Cable HDTV

For anyone who loves a sharp, clear picture, cable HDTV is the most exciting part of America's transition from analogue TV broadcasting to digital broadcasts. There are hours of cable HDTV programs on every night of the week. Those are the shows with an onscreen message at the beginning: "Presented in high definition where available." Some viewers see that message and mistakenly think they're seeing HDTV on their 15-year-old set. It's not quite that simple.

To experience true high-definition television in your home, you need a source of HDTV signals, a tuner to receive and decode those signals, and a high-performance display screen that can reproduce the remarkable detail and colour of HDTV images. Many people have invested thousands of dollars in an HDTV without giving much thought to what they'll be watching on it. This article will help you put all the pieces of the puzzle together so you can avoid costly mistakes and experience the full magnificence of cable HDTV.

First, we'll take a look at how to get HD signals. Then, we'll cover some common HDTV terms and questions, as well as the digital TV transition.

How to find Cable HDTV signals in your area

We describe the basic ways to receive high-definition programs below. Once you know what type(s) of HDTV signals are available, you'll have a clearer idea of what equipment you need to watch them.

Over-the-air broadcasts: Digital TV broadcasts are currently being transmitted by most local stations across the country covering virtually 100% of U.S. TV households. Most digital stations broadcast in the normal UHF range (channels 14 through 69), so you can receive them with a UHF antenna. Some stations use the "high-band VHF" range (ch. 7-13), and a few are "low-band VHF" (ch. 2-6), so you may need a UHF/VHF antenna. For antenna info that's specific to your address, visit the Consumer Electronics Association's antenna selector website.
Over-the-air broadcasts

What you need:
* HD-compatible TV
* HDTV (ATSC) tuner - separate unit or built into TV
* Indoor or outdoor UHF or UHF/VHF antenna
* Local HDTV broadcasts (they're free!)

Cable HDTV: Cable TV providers now offer the option of cable HDTV service to about 90% of subscribers, especially those living in medium- and big-city TV markets. Don't confuse "digital cable" with HDTV via cable - while it's true that all HD cable channels are digital, not all digital channels are high-def. Digital cable usually means that you get more channels, and the picture quality may look a little better than regular cable, but it doesn't equate to HDTV. If your cable provider does offer HDTV, you'll probably need to upgrade your cable box to an HDTV-capable model.

Steve Kindig - Jun 11, 2009