newer artificial turf, you know that dirt (or at least rubber particles) fly when a soccer ball bounces or a football runner cuts this way or that. Now you can actually see it on TV.

Was it a curve or a fast ball? Was it really a three point shot or was the player's toe on the line? Did the receiver have possession or did the ball touch the grass? Where will this putt break or pick up speed?

With HD the replays are much, much more clear. Details are critical when officials view replays and now you can see what they see. This is the way sports were meant to be seen!

2. Widescreen shows you more of the field

Tip! Even where cable and satellite channels do carry free-to-air HDTV channels, they are often highly compressed and this can have a noticeably detrimental effect on picture quality. In most cases, the picture quality of an off-air HDTV signal will be better than a cable or satellite equivalent.

It's true! Almost without exception, new HDTV's are large widescreens and that alone means a bigger picture. HDTV's aspect ratio is 16:9 (Width:Height) as opposed to 4:3 of the current NTSC system. With the higher resolutions, you don't lose any of the detail. For football, which is played on a rectangular field, the picture is spectacular. See the quarterback and the defense he is attacking at the same time. You see the receiver cut and break free just as the quarterback does. That changes the way you watch and understand the game. From behind the running back you see more of the line of scrimmage as the line blocks and he makes his decision about which hole to hit. It really is more like being there.

The wider screen is changing the way sports shows are produced. The camera can be pulled back for a wider shot and, because of the high definition picture, detail is not lost. More of the golf course can be seen as the shot flies off the tee. This gives you an entirely different perspective on what is happening.

3. Dolby Digital surround sound puts you in the park

Don't forget the sounds of sports. What would basketball be without squeaking sneakers on hardwood floors? What would baseball be without the crack of the bat when a slugger hits a hard fastball? When a shot rattles the rim, a safety creams a receiver, a tennis player returns a serve, a track official fires his starter pistol or the horses' hooves pound the turf, you can now hear it with crystal clarity. No static, hissing, crackling or popping. If you pipe this through your home entertainment surround sound system it's like watching through an open window.
Tip! Check the resolution If you've done any research into HDTV, you'll know that the HDTV specification covers two resolutions: 720 lines and 1080 lines. So any TV which claims to be HDTV ready must have a native resolution which has at least 720 lines (this is usually the second figure quoted.

# Can you get HDTV on satellite?

You bet you can! Both DirecTV and Dish Network have high definition programming and are adding more all the time. You might have seen the news about DirecTV's new satellites this summer or seen the specials being promoted by both providers. Satellite is today's lowest cost way to get high definition programming and HD is the future of television. It's happening now, there's no need to wait.

Garry Mabry

Your guide to Sports Programming on Satellite TV

HDTV - The High Resolution Television

The expansion of hdtv is High-definition television. The hdtv means television signals broadcast with a higher resolution than traditional formats like NTSC, SÉCAM, PAL. The hdtv is broadcasted digitally, except for early analog formats in Europe and Japan.

Historically, the term high-definition television was also used to refer to television standards developed in the 1930s to replace the early experimental systems, although, not so long afterwards, Philo T. Farnsworth, John Logie Baird and Vladimir Zworkin had each developed competing TV systems but resolution was not the issue that separated their substantially different technologies. It was patent interference lawsuits and deployment issues given the tumultuous financial climate of the late 20's and 30's. Most patents were expiring by the end of WW2 leaving the market wide open and no worldwide standard for television agreed upon. The world used analog PAL, NTSC, SECAM and other standards for over half a century.

The terms HD ready and HD compatible are being used around the industrial world for marketing purposes. They indicate that a TV or display is able to accept video over an HDMI connection, using a new connector design, the main purpose of which seems to be to ensure that digital video is only passed over an interface which, by agreement, incorporates copyright protection. Even HD-ready sets do not necessarily have enough pixels to display video to the 1080-line (1920x1080) or 720-line (1280x720) HD standards in full resolution without interpolation, and HD-compatible sets are often just standard-definition sets with an HDMI input. This is a confusing use of the terms HD and hdtv. MPEG-2 is most commonly used as the compression codec for digital hdtv broadcasts. The hdtv is capable of "theater quality" audio because it uses the Dolby Digital (AC-3) format to support "5.1" surround sound.

Japan has the earliest working hdtv system still in use, with design efforts going back to 1979. Japan began broadcasting analog hdtv signals in the early 1990s using an interlaced resolution of 1035 lines (1035i). The Japanese MUSE (Multiple sub-nyquist sampling Encoding) system, developed by NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories (STRL) in the 1980s, employed filtering tricks to reduce the original source signal to decrease bandwidth utilization.

Japan is forerunner of hdtv in the world. Japan terrestrial broadcast of HD via ISDB-T started in December 2003.

The hdtv transmission in Europe started in 2004. Euro1080 is the pioneer in hdtv transmission in Europe. Australia started HD broadcasting in January 2001.

CHUM Limited's Citytv in Toronto was the first hdtv broadcaster in Canada and CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) officially launched hdtv programming on March 5, 2005.
Tip! Be realistic about size One of the best things about HDTV is the fact that it looks amazing on big screen TVs. To see an HDTV signal displayed on a 42in TV is a wonder indeed.

Mexican television company Televisa experimented hdtv broadcasts in the early 1990s, in collaboration with Japan's NHK.

The hdtv specifications are defined by the ATSC in the United States. An hdtv-compatible TV usually uses a 16:9 aspect ratio display with an integrated ATSC tuner. Lower resolution sources like regular DVDs may be upscaled to the native resolution of the TV.

The hdtv services were made available in the Republic of Korea in 2005 and Brazil is expected to go for it in 2006.

There are numerous online sources carrying volumes of info on plasma hdtv, lcd hdtv, hdtv antenna, hdtv receiver, dlp hdtv, hdtv cables, hdtv tuner etc. Scores of sites are offering hdtv reviews, hdtv articles and hdtv news that are very helpful for the potential customers to buy hdtv.

About Author: The author owns a website on HDTV and Digital Goods. You can check their website for reviews on latest gadgets.

Will DirecTV HDTV be Revolutionary?

When we speak of transmission of pure digital television, we mainly talk about its reception and display of the signals. These signals come to us through the broadcasting over air or by transmission through the satellite system or cable system in our houses. There is a class of Direct TV that is getting a lot of name at present which is called DirecTV HDTV. When we combine a digital TV of high resolution with a Dolby surround sound (AC-3), we get a DirecTV HDTV. To have a stunning image, this combination has been made.

A new production and transmission equipment at the DirecTV HDTV station and even a new equipment for reception for DirecTV HDTV is required by the consumer. The strongest selling point for DirecTV HDTV is the higher resolution picture. After media's perfect show up about DirecTV HDTV, the DirecTV HDTV has reached to all the electronic stores. The higher resolution which produces crystal clarity, as never seen before through picture tube, gives us a life like picture and digital sound. A usual TV gives us an effective picture resolution of about 210,000 pixels whereas in the highest resolution DirecTV HDTV format, each picture contains 2 million pixels. This nearly gives us ten times more detailed picture. The basic aim behind DirecTV HDTV is not to increase the definition per unit area but it is rather that the visual field percentage contained by the image should be increased. The proposal about all DirecTV HDTV was first submitted by General Instrument Corporation on May 31, 1990 By December 1990 ATRC also launched the same followed by Zenith and AT&T and the MIT. At present Japan is the only country which broadcasts DirecTV HDTV services to the viewers. The number of converters and receivers sold to the customers has reached to 100,000 and 30,000 respectively. The possibility of starting a digital satellite HDTV service in Japan has been eliminated by the establishment of the analog broadcast service, DirecTV HDTV. Right now, many stations do not broadcast HDTV program.

Slowly, the current analog TV can be either replaced or a new set-top box can be purchased for converting the digital signal. While purchasing any TV receivers we should first ensure that the new receiver has all the input jacks that match the connectors on the VCR, cable boxed DVD player etc.

We should always go in for a composite, S-video and component video as a minimum set of analog jacks so we can use our existing analog equipment with a new set.

James Croydon, Satellite Installation Engineer and Direct TV com advisor - focusing on DirecTV com and DirecTV Search

What is HDTV?

Everyday we hear more and more about HDTV. Watching your local channels such as ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX you might have noticed that all of these stations now broadcast is HDTV. So what exactly is HDTV or High Definition TV and why is it better than the broadcast signals of the past.

Basically High Defintion means the signal is transmitted from the source at a higher resolution. This also means that the video has to be initially captured with a higher resolution. Television signals up until recently have always worked on a analog signal. With an analog signal a 6 MHz analog (as opposed to digital) signal carries the information needed to display the images onto your television. In the USA all analog signals have 525 scan lines for an images. Now these scan lines are refreshed every 30th of one second which is fast enough for the human eye not to notice the changes. Along with this the analog signals are interlaced which means that have of the lines change every 16th of a second and then the other half change and the following 16th. The horizontal resolution for analog signals on regular televisions is comparable to a computer display with a resolution of 640X480 pixels or basically 525 lines of resolution.

Now for the past 10 years or so we have all heard about Digital TV, Digital Cable or Digital Satellite signals. These digital signals provided a clearer and more detailed picture than the old analog signal could because more information can be transmitted over a digital signal. HDTV is just a very high detailed digital signal capable of producing images with resolutions up to 1080 lines of resolution. This is almost double the resolution we have been viewing for the last 70 some odd years. But HDTV does not have to have 1080 lines of resolution.

There are 3 formats currently available for HDTV:

720p : 1280 x 720 pixels are progressively scanned(all pixels change at the same time as opposed to interlaced where half are changes then the other half)

1080i : 1920 x 1080 pixels are interlaced

1080p: 1920 x 1080 pixels are progressively scanned (this format offers the most detailed image)

Bill Ransom provides the latest information reviews of Plasma, LCD and Rear Projection HDTV Television at http://flatscreenbuyers.com

HDTV Brings Home Entertainment To A New Level

With the introduction of the HDTV standard, everything you watch on your TV set will vastly improve and get more impressive. HDTV stands for high definition television and you may think that it only has to do with the video portion of TV viewing. But HDTV is a standard format that has been mandated by the FCC to be put in widespread practice by programming providers by the end of 2006. That format not only significantly upgrades the video, but also the audio portion of TV viewing as well. Let's take a look at how it will affect the way you watch TV.

If you like to watch movies on DVD, you can already begin to see vast improvements over the old analog VHS tapes that have been in use for some time. Many movies are coming in HDTV now, and also include Dolby 5.1 surround sound that is part of the HDTV experience as well as watch it in widescreen format which allows you to see the entire original recorded image, just like at the movie theater. This is the fuel for the recent boom in homwe theater systems that let you enjoy movie entertainment at home that can begin to rival that of movie theaters. If you haven't enjoyed a home theater experince yet, arrange a demo as soon as possible and you will understand what the excitement is all about.

Video game playing is going to go to a new level now too with HDTV, as the XBox 360 and Playstation 3 will integrate HDTV technology into their video and audio systems too. Gamers will be able to enjoy even more realism and special effects than ever before thanks to the improved video and audio from HDTV.

And of course, TV broadcasts themselves will reach a whole new level as programming is sent more and more in HDTV format. Even without an HDTV signal though, HDTVs improve the viewing experince anyway due to the increased resolution of the screen, making even normal television signals appear sharper and smoother. But when you add the magic of true high definition TV signals displayed ona HDTV television set, the effect is really stunning.

The future looks bright then for TV viewing and now is the time to get ready for the impact that HDTV will have on the way we view all home entertainment.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including HDTV. You can find out more about the best hdtv by visiting our HDTV and Television Review website.

Enjoying Home Theater With The Magic Of HDTV

Home theater is a rapidly growing segment of the home entertainment field. The term is often used, but you may not really know what it means. Don't feel bad as there are plenty of terms and acronyms used in the electronics field that you won't find anywhere else, and the technical afficianados are the only ones who seem to be able to keep it all stratight, and sometimes it's a challenge for them as well.

Basically, a home theater is created when you upgrade the audio and video components of your television set to the point where it enhances the viewing experience beyond it's current capacities. In other words, when you buy a TV set it already has a means of displaying images and producing sound built right into it. And although those sound and video elements are much improved over TV sets from yesteryaer, they still leave much to be desired when compared with, for instance, movie theater entertainment. But that is all changing.

You can upgrade the video portion of the television by getting a HDTV that has a large screen that displays in widescreen format. HDTV widescreen more closely resembles the viewing format used in movie theaters, and more and more media and broadcasts will be shown in widescreen, so if you don't have it, you could be missing a lot of the action in the film or broadcast that you should be seeing. Whether you choose an LCD or plasma screen for your HDTV is a personal choice and depnds on several factors, but either will produce beautifully rich colors that you can't help but enjoy as you watch.

The next part to focus on is the audio. You can go as wild or as conservative as you wish here. A basic system is one with an audio amplifier hooked up to the audio aoutput of the TV that amplifies and enriches the sound and delivers it to speakers outside the TV. You will notice an improvement in the sound with even the most basic of audio enhancements. However, if you really want to take it up a notch, you can get amplifier/receivers that can take full advantage of the HDTV Dolby surround sound feature and deliver that sound to speakers that can reproduce the whole audio spectrunm, from the thundering lows of subwoofers to the highs of tweeters.
Tip! Cable and satellite operators don't distribute all the available free-to-air HDTV channels. In particular, many local free HDTV channels aren't carried on cable or satellite.

The choice is yours to make on how far you take your home theater experience, and much will probably depend on your budget. At the high end, the viewing experience rivals that of a movie theater. At the lower end, you still get a lot better sound and picture than what you have with the TV alone. And there is plenty of middle ground to let you emphasize the components that are most important to you.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including HDTV. You can find out more about hdtv by visiting our HDTV and Television Review website.

Here is What You Need To Be Able To View HDTV

Well of course, the first component needed is the HDTV signal which is sent from a source like a cable or satellite provider, or a local broadcast station. It takes more advanced and expensive equipment to be able to broadcast a HDTV signal instead of the old analog signal that has been used for many years. But the FCC has mandated that by the end of 2006 all broadcasts will have to be available in HDTV, so it won't be long before HDTV will be the defacto standard for sending and receiving TV signals. In fact, most of the major cable and satellite companies already offer significant HDTV programming options at this point.

Now that there is a HDTV signal being sent you will need a HDTV "enabled" or "ready" television to be able to receive that signal and display it correctly. If the TV is "HDTV enabled" that means that it does not have a HDTV tuner already built into it but can display HDTV programming if a HDTV tuner is hooked up to it. If it is "HDTV ready" it has the HDTV tuner and is capable of receiving HDTV signals right away. So what is the difference for you?

Well, most satellite and cable companies will only allow you to use their proprietary tuner to gain access to their programming on your TV set, so they essentially bypass the tuner that is in the TV. If you have a HDTV enabled set, this is no problem because it is able to receive and display in HDTV using the tuner from the satellite or cable company. If you have a HDTV ready set, it is still no problem, but if you paid extra for the tuner, you may not be able to get much use from it if you view satellite or cable programming all the time. However, if you are not able to get local channels by satellite or cable, having a HDTV tuner can allow you to receive those channels and display them in HDTV with an appropriate antenna.

So when you look for a new television, be sure to have in mind what your needs will be regarding programming. If all of your viewing will be done through a cable or satellite provider there may be no need to get a TV set that has a HDTV tuner built in. It just has to be HDTV enabled and ready to process a HDTV signal when a HDTV tuner is attached to it. On the other hand, if you will be receiving your broadcasts by antenna or over the air, then you will definitely need the built in HDTV tuner to receive and display HDTV programming.

Just doing a little advance planning can help you buy only the equipment that you will need to view HDTV.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including HDTV. You can find out more about hdtv tuners by visiting our HDTV and Television Review website.

What Is HDTV And How Does It work?

In the field of television broadcasting there are plenty of acronyms to go around and it all can all be very confusing. One of the most common terms you will read about and hear is "HDTV". A lot of people use that term in articles and at the consumer electronics stores and assume that everyuone knows exactly what they are talking about. But plenty of us are not tech-heads that know all the latest jargon in the electronics world, so let's go over just what HDTV is and what it means for you.

First of all HDTV stands simply for High Definition Television. It is a broadcasting standard for sending television signals in digital format instead of the old analog way. Back in days past, the television signal that originated at the tv station was sent in analog format that ciould only handle so much data for both picture and sound and once that limit was reached, it didn't matter how great the television set was that was receiving the signal, it would only look and sound so great. However, with the advent of the digital age, electronics technology has improved to the extent that we can do much better than analog television signals now, and instead we can record the signal digitally, braodcast it not only by antenna but by cable and satellite and display it on greatly superior television screens. All of this results in picture and sound that is vastly improved over what we have been used to watching on television for many years now.

To give you an idea of how much improvement has been made in television equipment, just consider the screen or monitor itself. Standard television monitors have only been able to display about 525 lines of information on the screen, while HDTV enabled monitors can display up to 1080 lines on the same screen. That's almost double the detail of analog television. What that means for you is much improved resolution, color, and smoothness of action on the screen. And it will also be easier on the eyes as well.
Tip! Be realistic about size One of the best things about HDTV is the fact that it looks amazing on big screen TVs. To see an HDTV signal displayed on a 42in TV is a wonder indeed.

Since all television broadcasts have been mandated by the FCC in the US to eventually be shown in HDTV format, that pretty much makes all analog TV systems obsolete. So if you are looking to buy a new television, it makes a lot of sense to buy a high definition television, as that will soon be the standard for all televisions sold for some to come.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including HDTV. You can find out more about hdtv by visiting our HDTV and Television Review website.

HD Satellite TV -- Compare HDTV Services

HD Satellite TV

HD (high definition) refers to the quality of the picture being transmitted to your television set.

Picture quality is measured in scan lines. The more scan lines that are transmitted to your TV, the clearer the picture.

For instance, analog (over-the-air) TV has 525 scan lines per image. HDTV, on the other hand, has up to 1,080 lines per image -- almost twice as many lines of resolution giving you twice the clarity of analog TV.

There's a huge difference between watching TV on a regular TV set as opposed to watching an HD TV. The HD picture is sharper and the colors are brighter. The picture is so realistic it's almost like watching a scene through a window.

HD Satellite TV Features

Here are the main features of HD satellite TV:

* High resolution picture -- HDTV produces a super-sharp image, resulting

in a clearer, more lifelike picture.

* Widescreen picture -- you get a full-width picture just like you see in the movies.

* Digital audio -- HD audio programming is broadcast Dolby Digital format so you get a three-dimensional surround-sound listening experience.

HD Satellite TV Providers

Both DISH Network and DIRECTV offer HD programming. Here's a rundown on their HD satellite TV channel lineups ...

DISH Network HD Satellite TV

DISH Network offers two HD satellite TV programming packages:

The DISH Network HD Pak

This package includes HDNet, HDNet Movies, ESPNHD, Discovery HD, and TNT in HD.

The DISH Network Voom Pak

This package includes Ultra HD, Monsters HD, Rave HD, Equator HD, Gallery HD, Anamania HD, Rush HD, HD News, Guy TV HD, and Majestic HD.

In addition to the above packages you can also get HBO HDTV, Showtime HD, DISH on Demand Pay-Per-View in HD, and CBS HDTV.

In order to receive HD programming from DISH Network you must have an HD receiver. When you order satellite TV service from DISH Network you can get an HD receiver free.

Note: For more information on current DISH Network HD programming and subscription fees, or to order satellite TV service with a free satellite TV system, click on the links below.

DIRECTV HD Satellite TV

DIRECTV offers one HD satellite TV programming package:
Tip! Check the connections In order for a TV to comply with the HDTV specification, it must have either component (analog), DVI or HDMI (both digital) inputs. If it only has S-video, composite video, or VGA, its not HDTV ready.

The DIRECTV HD Package

This package includes ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, HDNet Movies, and Universal HD.

In addition to the above package your can also get HBO HD, Showtime HD, and DIRECTV Pay-Per-View, plus ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and the WB channel.

Sports packages include NFL Sunday Ticket HD and NFL Sunday Ticket SuperFan HD.

In order to receive HD programming from DIRECTV you must have an HD receiver. When you order satellite TV service from DIRECTV you can get an HD receiver free (after a $199 rebate).

Note: For more information on current DIRECTV HD programming and subscription fees, or to order satellite TV service with a free satellite TV system, click on the links below.

The Bottom Line

The only drawback to having HD satellite TV is the cost. If you don't already own an HD TV set, then you'll have to buy one. And the HD programming fees are another expense that will add to your satellite TV bill.
Tip! Be realistic about size One of the best things about HDTV is the fact that it looks amazing on big screen TVs. To see an HDTV signal displayed on a 42in TV is a wonder indeed.

However, if you want to see your favorite shows in near lifelike clarity and you can afford the extra expense, having HD satellite TV is definitely worth the added cost.

Click on the following link for more information on free satellite TV systems and service, or these links for HD satellite TV ordering information and the latest free bonuses from DISH Network HD satellite TV or DIRECTV HD satellite TV.

About the Author

Brian Stevens is a professional freelance writer and webmaster who has written extensively on HD satellite TV.

Dish Network and HDTV

With satellite TV technology advancing so quickly, it's always difficult to decide when to buy something, or wait for a year or two until that thing becomes cheaper. HDTV services such as that offered by Dish Network is yet another of those things which isn't going to go away. In fact the time has come for satellite TV viewers to do something about it, if figures demonstrating the take-up of Dish Network HD packages is anything to go by.

In The Beginning

Many of us remember the days when we struggled to get a decent picture on our old televisions. Over the years, the old analog TV got better but it reached a point where the technology couldn't do any more. It was time to do things differently; this is where digital TV came in. With digital TV, it was possible to receive pictures off air with similar quality to that obtained from a DVD.

The Digital Era and HDTV

With the advent of digital TV, the satellite TV market continued to expand and Dish Network was just one of those to take advantage. But things didn't stop there - HDTV was on the horizon. High Definition TV can increase screen resolution many times over standard definition digital TV. This means that there are more pixels available for displaying the pictures. As those with digital cameras know, the more pixels there are, the better the quality of the picture.

The HDTV Dilemma

So here we are today with the possibility of getting HDTV. Do we go for standard definition TV and upgrade later, or do we go for HDTV from the start? Well let's look at one of the elements in your decision-making; cost. There are two things to consider - the cost of the equipment and the cost of the HDTV programming. To receive Dish Network HDTV signals you need to get an HD receiver, such as the ViP211. This involves a one-off fee of $49.99, so it's not free like the standard definition receiver but it is a more complicate piece of equipment. Dish Network offers several levels of HD programming, from the entry-level DishHD Bronze package to the top-of-the-range DishHD Platinum package. The cost for these packages ranges from $49.99 to $99.99 per month. In comparison, the cost of Dish Network's America's Top Programming ranges from $29.99 to $49.99 per month. So the difference between their standard and HD packages is $20 to $50 per month depending on the number of channels in the package.

Having looked at cost, the other element making up your mind is what kind of viewing experience you want. If you've never seen HDTV, it is well worth getting a demonstration; as with everything else, you want to know in advance what you will be paying for. The best way to make a comparison is to view standard and HDTV side-by-side.
Tip! Check the resolution If you've done any research into HDTV, you'll know that the HDTV specification covers two resolutions: 720 lines and 1080 lines. So any TV which claims to be HDTV ready must have a native resolution which has at least 720 lines (this is usually the second figure quoted.

Conclusion

Looking ahead a few years, HDTV will be the norm, it's really a question of when and not if everyone has access to HDTV. You need to decide if it's worth spending a few dollars more each month to receive the high resolution HDTV pictures. Oh and don't forget that to watch HDTV, you must have a television capable of displaying high definition pictures.

James Taylorthe provides information on equipment and best deals to the Dish Network Directory. Dish-Network-Directory

HDTV Introduction

Are you looking to buy a HDTV? Take a look at our guide to find out what HDTV is about.

1. What does HDTV stand for?

High Definition Television

2. What is HTDV?

It is a new technology and way of filming that has a higher bit depth resolution and gives you a sense or realism while watching the program. Sports are one of the leading industries in high definition programming. To film in HDTV requires a special camera.

3. How can I tell if my TV is HDTV?

It should say it directly on the box or with the model number. EDTV is not HDTV! There is another side aspect most people overlook due to pricing schemes and that is pixel depth. The cheaper plasmas and LCD have lower clarity or pixels. Therefore, to buy a great HDTV, you need to look for higher pixel resolutions.

4. Why Should I Buy One?

Because you will never go back, it is like night and day. A true HDTV and HD Television Program are ten times better picture clarity than at the movie theaters. HDTV's also have lots of additional features that standard old televisions do not. They usually have ports for connecting to computers to act as a computer monitor, split screen, more aspect ratios for watching in different formats. Since the cameras have have been improved to record HD programs, they also went ahead and improved the sound recording system and so you have even higher quality sound to go along with the improved picture.

HDTV has been out for a few years now and therefore there are less bugs and defunct screens. In addition, the price has drastically fallen, for around $2000 you can buy an excellent 32-42¡± screen with high resolution and all the extra options.
Tip! Cable and satellite operators don't distribute all the available free-to-air HDTV channels. In particular, many local free HDTV channels aren't carried on cable or satellite.

5. Is there anything else I should know when buying a HDTV screen?

Yes, the cables can be very expensive. HDMI cables, RGB, and others that maximize the picture and sound (which are necessary) can cost between $35-$50 each and you need several. It is not necessary to buy name brand cables, so go to places like radio shack and buy the off brand for half the price. In addition, please research whether you should buy an LCD or Plasma screen, because based on you use and room arrangements you will require one or the other.

Are you looking to buy a HDTV? Take a look at our guide to find out what HDTV is about at http://www.hdtv-info-center.com