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HDTV (High Definition Television)
is here today, and it's FREE!
CITY-BY-CITY FREQUENCY TUNING GUIDE
Don't be misled…
you don't have to use a pay service to have "High Definition
Television" (HDTV)
If you are at this site, it is quite
likely you saw an informational spot stating “This
program is available “ FREE Over-The-Air” in HDTV” on
a ‘standard’ analog television set. Welcome to our site! You have
two decisions to now make…find out what HDTV is all about (read
on…), or find what companion HDTV programming is available to you
“FREE Over-The-Air”.
"Over-the-air" HDTV is just one of the
many new and exciting services your local television station is
providing you today, with even more services being planned for your
future. Free "over-the-air" DTV (Digital Television) has been
mandated by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), and all
television broadcasters are required to provide this service to you,
"over the air"... for FREE!
This site will serve as a resource to
you as you begin to understand and enjoy Free HDTV. We will
try to provide you with answers to common questions on DTV and
HDTV, and provide useful information in helping you make an
informed decision that's best for you and your family. Give us time
over the coming weeks and months to educate you, so that you can
feel confident in making an informed buying choice.
To start, here are some of the FACTS!
What
is the difference between Analog and Digital Television?
Analog Television (Standard = NTSC -
National Television Standards Committee)
The analog television broadcast system used in the United States for
the past 50 years transmits signals as an electronic wave. In the
wave, images and sounds are represented by continuously changing
frequencies and voltage levels. Transmitters broadcast this signal
over the air, and the waves are translated back into images and
sounds by TV sets. Unfortunately, the shape of this wave is
susceptible to degradation as it travels to your home. This
degradation can introduce unwanted elements, called artifacts, into
the picture. Many things can interfere with an analog signal, such
as planes passing overhead and household appliances.
Digital Television (Standard =
ATSC - Advanced Television Systems Committee)
When a digital television signal is transmitted, images and sounds
are divided into tiny components of digital information, the ones
and zeros of computer language. The digital data provides a more
consistent signal that is highly resistant to interference. Unlike
the analog wave, there is little chance of misinterpreting what the
computer data means. Digital television sets can then receive this
data and decode it back into images and sounds. The result is a
perfect, studio-quality picture free from the interference, snow and
ghosts that appear on analog TV broadcasts.
Advantages of DTV (Digital
Television)
Picture
Picture realism adds to the television experience, and crisp digital
pictures are one of the biggest advantages of digital television.
Unlike analog TV, digital TV is free from snow, ghosts and
interference. With HDTV, you get 4 to 5 times more picture
information than conventional analog TV pictures. Combine that with
the new widescreen format, and you have the ultimate home theater
viewing experience.
Sound
Sound adds emotion to the television experience and DTV (Digital
Television) is enhanced with CD-quality theater-like audio. The DTV
signal may include audio in the 5.1 channel Dolby® Digital format -
separate left and right front channels, left and right rear
channels, center and LFE (Low Frequency Effects-subwoofer) channels.
Multicasting and Datacasting
"Over the air" DTV broadcasts carry huge amounts of digital
information - more than 19 megabits per second. Because of this,
your local broadcaster may choose to split their channel into two,
three or more streams of programming to offer more choice and
flexibility to the viewer.
Multicasting allows your local broadcaster to transmit several
standard-definition digital programs at the same time. For example,
you may have the choice of a high-definition movie, a popular sitcom
and a news program from a single local station!
Datacasting links information from various sources, such as the
Internet, to the television broadcast and allows the information to
be displayed on-screen at the same time as a television program or
delivered to your PC. You may then be able to get the latest stock
quotes, access statistics on your favorite player during a football
game, or order the product you just saw advertised right from your
TV.
Digital Video Formats
The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) DTV standard
adopted by the FCC in 1996 contains 18 defined scanning formats.
They include interlaced and progressive scan HDTV and SDTV formats
with varying frame rates, and two aspect ratios.
Active Lines
Scanning formats are measured in active lines of picture elements or
pixels transmitted, both horizontal and vertical. The number of
total pixels is calculated by multiplying the amount of vertical
lines by the density of horizontal picture elements. For example,
the 1920x1080 HDTV format has more than 2 million pixels. (1920 X
1080 = 2,073,600). Today's NTSC video only has a resolution of
211,200 pixels (480 vertical lines and 440 horizontal pixels).
Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio refers to the shape of the video image. Today's
television has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is almost square in
appearance. Digital television will have either a 4:3 or 16:9 aspect
ratio. A 16:9 aspect ratio is widescreen, and appears rectangular:
this looks more like a movie screen, filling more of the viewer's
field of vision for a more lifelike viewing experience.
Scanning Method (interlaced
vs. Progressive)
Frames of video are made up of many lines of video that are scanned
onto a television screen so closely they appear to be a solid
picture. The scanning method can be either interlaced or
progressive. Interlaced scanning (also used in today's analog TV),
indicated by an "i" in the video format, fills in the odd number
lines (1,3,5,7...) and then fills in the even number lines
(2,4,6,8...) until the frame is complete. Progressive scanning, "P",
fills in each line consecutively until the frame is complete, like a
computer display.
Frame Rate
Frame rate, also known as picture rate, is the speed at which the
lines are scanned in order to create a video frame, 60-, 30-, or
24-frames per second.
What
is Digital TV (DTV) and how is HDTV related?
FACT!
- "Over-the-air" Digital Television (DTV) is an entirely new way to
view television. DTV is turbo-charged television, yielding clearer
pictures, better sound, more programming and more viewing excitement
than traditional analog television. From your local station,
"over-the-air" DTV offers a picture free of "ghosts," "snow" and
other interference. The crisper, shaper image is due to the
increased number of picture elements (pixels) the digital signal
puts on the screen - the higher the number, the sharper the picture…
DTV brings viewers
three (3) video formats, each different in picture quality…
SDTV: Better Than Regular TV
With DTV, SDTV (Standard
Definition TV) picture resolution is better than today's analog (640
x 480 min. vs. 440 x 480 max.)-a noticeable improvement. The audio
is digital, too, so the sound is of higher quality than on analog TV
(like a CD compared to FM radio) and may even feature multiple
channels of surround sound.
EDTV: Really
getting good
With DTV, the next level of
digital television is EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV). EDTV features a
minimum of 480p scanning lines, for a more detailed picture than
SDTV. You can see the difference. EDTV also can reproduce Dolby®
Digital audio. EDTV provides DVD quality pictures and sound!
HDTV: THE BEST
YOU CAN GET! Direct TV HDTV Specials
Dish Network HDTV Specials
HDTV has all the benefits of EDTV,
but goes far beyond it in picture resolution and audio features. The
HDTV specification requires a minimum of 1080i or 720p scanning
lines, far higher than EDTV and about five times the resolution of
analog TV! It's a level of detail that you've never seen before. The
added benefit is 5.1 channel Dolby® Digital sound (movie theater
quality sound), at home!
1080i and 720p
How do 1080i and 720p compare? 1080i actually has higher
resolution than 720p, but doesn't render motion quite as well.
720p-with its progressive scanning-delivers smoother motion
(especially important for fast-moving action, such as in sports) but
has lower resolution than 1080i. Numbers don't always tell the whole
story. (Don't worry; HDTV receivers can receive both formats, and
HDTV televisions can display both formats.)
Free
"over-the-air" DTV also enables local broadcasters to
multicast, bringing viewers multiple sub-channels of
over-the-air programming simultaneously in a variety of picture
formats, SDTV, EDTV and HDTV TOGETHER! Because the signal is
'digital', the 'bits' can be divided-up to provide flexibility in
program opportunities. Some of the programming on the air today
makes use of "multicasting" to bring a wide variety of programs into
your home. Here is an example of flexible multicast programming
which can be brought to you throughout the day…
All of this…FREE
"over-the-air"!
Do I
have to buy a new DTV set today?
 FACT!
- Not necessarily. Today's NTSC analog televisions can be used if
you purchase an "over-the-air" receiver with the right outputs
(composite video, s-video, etc.) If you want "true" HDTV, then the
answer is yes, you MAY need to buy a digital set.
While all of the TV industry is
transitioning to DTV, there is a period of time that both FREE
"over-the-air" analog (today's regular TV) and DTV will both be
broadcast. In 1996, the FCC had stated that analog television could
be 'shut off' at the end of 2006, or when there was a minimum of 85%
of television households receiving DTV. It is unlikely that the
original date will be applied.
Every TV that you purchase today,
regardless of it being analog or digital, will work long into the
future to provide the picture it was designed to produce. DTV
receivers (set top boxes) that 'decode' DTV signals to provide
'analog' picture and sound for your current TV are available today
for a nominal cost that will continue to drop in the very near
future.
 Free
"over-the-air" DTV brings viewers five times the picture
resolution and clarity of analog TV, making viewers feel like they
are right in the middle of the action on their screens.
"over-the-air" DTV uses binary code, the same system of ones and
zeroes that runs on computers and digitally recorded compact discs.
Switching TV broadcasts to digital is like switching from cassette
tapes to compact disc or from VHS tape to DVD – the pictures are
clearer, and sound is improved, giving viewers their favorite
programs on a whole new level. In addition, with a 16:9 aspect ratio
compared to today’s 4:3 aspect ratio of analog television,
"over-the-air" DTV lets viewers see "the big picture" with much
wider images.
What
is HDTV?
FACT!
-- HDTV, or "High Definition Television", is a much higher quality
television broadcast system which delivers theatre-quality pictures
and CD-quality sound. The HDTV picture contains 5 times more detail,
or better resolution, than the best analog television pictures
today. The result is picture and sound so life-like, that it's like
being there.
HDTV can provide up to
5.1 channels of Dolby® Digital CD-quality surround sound, adding to
the ultimate home theatre experience. All of this…FREE
"over-the-air"!
How
can I get "MY FREE HDTV"?
FACT!
- FREE "over-the-air" HDTV television signals are being
provided by many of your local television stations. Most of the
"Prime Time" programming by your network stations is provided to
your local TV station in HDTV. You need NOT pay for it by purchasing
a monthly subscription from a Cable or Satellite provider. If your
local station is broadcasting it in HDTV, all you need is a simple
antenna (type defined by your location), an "over-the-air" HDTV
receiver, and a monitor that will support the receivers HDTV output.
Your equipment needs
will vary depending on what components you currently have, what you
want to display, and how big your budget is. These simple diagrams
can help you wire some of the more common configurations. Remember,
to receive great looking TV, you don't have to do everything at
once. You can build your system "step by step", and work within a
reasonable budget.
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Figure 1 - DTV using your
Analog TV |
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Figure 2 - DTV using your
Analog w/ Satellite or Cable |
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Figure 3 - DTV & HDTV |
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If you just have to have HDTV,
when shopping for a new television, demand that your new television
equipment has the capability of receiving FREE "over-the-air"
HDTV!
Why
are new HDTV televisions shaped differently?
FACT! - The newer HDTV
television sets are more rectangular than traditional television
sets. HDTV images are shown in a "wide-screen" format (commonly know
as the 16x9 aspect ratio). The shape of the picture more closely
resembles the shape of a movie screen, which enables the viewer to
see the movie as the filmakers intended. In Sports, you can see more
of the action in one camera shot, such as viewing the entire length
of a football field without making look like it is a long distance
away from the camera. A "wide Screen" (16x9) TV 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. Bring the
movie theatre experience right into your home! FREE "over-the-air"
HDTV!
16x9 Explained
Are
all television shows broadcast in HDTV?
FACT! - More and more
shows are being broadcast in HDTV. Especially Sports and Network
Primetime television show. As more and more people switch to HDTV
the programming will continue to rise.
Here are just some of the shows
available from the broadcast networks (subject to change):
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ABC
Shows: 8 Simple Rules; According to Jim; Alias; George Lopez;
Hope & Faith; Kingdom Hospital (summer only); Less than Perfect;
Life with Bonnie (summer only); Married to the Kelly's (summer
only); My Wife and Kids; NYPD Blue; The Practice: Fleet Street
(fall); Desperate Housewives (fall); Life as We Know It (fall);
Rodney (fall); Savages (fall); Blind Justice; Eyes; Grey's
Anatomy; made-for-TV movies; theatrical films
Sports and specials: 2004 Stanley Cup; 2004 NBA finals; Monday
Night Football
Resolution: 720p
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CBS
Shows: Cold Case; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; CSI: Miami;
Everybody Loves Raymond; JAG; Joan of Arcadia; Judging Amy; King
of Queens; Navy NCIS; Still Standing; Two and a Half Men;
Without a Trace; Listen Up (fall); Clubhouse (fall); Center of
the Universe (fall); CSI: NY (fall); Dr. Vegas (fall); The Young
and the Restless; made-for-TV movies; theatrical films
Sports and specials: U.S. Open Tennis; The Masters
Resolution: 1080i
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FOX
Shows: Bernie Mac, "24", The O.C., Tru Calling, Malcolm in the
Middle, Arrested Development, more TBA (announced plans to
broadcast half of prime-time shows in HDTV by fall 2004)
Sports and specials: NFL, NASCAR,
Movies, others
Resolution: 720p
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NBC
Shows: include American Dreams; ER; Law & Order; Law & Order:
Criminal Intent; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Third Watch;
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; The West Wing; Come to Papa;
made-for-TV movies; theatrical films
Sports and specials: Triple Crown
Resolution: 1080i
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PBS
Shows: Highlights include American Family; Great Performances;
Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks; A Thief of Time, An
American Mystery! Special; Soundstage; and Nova
Sports and specials: N/A
Resolution: 1080i
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CW
Shows: Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, Girlfriends, The Game,
America's Next Top Model, One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, Veronica
Mars, Smallville, Supernatural, Friday Night Smackdown
Sports and specials: N/A
Resolution: 1080i
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MyTV
Shows: Desire and Fashion House. Coming in December are Watch
Over Me and Art Of Betrayal, followed by A Dangerous Love and
Rules of Deception in March
Sports and specials: N/A
Resolution: 1080i |
Is "MY FREE HDTV" better than
"Digital Cable" or "Digital Satellite"?
FACT! - Yes! Free
"over the air" HDTV images provided by your local TV station
can be superior to pay services such as Digital Cable or Satellite.
Not all of the 'digital information' is required to be carried by
these pay services. Also, just because a show is viewed on one of
the pay services or is 'digital' does not mean it is a HDTV signal.
Most cable or satellite pay services do not yet carry your local
HDTV digital channels. Just because it's digital doesn't mean it's
HDTV. Many of your local television broadcasters can deliver a true
HDTV picture that you can watch, and it's FREE "over-the-air"!
From
http://www.myfreehdtv.org
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