Consumer News
What's The Diff With High Def?
By Bruce Peddleton
Oct 11, 2007, 23:34

(NC)-Not too long ago, gadget fanatics and sports-aficionados were the only ones really excited about High Definition TV (HDTV or High Def). With the volume of news coverage and marketing effort in the past year, HDTV has moved into the mainstream and is gaining increasing recognition among the general public.

The 2007 Holiday period is expected to see the highest sales yet of HDTV-compatible televisions in Canada, but many people are still unclear about the real differences between HDTV and their current TV image, and whether the upgrade will be worth it. Now is the perfect time to brush up on your knowledge of the HD market and make sure you know what to look for in the ultimate home entertainment gift.

First, the basics. Until High Def entered the picture, TV typically involved analog signals and cathode ray tube (CRT) sets. Analog signals reach your TV as fluctuating waves of information, either carried through the air (regular broadcast or satellite) or directly through your old cable box. Standard definition analog signals are prone to static, interference and ghost images.

Perhaps the biggest difference between older analog TV and the new HDTV digital formats, put simply, is that HDTV signals carry much more information than analog in a way that is error-resistant and more efficient.

The more information your TV signal can carry; the better the picture will look (richer, more natural colours, sharper images) and the clearer the audio will sound.

Another key difference in the quality of HDTV is the way in which the picture is created on screen. A traditional TV signal is made up of 525 lines with the picture being built up on screen one line at a time; first the odd numbered lines, then the even.

The two sets of lines are "interlaced", which is one reason for the flickering effect commonly seen on older TVs.

At full High Definition, a modern set like the Sharp AQUOS LCD TV can display 1,080 lines and, even better, the entire picture is painted on screen simultaneously, or (to give it its technical name) in "progressive" mode.

This is what is meant by the label "1080p", denoting a TV format that is as much as five times the resolution of standard television, and with none of the annoying flickering or jagged images.

The highest quality televisions currently available will carry a "Full HD 1080p" sticker, indicating their ability to produce crisp, stunning, detailed pictures with more natural and richer colours.

One common misconception about HDTV is that there isn't too much programming available in Canada yet. In fact, 90% of the top primetime TV shows in Canada are already broadcast in High Definition. The CRTC (Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission) has given broadcasters a deadline of 2009 to switch all programming over to High Def, and the majority of broadcasters have already moved to adopt the new digital format. If you don't have an HDTV-compatible set you won't see the benefit.

Accessing High Def content doesn't need to be expensive, either. A number of Canadian broadcasters already transmit regular local programming as High Def content over the air. If you want to take advantage of this free content, be sure to purchase an HDTV set that has a built-in ATSC Tuner.

You'll also need a decent external antenna and should check that you live in an area with good signal strength. If you really want to enjoy the true HDTV experience, though, you'll most likely want to subscribe to a HD package from your local cable provider.

Now that you have a solid foundation of knowledge in this area, you're ready to brave the TV aisle of your local electronics store to purchase the holiday gift the whole household will enjoy.

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