SatelliteTV Info - High Definition Explained 

Let's with the basic differences between Digital TV and Analog TV?
Technically speaking the major difference between both is the greater resolution HDTV's offers; up to 1080 lines of detail versus 480 lines allowed on the analog platform. The non-technical answer is the amazing, lifelike picture 5-10 times clearer than regular TV.

Standard analog TV is transmitted the same way radio signals are transmitted. Video signals of “analog TV” are transmitted via AM while audio is transmitted in FM. Coupled with the lifelike audio and you get a realistic and theater–like experience.

Analog TV is subject to interference caused by the elements (rain, snow etc). This does depend on the distance and geographical location of the TV receiving the signal. The quality and resolution of an image is directly proportional to the amount of bandwidth assigned to that analog TV channel.

HDTV is the ultimate TV experience, delivering images with higher resolutions, brighter colors and enhanced clarity. Improving the way you view and hear TV, HDTV also offers crisp, high-quality, surround-sound audio capability.The current analog TV signal standard is referred to as NTSC. The emergence of color into the standard (NTSC) became its only drawback because the color quality and consistency varied quite a bit between the different stations.

Digital TV, or DTV, on the other hand, is transmitted as data bits of information, just as computer data is written or the way music is written on a CD. In this way, the signal is basically "on" or "off". In other words, the intent of DTV technology is that the viewer either sees an image or nothing at all. There is no gradual signal loss as distance from the transmitter increases. If the viewer is too far from the transmitter or is in an undesirable location, there is nothing to see. So it’s either on or off by virtue of its transmission mode.

On the other hand, unlike analog TV, digital TV has been designed from the ground up to take all the main factors of the television signal into consideration: B/W, color, and audio and can be transmitted as an interlaced (lines scanned in alternate fields) or progressive (lines scanned in linear sequence) signal. As a result, there is greater integrity and flexibility of signal content.

In addition, since the DTV signal is made up of "bits", the same bandwidth size that takes up a current analog TV signal, can accommodate not only a higher quality image in digital form, but the extra space not used for the TV signal can be used for additional video, audio, and text signals.

In other words broadcasters can supply more features, such as surround sound, multiple language audio, text services, and more in the same space now occupied by a standard analog TV signal. However, there is one more advantage to the ability of a Digital TV channel's space; the ability to transmit High Definition (HDTV) signals.

The ability to broadcast programming in a true widescreen (16x9 aspect ratio) is another difference between Digital TV and Analog TV. The shape of the picture more closely resembles the shape of a movie screen, which enables the viewer to see the movie as the filmmaker intended. Imagine a TV that can display widescreen images without a large amount of picture space taken up by black bars on the top and bottom of a widescreen image, which is what you see if such images are shown on a standard TV. Even non-HDTV sources, such as DVD can also take advantage of a 16x9 TV.

This piece of information is news for most……….. Did you know that February 17, 2009 is officially tagged as the “Analog TV Broadcast cut-off date”? A recent study conducted by The Association of Public Television Stations most consumers are totally unaware of the Analog Television Broadcasting cut-off date. Consumers start making plans on how to get rid of those TV sets that you bought 6-11years ago. The new age being ushered will allow you enjoy high definition television on your new TV tops.

Click here here to learn about the Dish Network High definition systems & packages.
Click here here to learn about the Direc Network High definition systems & packages.