The transition to high-definition television really picked up steam this fall as ABC, CBS, NBC, and the WB filled their 2003–04 prime-time schedules with more hours of HDTV programming than ever before. During an entire week, these networks are offering some 70 hours of HDTV. And more local TV stations have begun broadcasting a digital signal and passing along high-definition network shows.
When you consider, though, that nearly three out of four households get TV signals through cable, the more significant trend has been the rapid rise in the number of neighborhood cable systems adding HDTV channels — six new channels per system on average. The high-def selections include network affiliates, movies from premium services like HBO and Showtime, and channels like Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, and HDNet Movies. And the DirecTV satellite service, which already provides premium movie channels in high-definition, has added a tier of four HDTV channels that includes ESPN HD.
The explosion in high-def programming is great news for home theater enthusiasts. Not only can you now watch lots of movies, which look even better on HDTV than on DVD, but you can also tune in plenty of detective shows, musical performances, nature tours, and sporting events on a regular basis. The days of owning a widescreen HDTV but having little or nothing to watch on it are gone.
And the picture isn’t the only wow factor — there’s also the sound. A number of network shows and most of the movies carried by the premium channels come with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, providing movie-theaterlike surround sound to match the filmlike quality of the picture. All told, it’s shaping up to be a banner year for HDTV entertainment, so here’s a handy guide to help you find it.
PDF: What's on Network TV
PDF: What's on Cable & Satellite
PDF: Where to Get Local Broadcasts
PDF: Where to Get HDTV on Cable
Digital TV Basics
HDTV on Your Cable Bill
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HDTV ON YOUR CABLE BILL
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Our national survey of cable systems indicates that pricing for HDTV channels is all over the map. The basic monthly cost, which typically includes the charge for leasing an HDTV-compatible cable box and some — but not necessarily all — of your network affiliates, ranges from $15 to $63. In some cases, the cable system doesn’t carry any commercial or PBS stations in high-def, and the basic fee simply lets you subscribe to premium movie groups, specifically multiple channels of HBO or Showtime with their HDTV channels. In some places, the higher-priced systems include a handful of additional channels such as Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, HDNet Movies (HDNM), and ESPN HD. In others, these additional channels are priced as another premium tier. A few systems require you to buy an HDTV-compatible cable box for $450 to $499, while some may allow this as an alternative to leasing. Cable marketers typically try to sell you banquet-size packages in which the HDTV channels, if offered at all, are buried. When you subscribe to hundreds of channels, the cost per channel is relatively low. Of course, if you never watch most of them, you may be better off subscribing to a basic package. Find out which HDTV local channels are included and which premium and additional high-def channels are offered on an à la carte basis. — Michael Antonoff |
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DIGITAL TV BASICS
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While America’s digital TV (DTV) system offers plenty of options for broadcasting programs, the only formats you need to be aware of are 1080i (interlaced) and 720p (progressive-scan) high-definition TV and 480p and 480i standard-definition TV. Any off-air DTV tuner you buy will be able to handle broadcasts in all four formats and display a standard- or high-def image on your set. The stations and cable channels listed in this guide provide at least some programs in 1080i or 720p. The two HDTV formats differ in the number of lines of vertical resolution they provide: 1,080 for 1080i and 720 for 720p. In interlaced programs, the lines in each video frame are divided into two alternating fields that are “drawn” on the screen sequentially. This process happens so fast that your eyes fill in the gaps. With progressive-scan programs, all the lines in each video frame appear onscreen together. HDTV programs are produced with a 16:9 aspect ratio — the same shape as widescreen HDTV displays and similar to a movie theater screen. In comparison, standard-definition programs have only 480 lines of vertical resolution — effectively equivalent to a DVD: 480p is scanned progressively and 480i is interlaced. Standard-def programs can use either the widescreen 16:9 or the standard, squarish 4:3 aspect ratio. — Al Griffin |