Hi-Def programming is broadcast everyday
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- What to know about HDTV hardware
- How to get HDTV programming over the air
with an antenna.
- How to get HDTV programming through a dish.
- How to get HDTV programming through Comcast
cable.
- The wonders of Digital Video recorders
I can help you
understand your HDTV options and install an HDTV solution.
The Hardware
If you want to watch High
Definition Television (HDTV) you need a television capable of displaying the high quality HDTV pictures.
Such monitors continue to drop in price and are now below $1000.
You also need a receiver which decodes the HDTV signal and outputs it to the
television monitor. Some HDTV televisions have the receiver included
within the monitor, some others HDTV televisions require a separate receiver box.
You will most likely want to include
a DVD player in your home theater environment. DVD's pictures display
wonderfully on a HDTV monitor.
You might also want to consider a
multi-speaker sound system to round-out your home theater. This
setup typically includes 6 speakers to provide 5-1 sound. It also
includes an audio-visual (AV) receiver. An AV receiver is like a stereo receiver, but can also switch and pass through video
signals from your HDTV receiver, satellite receiver, and DVD player.
HD Programming over
the air
Put up an antenna and you
receive HDTV signals over the air (just like TV was back in the 1960's!).
If you have a working TV antenna then you may not need a new one!
All of the
local stations in the Detroit market are broadcasting digital signals.
There is a mix of HD programs and rebroadcast standard programming on the
station's digital channel. But even the rebroadcast standard
definition programming looks better through a digital signal.
A large number
of programs are broadcast in full HD and the list grows daily. Some
examples of over the air HD programming: most CBS and ABC sitcoms, Monday
night football, college football, NHL hockey.
Check out
TitanTV.com for a digital TV guide:
www.titantv.com
HD Programming through DirectTV dish
While all
DirectTV channels are digital, only a limited number of the channels carry
HD programming. Current HDTV channels include the HBO and Showtime channels,
Discovery-HD, ESPN-HD, and HDNET.
These HD channels are transmitted as separate
channels in the 70 to 90 range; the same programming can typically be
watched on their corresponding standard channels. HDTV programming
uses more bandwidth than the standard DirectTV channels and are only
available bundled as part of premium packages with up-charges of $10 to $15
per month.
While
you can receive standard definition local channels from DirectTV for $6 per
month, no local HDTV channels are available.
To receive HD
programming through DirectTV you need a three lnb oval dish and a satellite
receiver capable of decoding the HDTV signals. This is NOT the
equipment you are provided as part of the DirectTV teaser offers which
promise free hardware.
DirectTV's HDTV info:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/imagine/HDTV.jsp
HD Programming through Comcast cable
Comcast provides a mixture of analog, digital, and
HDTV channels. For a $5 upcharge you can get a limited amount of HD
programming through Comcast cable. Current HDTV channels include PBS,
ABC, ESPN-HD, and NBC.
These HD channels are transmitted as
separate channels in the 80 to 90 range; the same programming can typically
be watched on their corresponding standard analog channels. You can pay more
to receive the premium HBO or Showtime packages. Confirm with Comcast
EXACTLY which channels they broadcast in HD so you won't be disappointed to
find your favorite shows are only transmitted in a non-HD format.
To receive the Comcast HD
programming you need a set top box provided by Comcast to decode the signals
from Comcast. The Comcast hardware is really very good and includes
component video and digital audio outputs. Unfortunately most of the
standard analog channels are broadcast in mono.
Good luck finding HDTV info on the
Comcast website:
www.comcast.com
Digital video recorders and HD
programming
Digital Video Recorders (DVRs)
like Tivo are wonderful products that change the way you watch TV.
They are simple to use. DVR's record like a VCR, but no tapes are
involved since all programs are recorded onto the unit's hard disk.
A DVR is really a computer you program to record your favorite programs through simple
menus that appear on the TV screen. They allow you to time-shift your television viewing,
enabling you to watch your favorite shows whenever you prefer and also skip through commercials while viewing!
Standard Tivo will not record HDTV signals.
It takes approximately 8GB of disk space to record an hour of HDTV
programming compared to about 1GB to record standard TV programming.
Some DVR's are now emerging
on the market that are capable of recording HDTV programming. Tivo now
offers an HD capable recorder that works with DirectTV for about $1000.
It can record programming received through both a roof top antenna and the
DirectTV dish.
Tivo:
www.tivo.com
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