It used to be that everyone watched analog TV. This technology, which is still in use for many TV watchers, relies on the same one which allows us to receive radio signals. Basically, this is your standard antenna TV which will give you static and poor reception at the most inopportune times. When cable and satellite came along, people were interested in getting all the new channels that were becoming available. Technology has improved upon its cable and satellite with digital TV for a cleaner and more consistent picture. However, another addition has been made to TV, which gives us a picture so real and clear, that people are wondering how they were ever impressed by anything else. HDTV is the next level of quality for those who want to feel like they are right there at a football game, or flying along the amazing coastline of New Zealand. Although, digital TV, or 'DTV' sounds similar to 'HDTV,' there are some distinct differences.

The clearest way to understand the difference between HDTV and DTV is to know what they do. HDTV stands for High Definition Television and it gives one a crystal clear, high quality picture. Although, DTV can provide one with a wonderful picture, it is not as magnificent as an HDTV one. DTV stands for Digital Television and it refers to how the picture came to be on your television. Basically, it is the kind of signal one is receiving. Therefore, although we can describe HDTV as arriving at a television by the same means as DTV, there is a difference in the quality of the picture one will get.


Another difference between the two is that you can have digital TV capabilities, yet not be able to receive any HDTV pictures. This does not usually mean that you have a bad form of digital TV. However, it does mean that you do not live in an area with any HDTV broadcasting stations. Unfortunately, broadcasting, in general, has not yet caught up to the technology available. Luckily, for those of us who are hungry for HDTV's beautiful picture, the first step in getting the picture will be easier in 2007. The FCC is requiring that stations move to digital technology by 2007. This still means that those same stations will have to transmit HDTV channels through their system. Competition will move this process along much quicker than we think.

Just when the difference between HDTV and DTV started to make sense, consumers started hearing about the many different kinds of digital TV. In fact, there are 18 different forms of broadcasting for DTV. The definitions applied to each usually describe the amount of scan lines and scan formats. For example, 480i means that the digital image is transmitting 240 lines of the picture in tenths of a second and the other 240 lines in the next tenth of a second. The small letter ?I? that follows the number means that the picture 'interlaces' both sets of lines to create the whole image. One can think of one set of lines as even and the other as odd. 480i is just one of the ways by which digital TV is transmitted to our TV sets.

There is also the progressive format, or for example, 480p. This means that instead of alternating between transmitting even and odd lines, all 480 lines are flickered at us every tenth of a second. Many people prefer the 'p' formats because they produce a somewhat smoother picture than the 'I' format.

These DTV transmissions do not have to be just 480 lines of image. Some use 720 or 525. HDTV usually uses at least 1080i. When thought of this way, one starts to understand why HDTV is the best of the best of DTV transmissions. To best view the beauty of HDTV, consumers are being urged to buy HDTV monitors, tuners, DTV receivers, or even a projector, because not only does HDTV transmit more lines of an image, it creates a wide screen effect. However, with the right converters, even your regular TV set is still able to pick up some of the digital transmissions which broadcasters are now offering. Just be aware that you will not get the optimal effect until you upgrade your own technology.