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why you want HDTV
EXPERIENCE TELEVISION LIKE NEVER BEFORE. PICTURES SO
TO BE APPRECIATED.
NTSC
4
The Incredible Picture… 1
BETTER PICTURE
BETTER SOUND
DIGITAL
16
2 Six Channel (5.1) Dolby Digital Sound
BASS (0.1)
On December 24, 1996, the U.S. FCC of scanning lines are more than doubled to
adopted the major elements of the ATSC 1,080 (1080i). This is HDTV and delivers a
DTV standard, mandating its use for digital more detailed image that practically jumps
terrestrial television broadcasts in the U.S. off the TV screen.
Within the DTV standard are 18 different
HDTV also may be broadcast and displayed
picture formats. The FCC did not mandate
as a "progressive image" (720p), like a
use of the specific HDTV and SDTV formats
computer monitor. Here, a full frame fills the
contained in the ATSC standard, but these
screen from top to bottom, eliminating lines
have been uniformly adopted on a voluntary
altogether so the picture has a more film-
basis by broadcasters and receiver manufac-
like feel. EDTV quality is referred to as 480p
turers. All digital receivers (set-top boxes)
for its 480 progressive lines of resolution.
and HDTV sets receive them all. A DTV
receiver, which looks like a VCR or a cable In the new digital era, broadcasters can
or satellite receiver, gathers and translates offer free, over-the-air television of higher
the digital signal for the DTV monitor. resolution and better picture quality than
is possible under the current system. If
In 1997 the FCC adopted companion DTV
broadcasters so choose, they can deliver
rules, assigning an additional 6 MHz
HDTV with theater-quality pictures and
channel to approximately 1,600 full-power
CD-quality sound. Or a broadcaster can
broadcasters in the U.S. to permit them to
offer several different TV programs at the
offer digital terrestrial broadcasts in parallel
same time (called “multicasting”), but in a
with their existing analog services during a
lower resolution – SDTV. Even with fewer
transition period, while consumers made the
than 480 lines of resolution, the picture and
conversion to digital receivers or set-top
sound quality of SDTV still is better than
boxes. In accordance with the FCC plan,
analog TV. The target date for completion of
digital television service was launched in
the analog-to-DTV transition is 2006, or 85
the U.S. November 1, 1998.
percent household penetration, whichever
The two most commonly used signals by occurs later.
local broadcast stations are EDTV and
HDTV. With the current analog system, TV
images are created by interlace scanning,
which uses two fields of alternating hori-
zontal scanning lines to form a full picture.
This picture is referred to as "480 inter-
lace," or 480i. With many DTVs, the number
4
What is HDTV
and why is it so important?
HDTV is an entirely new system that additional channel to all broadcast TV
will ultimately replace today’s existing stations. This second channel is
analog "NTSC" television system. The dedicated for digital broadcasts and
term "HDTV" refers to a television upon completion of the transition
system that can transmit, receive and (the year 2006 or 85 percent household
display high-quality digital images. penetration, whichever occurs later),
the original analog channel must be
Once the DTV standard was set in
returned to the government. The FCC
1996, the Federal government
will eventually auction the analog
subsequently mandated a nationwide
channel spectrum.
transition for the nation’s 1,600-plus
television stations to move from analog
to digital transmission. In order to
facilitate this, the FCC allocated an
The World of Television Goes Digital 5
Analog vs. Digital Sales Projections
2003 – 2006
UNITS
Digital Analog
25
21.8
19.8
20
16.7
Units (in Millions)
13.5
15
11.9
10
8.3
5.8
4.3
5
U.S. DOLLARS
Digital Analog
9.8
U.S. Dollars (in Billions)
7.4
5.8
5.5
6
4.3
4
3.5
4.6
2.5
2
SATELLITE
MONITOR
SIGNAL DELIVERY
(SET-TOP BOX)
CABLE
RECEIVER
how to receive HDTV
INTEGRATED RECEIVER
MONITOR WITH
SIGNAL DELIVERY
1-PART SOLUTION:
Integrated Set
faq
Digital Television
Television Type Resolution Aspect Ratio Audio Rating
High Vertical Resolution Widescreen Receives and
Definition from 720p to 1080i (16:9) reproduces and/or Best
outputs Dolby
Television
Digital 5.1
The best television sets currently available Like the highest quality HDTV, Enhanced
are HDTVs with 16:9 widescreen aspect Definition Television (EDTV) is an all-in-one
ratios capable of displaying either 720p, unit—a display with a built-in decoder in
1080i or higher resolutions. HDTV sets also either direct view or rear projection design.
have built-in digital receivers/decoders and In this case, you'll see at least a 480p image,
deliver Dolby Digital sound. HDTV sets are rather than 720p or 1080i. The screen can
available as either direct view (familiar tube either be square-shaped (4:3 aspect ratio) or
TVs), rear or front projection models. widescreen (16:9). It receives, reproduces
and outputs Dolby Digital sound.
There are also HDTV
monitors that offer the same An EDTV monitor has the
high picture and sound quality as HDTV sets, same display parameters as
but require separate receiver boxes to an EDTV, but does not have a built-in
decode digital signals. HDTV monitors are decoder. Occasionally, this type of TV is
available in either direct view, rear or front referred to as a multimedia monitor.
projection versions.
The Enhanced Definition TV
HDTV tuners are the key to tuner receives all digital
the exciting new digital signals, but outputs them to a TV at 480p
kingdom. You must have one – either inside resolution, rather than 720p or 1080i.
or connected as a set-top box – in order to
see DTV programs. HDTV tuners decode all
ATSC formats and send 480p, 720p or 1080i
signals to an HDTV monitor. It also outputs Standard Definition TV (SDTV) sets deliver a
Dolby Digital audio. They are often called digital picture that's better than your current
set-top boxes, receivers or digital decoders. analog TV, but less than the 480p of EDTVs.
It has a built-in decoder, but no aspect ratio
is specified by CEA.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
BROADCASTERS (NAB) – The
National Association of Broadcasters
is a full-service trade association that
HDTV