HD Television - How it Works and How to Get It
TV has come quite a long way since its inception.
We've gone from black and white all the way to satellite signals.
There have been all different kinds of TV transmissions, providing varying qualities of picture.
Finally, there is high definition TV, with pictures so clear that you want to reach out and touch the screen.
For those of you who don't have a high resolution television that allows you to receive the signal, you're truly missing out.
Let's go over how the technology works, since perhaps you've never even seen it before.
Back in the early days, TV stations sent out their signals in analog form.
These signals could only transmit so much data, limiting the quality of the sound and the picture.
So, in those days, even if you had a flat screen television with high resolution capabilities, you would still only receive an analog quality picture.
The advent of HD technology has changed everything.
Signals are recorded and sent digitally, instead of in analog.
Although, bunny ear antennas have long been outdated, that technology is now rendered useless.
For years we've had cable and satellite television that have provided many more channels.
Now, many of those networks are broadcasting in high resolution - but not all of them.
If you pair this technology with a state of the art television, your TV-watching experience will truly be an experience in all senses of the word.
So, now you know the definitional difference, but here's how the digital signal actually works in regards to your television.
High definition TV screens, for starters, have more horizontal lines running their width than a traditional TV screen.
The picture is displayed along these lines in elements, known as pixels.
Pixels are much smaller and closer together with digital, which makes a better picture.
In fact, high resolution screens receive and display nearly twice the amount of traditional screens - 1080 pixels rather than 625.
The signal is actually sent in zeros and ones, allowing it to travel long distances without any distortion or loss of picture quality.
The ways that you can receive high resolution programming are through digital cable and satellite TV.
Both provide access to multiple high resolution channels, such as: ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, Food Network, etc.
However, satellite delivers more channels overall and more high resolution programming.
The other advantage to satellite is that you can receive signal from anywhere in the U.
S.
, even where cable is not available.
The disadvantage, in comparison to cable, is that you run the risk of signal outage or disruption in the event of inclement weather.
The good news is that studies show you receive signal over 99 percent of the time, meaning that the weather truly has to be severe to cause signal loss.
Everyone in your family will benefit from a HD satellite or cable connection.
The cook in the family can see the texture and minute details of a plate onscreen at Food Network.
The teenagers can check out their favorite reality stars up close and personal.
And of course, the fanatic can see the vein throbbing on his favorite player's neck at the plate in the bottom of the ninth.
We've gone from black and white all the way to satellite signals.
There have been all different kinds of TV transmissions, providing varying qualities of picture.
Finally, there is high definition TV, with pictures so clear that you want to reach out and touch the screen.
For those of you who don't have a high resolution television that allows you to receive the signal, you're truly missing out.
Let's go over how the technology works, since perhaps you've never even seen it before.
Back in the early days, TV stations sent out their signals in analog form.
These signals could only transmit so much data, limiting the quality of the sound and the picture.
So, in those days, even if you had a flat screen television with high resolution capabilities, you would still only receive an analog quality picture.
The advent of HD technology has changed everything.
Signals are recorded and sent digitally, instead of in analog.
Although, bunny ear antennas have long been outdated, that technology is now rendered useless.
For years we've had cable and satellite television that have provided many more channels.
Now, many of those networks are broadcasting in high resolution - but not all of them.
If you pair this technology with a state of the art television, your TV-watching experience will truly be an experience in all senses of the word.
So, now you know the definitional difference, but here's how the digital signal actually works in regards to your television.
High definition TV screens, for starters, have more horizontal lines running their width than a traditional TV screen.
The picture is displayed along these lines in elements, known as pixels.
Pixels are much smaller and closer together with digital, which makes a better picture.
In fact, high resolution screens receive and display nearly twice the amount of traditional screens - 1080 pixels rather than 625.
The signal is actually sent in zeros and ones, allowing it to travel long distances without any distortion or loss of picture quality.
The ways that you can receive high resolution programming are through digital cable and satellite TV.
Both provide access to multiple high resolution channels, such as: ABC, CBS, NBC, ESPN, Food Network, etc.
However, satellite delivers more channels overall and more high resolution programming.
The other advantage to satellite is that you can receive signal from anywhere in the U.
S.
, even where cable is not available.
The disadvantage, in comparison to cable, is that you run the risk of signal outage or disruption in the event of inclement weather.
The good news is that studies show you receive signal over 99 percent of the time, meaning that the weather truly has to be severe to cause signal loss.
Everyone in your family will benefit from a HD satellite or cable connection.
The cook in the family can see the texture and minute details of a plate onscreen at Food Network.
The teenagers can check out their favorite reality stars up close and personal.
And of course, the fanatic can see the vein throbbing on his favorite player's neck at the plate in the bottom of the ninth.