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What is HDTV and How is it different? |
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Written by Mike
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Saturday, 15 December 2007 |
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HDTV stands for high-definition television, with the emphasis on high-definition. Currently your television is receiving an analog signal. In analog TV a 6 MHz signal produces something like 500 horizontal pixels (dots), these pixels comprise the picture you see on your screen. This resolution was amazing 50 years ago, but today it is rather pass. The lowest resolution on most computer monitors today is 640 horizontal by 480 vertical pixels, and most computers are running 800 by 600 pixels. Most people will agree the clarity of most computer monitors is far beyond what we can currently view on our TV's. By comparison, HDTV can have a resolution of up to 1920 by 1080 pixels, or greater than 2 million pixels. That's more than six times the detail of regular television! You'll be able to see every hair on someone's head and every blade of grass on the football field. What's more, HDTV has a widescreen format like film, so you'll be able to view movies, the way they were meant to be seen, at the correct aspect ratio of 16:9 instead of analog TV's 4:3 ratio. |
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What do analog and digital mean and what is the difference? |
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Written by Mike
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Saturday, 15 December 2007 |
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Analog (NTSC) refers to the signal used to transmit most television signals today. DTV (Digital television) signals can also transmit television signals but they are much more efficient and can carry many times more information than analog. The highest digital television signals will be in HDTV and produce resolutions as high as 1920 by 1080 pixels for a total of 2,000,000 pixels. |
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What is the difference between DTV, HDTV and SDTV? |
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Written by Mike
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Saturday, 15 December 2007 |
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"DTV" is a general reference to Digital Television technology. DTV broadcasts can be either HDTV (high-definition television) or SDTV (standard-definition television). HDTV can broadcast at resolutions as high as 1920 by 1080 pixels, whereas SDTV broadcasts as low as 640 by 480 pixels. Broadcasters will be able to choose in which format they will transmit and most DTV's and set top boxes will be able to receive the signals regardless of how it is transmitted. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 15 December 2007 )
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How many DTV formats are there? |
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Written by Mike
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Saturday, 15 December 2007 |
Currently there are 18 DTV formats, six are HDTV formats, eight are SDTV (four widescreen formats with 16:9 aspect ratios, and four conventional with 4:3 aspect ratios), the remaining four are VGA (Video Graphics Array) formats. The formats used in HDTV are: | Format | Resolution | Scanning method | Aspect ratio | Quality | Sound | | 480i | 640x480 pixels | interlaced | 4:3 (traditional) | Good | Stereo/Dolby Surround | | 480p | 640x480 pixels | progressive | 4:3 (traditional) or 16:9 (widescreen) | Better | Digital Stereo/Dolby Digital | | 720p | 1280x720 pixels | progressive | 16:9 (widescreen) | Best | Digital Stereo/Dolby Digital | | 1080i | 1920x1080 pixels | interlaced | 16:9 (widescreen) | Best | Digital Stereo/Dolby Digital | |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 15 December 2007 )
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What's the difference between |
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Written by Mike
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Saturday, 15 December 2007 |
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Today's HDTV sets come in two forms. HD-ready sets have the HDTV receiver/decoder built-in, while HD-capable sets require the addition of an external receiver/decoder to receive digital broadcasts. In an HD-capable set, the TV is essentially a monitor. You get or buy the receiver from your cable or satellite company. Most cable systems will provide the receiver as part of the monthly service, however satellite owners will have to purchase the receiver. |
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