Confusion over High-Definition TV

[BGonaSTICK]

Now that a critical mass of people have embraced digital TV, DVDs, and digital video recorders, the next revolution for TV is being prepared for our sets.

In most corners of TV and technology industries, high-definition (HDTV) is being heralded as the biggest thing to happen to the television since colour. HD essentially makes TV picture quality at least four times better than now.

But there is real concern that people are not getting the right information about HD on the High Street. Thousands of flat panel screens - LCDs (liquid crystal displays), plasma screens, and DLP rear-projection TV sets - have already been sold as "HD", but are in fact not able to display HD.

There are 74 different devices that are being sold as HD but are not HD-ready, according to Alexander Oudendijk, senior vice president of marketing for satellite giant Astra.

They may be fantastic quality TVs, but many do not have adaptors in them - called DVI or HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connectors - which let the set handle the higher resolution digital images.

Part of this is down to lack of understanding and training on the High Street, say industry experts.

The industry already recognised that it would be a challenge to get the right information about it across to those of us who will be watching it, and eventually that will be everyone. The BBC is currently developing plans to produce all its TV output to meet HDTV standards by 2010.

Preparations for the analogue switch-off are already underway, and programmes are being filmed with HD cameras.

Sky will start broadcasts of HDTV programmes, offering them as "premium channel packages", concentrating, to start with, on sports, big events, and films, in April 2006.

But the set-top box which receives HDTV broadcasts has to plug into a display - TV set - that can show the images at the much higher resolution that HD demands, if HDTV is to be "real".

By 2010, 20% of homes in the UK will have some sort of TV set or display that can show HD in its full glory.

But it is all getting rather confusing for people who have only just taken to "being digital".

As a result, all the key players, those who make flat panel displays, as well as the satellite companies and broadcasters, formed a HD forum in 2004 to make sure they were all talking to each other.

Part of the forum has been concerned with issues like industry standards and content protection.

But it has also been preoccupied with how to help the paying public know exactly what they are paying for.

From April 2005, all devices with the right connectors and resolution have carried an "HD-Ready" sticker.

This also means they are equipped to cope with both analogue and HDTV signals, and so comply with the minimum specification set out by the industry.

The European Broadcast Union (EBU) is testing different flavours of HD formats to prepare for even better HDTV further down the line.

It is similarly concerned that people get the right information on HDTV formats, as well as which devices will support the formats.

"We believe consumers buying expensive displays need to ensure their investment is worthwhile," said Phil Laven, technical director for the EBU.

The TV display manufacturers want us to watch HD on screens that are at least 42in (106cm), to get the "true impact" of HD, they say, although smaller displays suffice.

What may convince people to spend money on HD-ready devices is the falling prices, which continue to tumble across Europe.

The prices are dropping an average of 20% every year, according to analysts.

[Dogsbelly]

Hi,
Just been looking at Currys Online and You can scrape into HD @ £500 but £600 with a 26" LCD makes more sense.

The small screen stuff 14-20" is definitely retro [ No HD] but holds its price at present just because it is cheap? - I remember almost buying a Grundig 17" a year ago for £600 - Wimps sometimes Win!!

If I have read it right your reciever just needs to handle MPEG4 and have a DVI or HDMI connector which is just a substitute for MPEG2 and Scart? No cost to the provider but a new box for Me

At present I have a battered Sky reciever/ a SHand dish [self-installed ]/4:3 Sony Telly. We are looking to upgrade [for us] bigstyle. It seems HD means "Wait for a while"

John

[BGonaSTICK]

I really don't want to wait for HDTV, and that's very unlike me. I'll normally sit on the fence for ages. In fact, I'm still considering Betamax. HDTV though, I've just gotta have.

Standards seem to be in a mess ( : no surprise there then...) with competing video compression technologies such as MPEG4 part10 a, H.264 and Windows Media 9 all competing to knock MPEG2 off it's crumbling perch, and new modulation formats such as 8PSK/DVB-S2 further muddying the waters I've just gotta hang on a few months at least.

By then we should all be nice and comfy with Sky HD's technology, the matching TV technology and the decision from the BBC over what format it will use for the World Cup broadcasts and beyond. Only then can I really justify storming the retail stores with my credit cards.

But you've got to have HD for the World Cup, right? ops:

Other than that, if an 'HDTV' doesn't have either DVI or HDMI, forget it. Likewise, you would be crazy to buy an HD telly that couldn't display at the maximum resolution of 1080i as opposed to 720p.

Unless it was VERY cheap of course