Understanding HDTV & HD Broadcasting

High-Definition Television, also known as HDTV, is a television capable of receiving a higher resolution and quality than that of a Standard Television (Standard Definition TV). This article will look into how HD Televisions benefit from HD broadcasting standards used as well as being a short ‘guide’ how HDTV and HD broadcasting work. A lot of consumers are making ill-informed decisions about buying HDTVs and sometimes end up not exploiting their HDTV’s full potential.

HDTV benefits directly from digital television and the digital broadcasting platform that is being adopted around the world. Digital HD broadcasts can allow a user to view multiple channels on the same feed without losing quality because the signal is compressed and reproduced on each HDTV receiver. Some HDTVs do come with built in tuners and cable Card slots.

HD Television broadcasting has other advantages to both consumers and broadcasters allowing broadcasters to transmit up to 16 individual channels on an analogue broadcast transmitter equivalent’s bandwidth without losing HD quality as well as seven separate channel feeds. Users are able to also interact using subtitles, multiple languages and electronic program guides (EPGs) all on the same transmission feed.

High-definition televisions (HDTVs) can also produce a much better video image quality by using more lines of resolution than that of analogue and standard definition TVs, which at most use about 576 lines, whereas Full HD Televisions can use 1080 lines of resolutions. The lines help reduce the image pixels visible to the human eye making the picture displayed seem more real and detailed than ever before.

HDTV digital receivers allow for better reception of content as well as color enhancement and visual clarity that is anywhere between 2 – 5 times that of analogue TV broadcasts. The sound quality is also on par with CD quality because of the individual audio channels employed, a lot of HD television systems can produce and output Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. With HD broadcasting and content and an HDTV system, it is possible can enjoy broadcast programming, movies, sport events and in the same resolution as they were recorded on film (35mm) without the need for additional up scaling or resources, all in the comfort of a home environment.