Digital television (DTV) is quickly outclassing traditional, or analog, TV. Offering a crystal clear picture and super-sharp sound, digital television has revolutionized the TV experience.
The superior nature of digital broadcasting has led to a gradual conversion among broadcasters in the U.S. Back in 1996, Congress sanctioned the addition of a new channel to every TV broadcaster in the country in order to facilitate new DTV transmission while maintaining analog broadcasts. Today, television stations in the U.S. offer both analog and digital programming, but a target date of February 17, 2009, has been set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the conversion of all broadcast networks to digital format. Analog broadcasting will end on that date. With the new digital technology, fewer channels will be required for programming. As a result, the conversion from analog to digital will leave portions of the broadcast spectrum open for other uses by the FCC.
While the tried-and-true analog TV may be perfectly functional, DTVs represent a tremendous improvement in viewing. Analog sets employ magnetic waves for the transmission of images and sound, while digital sets utilize data, just as computers do, to create a superior audio and visual experience.
The big difference between these two types of television lies in resolution. A TV’s resolution determines the clarity of the image a viewer sees on the screen. Resolution is measured by pixels. Generally speaking, the more pixels on the screen, the better the picture. A typical analog set has a resolution of about 512 x 400 pixels. Believe it or not, a low-grade computer monitor offers far more pixels. In fact, most computer monitors have a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, while higher quality monitors have the ability to display 10 times as many pixels as an analog TV.
It’s hard to believe that a computer monitor can surpass a TV in terms of image quality, but it’s true. With a digital set, however, resolution is no longer an issue. Digital televisions deliver the same vividness, clarity and focus as the best computer monitor. Images are precise and crisp, thanks to the number of pixels involved – 10 times more than the amount in the typical analog set.
Digital TV has made a number of broadcasting advances possible. It has made high definition programming a reality for viewers, delivering sharp, high-quality images and sound in a wide screen format. Multicasting, or the simultaneous broadcasting of a number of different TV programs, has become an option for broadcasters thanks to digital technology. Now, instead of broadcasting one program on one channel, as with analog TV, broadcasters can offer several, high definition programs at once to viewers over a single channel.
Viewers with analog sets can continue to use them after the DTV transition occurs, but a converter box is required with analog TVs to read digital signals. These boxes should become widely available for purchase as the conversion date approaches. Cable and satellite TV users should contact their providers for information about adapting their analog sets to digital format.
About the Author
A leader in technology reporting, Julia Hall has published articles about the latest digital devices and gadgets for over ten years. After graduating from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, Julia turned down huge salaries from some of the most recognized fortune 500 companies in the world to pursue her dream of becoming a leading consumer advocate. Julia uses her expertise to cut through the too good to be true deals offered by high tech companies to reveal the real steals and the real duds that we're bombarded with daily. If you enjoy staying on the cutting edge of technology, whether for business or pleasure, but find yourself occassionaly confused by the overwhelming information out there let Julia be your guide.
