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Watching HDTV

What do I need to watch HDTV?

Last update October, 2007
Preface:
                Since KFDM-DT is a broadcast television station, this discussion will concern itself with reception of KFDM’s digital High Definition broadcast signal. You can also get HDTV programs from satellite or cable. You will need to subscribe to their HDTV service and obtain their HDTV “converter box”.  You also get to send them money every month.  KFDM’s HDTV service is free.  There are no recurring fees to pay for KFDM’s broadcast high definition television service. Our HDTV signal is now available on Time Warner cable (channel 865), but it is not yet available on satellite.

1. An HDTV set

There are "HDTV monitors", and "HDTV sets". HDTV monitors do not have built-in tuners.  There are "HDTV ready", "HDTV capable", "HDTV compatible" and several other ambiguous terms applied to HDTV sets.

A true "HDTV set" is supposed to have analog and digital tuners, while “HDTV ready", "HDTV capable", and “HDTV compatible" sets will probably have an analog tuner, but not a digital tuner.

The first question is do you want a monitor or a TV? You can connect a lot of stuff to a monitor, including a DVD, a VCR, and a digital or analog tuner. The advantage of a TV is that you have one less thing to connect and fewer remotes to keep track of. The advantage of a monitor is that as digital tuner technology advances, (more features are added) you can upgrade the tuner without buying a new TV set.

You should select your HDTV set based upon picture quality and any extra features that it may have.  If the set you have selected does not have a built-in digital tuner then you can purchase an external tuner to watch broadcast HDTV.  The price difference between a “set” with a tuner and a “set” without a tuner is pretty much the cost of the tuner.

The second question is do you want a wide screen set?  HDTV is shown in the wide screen 16x9 format (the ratio of width to height).  Normal TV's have a 4x3 format. Wide screen pictures displayed on a 4x3 format TV will result in black bands at the top and bottom of the set.  If this bothers you, you will probably want a wide screen set.

The last question is what type of set, “direct view “or projection?  Your selection would depend upon what size set you want, which depends upon the size of the room you are going to put it in. 

Go to: http://www.audioholics.com/techtips/specsformats/displays_LCD_DLP_plasma1.html for a comparison of the available types of HDTV sets.  This site lists the advantages and disadvantages of each type of display.

One word of caution concerning HDTV sets, regardless of type or size.  Every HDTV set has a “native format” it uses to display the picture. The set (or monitor) will convert all pictures to this “native format” for display.  For example, if I send out my 1080i signal and the native format of your set is 480p, then your set will convert my 1080i signal to 480p before it displays it.

Any set with a native format of 480p (or 480i) is NOT a high definition TV set, and you will NEVER see HDTV on such a set.  A true HDTV set (or monitor) will have a native format of either 1080 or 720 (with an “i” or a “p” after the number). If the salesperson does not know; (or will not tell you) the native format of the set they are trying to sell you, RUN (do not walk) to another retailer. “480”, “720”, or “1080” are the only valid answers to this question. “HDTV” is not a valid answer.  If “480” is the answer, it is not an HDTV set.  The picture on this 480 screen is still very good; it’s just not HDTV.

2. An External Digital Tuner (if your set does not have a built-in digital tuner)

A "converter box" and a "digital tuner" are pretty much the same thing. There are major differences on the inside, but for our discussion the only difference is that "converter box" is normally applied to cable or satellite service while "digital tuner" only applies to broadcast TV. 

An external digital tuner currently cost between $100 - $400. The $100 models will pick up broadcast HDTV stations only and are hard to find. The $400 models are usually satellite HDTV receivers (used for DirecTV and DishNetwork HDTV services) but they will also pick up broadcast HDTV stations. If you subscribe to satellite, the “HDTV satellite receiver” you got with your satellite HDTV subscription may be able to pick up broadcast stations.  If it does, you are ahead of the game, and don’t need a separate digital tuner. Currently, no “cable HDTV converter box” that I know of will pick up broadcast HDTV. 

A DirecTV HDTV satellite receiver is available at Best Buy, Circuit City, and several other retailers for $299 or less.  These satellite receivers are designed to pick up broadcast HDTV signals as well as satellite HDTV.  I purchased a digital tuner at Circuit City last year for $200.

3. An Antenna

Just about any “normal” television antenna will pick up a digital (HDTV) signal. There is nothing magical about HDTV that requires a special antenna.  The further you are from my transmitter, the larger the antenna needs to be. If you are far enough away from my transmitter, you may need to put the antenna on a pole.  You may also need an antenna amplifier.

If you absolutely refuse to install an antenna, you do not need a digital tuner.  You will have to subscribe to Time Warner cable, or wait until the satellite providers decide to add our digital signal to their system.

Part Three

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