DTV and HDTV Reviews

Many people aren't aware of the many differences between Digital TV (DTV) and High Definition Television (HDTV) and classify them as one and the same. While they are parallel in many ways there are some differences that clearly make HDTV the best form of digital TV available right now. The standards for DTV are established by the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC). They monitor the standards for both the sound and the manner in which the video is encoded and received.

Both DTV and HDTV have gotten excellent reviews because of the picture clarity and the amazing sound they offer, especially when surround sound is incorporated into the set up. Both DTV and HDTV offer better quality than analog because of how the video is transmitted. With analog the amount of pixels that can be sent are minimal and they overlap. DTV and HDTV offer the ability for more pixels to be transmitted at once. In addition they are continuous rather than overlapping. Both of these features result in better quality and better sound.

DTV offers plenty of good quality even on very small TV's. This is important because many people have small TV's in their bedrooms and want to be able to enjoy the same quality as when they are in other rooms of their home. Some people who have a TV with a very large screen have been disappointed because the resolution doesn't work well causing things to be fuzzy. With DTV and HDTV this is no longer an issue.

Many DTV and HDTV programming options allow for broadcasters to send several signals over the same bandwidth at the same time. This means viewers can take advantage of fun features such as video recording on their TV and various types of interactive content.

Due to these various options simply buying a DTV or HDTV set isn't enough. You have to have the right connective materials through your cable or satellite company. Otherwise you will have a high dollar TV but no additional benefits over what you have already with an analog TV set. It is also important to understand that just because you have DTV signals you don't necessarily have HDTV.

It is possible to have a set up for HDTV but you will go back and forth between obtaining HDTV and DTV. This is because not all programmers will provide you with the HDTV option with the signals they send. This issue will slowly disappear completely as the broadcasters are implementing plans to move to a digital signal over the next couple of years.

The FCC has mandated that all broadcasters have to change to digital signals by 02/17/09. This means that all viewers will hopefully be able to see what DTV and HDTV have to offer. Those viewers who don't have a TV set up for one of these two options will likely need to invest in a converter box. Many consumers aren't happy with this concept because they feel they are being pushed into buying either DTV or HDTV. It is possible that 2009 deadline will be extended to help broadcasters, manufacturers, and consumers fully prepare for it.