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HDTV or High Definition Television refers to the latest breakthrough in television entertainment. The general difference between standard definition television and HDTV is that the latter has roughly five times the resolution that of SDTV, thus showing greater detail and clarity than either analog television or regular DVD.

The birth of HDTV birthed the demand of high definition television programming. Starting with the inaugural HDTV broadcast in the United States in the 1990s, early 2000s was marked by several companies’ attempt to break the HDTV – HD Broadcast stalemate by bringing HD broadcast to the masses, kick-starting the high definition viewing in the U.S., Europe, and the rest of the world.

Here is a comparison of the resolution standards starting at high definition 1080p (1,080 progressively scanned lines) going progressively lower to enhanced definition to finally standard definition resolution at 480i (480 actively interlaced lines of resolution).