HDTV is high definition television and it can make a huge difference in your television viewing experience. Most consumers describe the HDTV experience as being closer to watching a movie in the theater than watching a standard television set in their living room. HDTV offers a digital picture with a higher resolution than normal television screens resulting in a clearer, crisper picture. It also offers the ability to watch widescreen movies and programs without the annoying black bars that your regular television displays(you know, the ones your mom won't stop complaining about). It is the way the movie directors intended you to watch their films.



With your current regular color television, waves are scanned at 480i. This means that at any given time there are 480 lines of a picture being sent to your television screen by your service provider. Odd lines are displayed, followed by even lines. The change happens so quickly, the human eye believes you are seeing one big picture. With the introduction of HDTV, there are more lines transmitted (at either more than double interlaced or progressively) giving us a higher resolution and better quality picture. For an image to be HD it must have 720 lines at a minimum. HDTV is also fully digital and you won't need to worry about the analog to digital switchover in February of 2009. Upgrading now to an HDTV will give you years of entertainment(as long as there's something worth watching on tv, if not there are movie channels and reruns of Battlestar Galactica).

In order to enjoy the HDTV experience, you will need to introduce a few things to your home. To get started, you need:

1. A High Definition Television set with the smallest resolution a minimum of 720. If this isn't the case the tv is only "HD Compatible". That means it'll downgrade an HD signal to a normal signal and that's not what you want. High Definition television sets are available at most consumer electronic stores and online stores and they are becoming increasingly more affordable for the public. These sets are the first step in obtaining a clearer, picture that provides an experience similar to being at the football game, movie theater, boxing match, etc.

2. An HD source like satellite tv service, cable or antenna. Even with an HDTV, you may not notice any difference in normal channels. The channel must be broadcast in high definition in order to see the advanced quality in picture.

3. A way to receive the source signal (a satellite system is a great option)

Both satellite dish service and cable generally offer some HD channels, but satellite providers are able to offer more of these channels than your local cable company. Be aware that digital channels typically offered and promoted by cable companies are not the same as HD signals.

In addition to a better quality picture, you will also enjoy higher quality sound with HDTV. The digital audio sound provides even more of a movie theater-like experience in your home. It will sound like you're in the arena when you watch a sporting event and in a movie theater when the bullets fly during an action money. To provide the best in entertainment quality in your home, HDTV is the way of the future. As more channels are broadcast in HD format your television viewing experience will improve and get better and better over a time.

Satellite providers not only offer HD channels but their other channels are transmitted via a high quality digital signal. This results in a clearer picture than the analog signal offered by many cable companies. DIRECTV offers a variety of channels in HD format from sports to movies to local channels beginning at just $9.99/month.