Wednesday, January 05, 2005
HDTV - Where are we with it today?
After getting our first HDTV in May 2004 I can truly say that it's been a wonderful experience. What's limiting it today is the content - there's simply not enough of it out there. The number of channels providing decent content is severely limited to just a handful. While over the air (OTA) channels are great, they are constrained by directional and logistical challenges. For example, we live in a valley where it's difficult to receive OTA signals, thus limiting us to cable or satellite. Having said that, all is not bleak.Standard OTA channels, where available, are extremely clear and what better could you ask for than getting it for free.
Like any new technology, HDTV will need to be adopted in greater numbers to make more content available. That's already underway with dedicated channels like HDNet, INHD, and Discovery providing exclusive HD programming. Regular channels like ABC, CBS and NBC also provide HD broadcasts but that's not enough.
On the flip side, plain DVDs (in progressive scan DVD players) look great. The smoothness and vividness become apparent right away. I am sure the new crop of DVD players that upconvert regular 480p signals (480 lines in progressive mode) to 1080i (1080 lines in interlaced mode) may indeed make DVDs look very much like HD broadcast but that's something I have not personally explored. I do know of a few DVD players in the market that provide such upconversion feature. Offhand, I can think of these manufacturers - Zenith, Samsung and possibly Toshiba.
After getting our first HDTV in May 2004 I can truly say that it's been a wonderful experience. What's limiting it today is the content - there's simply not enough of it out there. The number of channels providing decent content is severely limited to just a handful. While over the air (OTA) channels are great, they are constrained by directional and logistical challenges. For example, we live in a valley where it's difficult to receive OTA signals, thus limiting us to cable or satellite. Having said that, all is not bleak.Standard OTA channels, where available, are extremely clear and what better could you ask for than getting it for free.
Like any new technology, HDTV will need to be adopted in greater numbers to make more content available. That's already underway with dedicated channels like HDNet, INHD, and Discovery providing exclusive HD programming. Regular channels like ABC, CBS and NBC also provide HD broadcasts but that's not enough.
On the flip side, plain DVDs (in progressive scan DVD players) look great. The smoothness and vividness become apparent right away. I am sure the new crop of DVD players that upconvert regular 480p signals (480 lines in progressive mode) to 1080i (1080 lines in interlaced mode) may indeed make DVDs look very much like HD broadcast but that's something I have not personally explored. I do know of a few DVD players in the market that provide such upconversion feature. Offhand, I can think of these manufacturers - Zenith, Samsung and possibly Toshiba.
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