What exactly is digital TV? Do you have to have HDTV to get digital? Will old TVs still work if u have cable?

Question

Basically, I don't understand the whole DTV thing, and I'd like a simple, easy-to-understand explanation. Thanks!!

Answer 1

Basically, digital tv is simply a better way to get high grade tv signals to you. For the older sets, you may need a decoder type box as you used to with cable but many of the cable companies already have the digital channels they have on their systems so some will need something new but most can get by with what they now have or a simple box to covert the signal from digital to analog so you can watch with the tv you now have. You do not have to have the HDTV to get the digital signal. That is simply a new way to get more lines of resolution, or clarity for your set so it looks as if you are there rather than that you are seeing tv. On your tv, you have lines that are made by your set every second, so many times per second so it looks as if it is a single picture when in fact it is many lines that are drawn across and up and down your screen many times per second. Open you hand up and spread your fingers and wave it across in front of your eyes and you can see the flicker of the waves. If you try to film a tv that is going, you will see a lot of times a strange line that is in it that you did not see when you took the picture. That is caused by the lines being drawn on your screen. Cable has a lot of digital programming on already so if you have that, you are already enjoying the digital tv without knowing it. Hope this answers your question.

Answer 2

Digital TV is television broacast according to the standards established by the ATSC. It is also satellite TV, and some cable companies offer digital transmission. It is also what comes off of a DVD disc. All of these are different. However, from your question, I think you are concerned about the switchover to digital broadcast television in 2009. In that year, all broadcast television will become digital, and any set that does not have a digital tuner will not be able to receive off-the-air TV anymore. This will NOT affect cable or satellite. Digital TV does NOT mean HDTV, although HDTV is a part of the ATSC specification. If you presently have a set with only an analog (NTSC) tuner, you will be able to get an adaptor that will receive the digital signals and convert them so your set will still work. You will not get HDTV if your set is not an HDTV set, but the digital pictures will look better than the analog pictures you are now getting. The FCC has required that all new TVs have built-in digital tuners, so if you but a late-model set now, it will be ready for the switchover in 2009.

Answer 3

It is very confusing. First understand digital versus analog.
Originally TV and radio was designed to receive analog, very specific electromagnetic waves (frequencies) that are sent from a tower usually on a hill and picked up by a reciever in your TV or radio both via an antenna. Each set of frequencies are different TVchannels or Radio stations.

DTV is digital and your old TV was designed to recieve analog. Simply put, digital is electrical pulses that a device like your computer reads as zeros and ones 01010101010101010101 101010 and analog is electromagnetic waves that go up and down that an old TV reads as TV shows.

Still with me? Now DTV can be sent from a satellite Direct TV, or cable Comcast or Internet via iTunes or YouTube. The cable box/ or satellite box/ with dish on roof has circuits that can convert the DTV zeros and ones into those analog waves your old TV can understand. You can simply plug it in the box instead of attaching it to an antenna. (Usually using a "RCA cable".

Now HDTV.. HDTV is a set of protocols to crunch all those zeros and ones into different resolutions. 1080i is currently the highest commercially supported resolution. Your old TV can play any HDTV signal or HD DVD too, as long as your cable box, satellite box or new HD VCR has a tuner. GOOD NEWS!!! Almost all do have tuners to turn HDTV into analog for your old TV

Bad News now, your old TV will look the same watching old reruns of the Brady Bunch over the air, as would HD Discovery Channel via HD Cable Comcast. To enjoy the surround sound and the higher quality images you need to purchase newer technology. This includes; LCD monitors, DLP powered projectors, or at least the use of your computer monitor. The computer monitor may take some technical help. These new HDTV devices connect using HDMI connection rather than the old RCA connection I mentioned before.

All these kinds of upgrades can be tricky, since there are various formats, resolutions, and standards. Most good LCD monitors have built in tuners which can handle any format.

Hopefully that was helpful

Goodluck

try checking out sites like www.cnet.com for tutorials or info before you buy...

Answer 4

The reason you're confused is that the word "digital" is used to mean several different things in television. For example:
1. My cable company suddenly switched to "digital" cable. It still worked with my analog TV because they were still sending me analog shows. Why did they call it digital? Instead of getting the channels from several analog satellites, they got all the channels from one digital satellite.
2. There is a real digital cable that sends a digital signal all the way to your house. You need a cable box for this, because it converts the digital signal to analog signals your TV can see.
3. There's also digital broadcast television. This can be transmitted in low, medium, or high definition. You'll need an HDTV or a converter to see this. This is what you want.

I'd recommend keeping your analog TV to watch your old VHS tapes and laserdisks and buying an HDTV to watch the new stuff.

Answer 5

Digital TV is just the same TV delivered through a digital cable company, it usually just gives you more options than regular cable such as, On Demand movies, an interactive guide, and more channels. But as far as quality there is no difference. HDTV is only High Definition and you do need special cable servicce to experience it. Old TVs will work with digital cable.

Answer 6

There are 3 typical formats for Cable and Satellite (although Satellite has switched to all digital):

1) Analog (the old format, and worst quality)
2) Digital (better quality)
3) HDTV (best quality)

Digital will work on any TV that works with cable, but will look better on newer TVs.

Answer 7

Its digital vs. analog. Digital tv that receive digital cable or satelite signal have much better resolution, contrast etc. Your tv takes digital signal if it has caxial calble or svideo connections for an example.

Answer 8

The best resource for HDTV/DTV web page I've found is at http://www.dennysantennaservice.com/1233629.html

Answer 9

There's another kind of TV besides HDTV?

Answer 10

i have digital satellite with an old TV until i can get a LCD TV