Home FAQs All About HDTV What Do I Need to Receive HDTV?

 

• HDTV Display. The central piece of required equipment is a television or monitor that is capable of displaying an HDTV picture.
  

In picking a TV or display, you have a multitude of choices encompassing different display technologies (plasma, DLP, LCD, CRT, LCoS) and form factors (flat-panels, rear-projection TVs or front projectors). Sizes range from as small as 20 inches up to 100 inches or more. Likewise, prices vary from as little as a few hundred dollars to "five figures" and beyond.

• HD Programming. Until recently, your HD programming choices were generally limited to either over-the-air (OTA) HDTV broadcasts or HD programming that is included as part of a pay TV service via cable or satellite.
  

Since 2006, consumers have also had the option of viewing HD programming via one of two competing high-definition disc formats: HD DVD and Blu-ray.

A brief summary of the programming options follow:

• Over-the-Air HDTV. This form of HD programming is delivered over-the-air from one or more local digital television stations in your area. Receipt of OTA HDTV requires the viewer to have some type of an antenna and a receiver capable of receiving over-the-air digital broadcast signals. Today, the majority of new HDTVs have built-in OTA receivers, so only an antenna is required to begin viewing HD programs; for older HDTVs, many of these were sold without a built-in HDTV tuner, so receipt of local HDTV broadcasts via this sort of TV would require an external OTA receiver.

• Cable and Satellite TV. Both of the major satellite TV services (DirecTV and DISH Network) and virtually all local cable systems offer HD programming as an optional, fee-based service.
  

In the case of cable television, the optional HD package would typically include all of the local digital TV stations offering HD programming, in addition to HD versions of traditional cable/satellite services, such as HBO, ESPN, Discovery, etc.

Satellite TV providers offer similar local and national HD packages, though in some markets receipt of local stations would require an antenna to be connected to the satellite receiver. While cable normally provides local HD stations without the need for an antenna, satellite selectively offers antenna-free local HD programming only for the four main national network affiliates (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC). In smaller local markets, use of an antenna may be the only way to receive the available local HD broadcasts through a satellite receiver.

Two non-cable/non-satellite TV providers -- Verizon's FioS and AT&T's U-verse -- also offer local and national HD programming packages. Both FioS and U-verse are available in a very limited number of local markets, but coverage areas for both services is expected to increase dramatically over the next few years.

• HD DVD or Blu-ray Optical Discs. In many respects, HD DVD and Blu-ray offer the best quality potential for HD programming. For example, both formats can provide higher bit-rate, less compressed video than what is generally achievable from cable, satellite or OTA. And both HD disc formats offer alternative digital audio formats that are acknowledged to be superior to the basic Dolby Digital standard utilized by broadcast, cable and satellite providers.
  

The unfortunate downside to HD DVD and Blu-ray is the fact that they are separate, incompatible and competing formats, with varying levels of movie studio and hardware manufacturer support. Although some of the conflict inherent in competing formats is beginning to be addressed through universal disc players and dual-format discs, it's probably too early and not enough to overcome an obvious wariness among consumers, retailers, and even manufacturers.

In light of the format conflict it's difficult to recommend HD DVD over Blu-Ray, or vice versa -- and it's impossible to suggest investing in both. But at the same time, considering the picture, sound and user experience benefits, it's also difficult to recommend a boycott.

At this point, the best we can do is point out the obvious quality potential, while suggesting caution in view of the real potential for near-term obsolescence.

• Audio Delivery. Proper reproduction of the format's surround sound capabilities is a key piece of the true HDTV experience. To that end, the ideal audio presentation would be through a quality surround sound system including the full array of front/rear speakers and subwoofer(s).

However, many HDTV displays have the capability of providing at least reasonable sounding stereo reproduction, so a fully realized sound system is not an absolute requirement for initial enjoyment of HDTV, though it is highly recommended.

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