| Digital TV is on it's way. Do you know what | | | | As with most things in today's modern society |
| you need to do? Are you prepared? Find your | | | | Digital Television comes in a couple of |
| answers here. | | | | quality levels:- |
| | | | |
| Your traditional television is known as an | | | | Standard Definition TV (SDTV) - This is the |
| analog (analogue) television. It works by | | | | basic level of digital television |
| encoding the picture and sound information as | | | | transmission. It has a quality similar to |
| an analog signal. The picture on an analog | | | | today's analog TV; |
| television is drawn on the screen one entire | | | | |
| frame at a time. The analog signals are | | | | Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV) - This gives a |
| transmitted continuously even if there is no | | | | better level of quality and includes Dolby |
| new information to send. | | | | digital surround sound; |
| | | | |
| A digital television receives information as | | | | High Definition TV (HDTV) - This as the name |
| a digital signal. This is an entirely new | | | | suggests gives the best quality digital |
| technology and will eventually replace the | | | | picture and Dolby digital surround sound. |
| analog television system. | | | | |
| | | | Currently, most TV stations in America are |
| The digital signals are transmitted using | | | | broadcasting digital and analog. This means |
| computer code, which consist entirely of ones | | | | that you can view your favourite TV shows no |
| and zeroes. This is a difficult concept to | | | | matter what type of TV you have. However, |
| perceive but it works. Digital signals are | | | | after the 17th February 2009 the full-power |
| much more efficient, result in less | | | | TV stations will no longer be able to |
| interference and therefore it provides a | | | | broadcast in analog. |
| better quality picture and sound than analog. | | | | |
| | | | And if you have an analog TV you will not be |
| Another significant feature of digital | | | | able to view the shows unless you obtain a |
| television is that is uses a significantly | | | | separate digital-to-analog converter box or a |
| smaller channel bandwidth. This means there | | | | new digital TV. |
| is more 'space' for other digital channels | | | | |
| which will allow other non-television | | | | The National Telecommunications and |
| services such as pay-multimedia services, | | | | Information Administration (NTIA) will |
| multicasting (more than one program on the | | | | sometime at the start of 2008, issue |
| same channel), electronic program guides and | | | | qualifying households with $40 coupons |
| interactivity to be used at the same time. | | | | towards the purchase of a converter box. For |
| | | | more information on how to qualify go to |
| Whilst digital television often has superior | | | | |
| audio quality, image, and reception than | | | | Bear in mind though, that an analog TV |
| analog, it is still in the early stages of | | | | connected to a digital converter box will |
| development and there are still many advances | | | | display the digital broadcasts but not in |
| needed. | | | | full digital quality. |
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