Chris Barker wrote:
> I don't know anything about HDTV, really, nor about TV's specifications, but
> I do know this: that the picture you get on TVs in the US is particularly
> poor.
>
> Well that was true when I was there 20 years ago ... :-)
>
The NTSC (Never the Same Color) system to which you refer is in the last
stages of replacement. HDTV is the new standard, a digital system with
over twice the vertical lines and a commensurate increase in horizontal
resolution. By law, all over the air broadcasts using the old system and
frequencies cease next February.
The requirement that new sets have an HDTV tuner has been phasing in for
years, starting with the larger sizes. The gov't is subsidizing tuners
that convert HDTV to NTSC for those who won't or can't buy new sets.
The quality of newer NTSC broadcasts has improved a great deal over the
last years, as production has all been in HD and the lower rez
broadcasts are down sampled from that.
HD broadcasting of all over the air content has been happening for some
time, in parallel with the old system. Full quality HD on a good set is
exceptionally good. HD on cable or satellite, the source for the
majority of the US population, is also very good, although compressed to
save bandwidth. Many video heads see little or no difference in the same
feed via over the air vs. the subscription services.
Moose
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