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AGuide t oDigital TV
What isDigitalTelevision?
Digital television
(DTV) is a new way of transmitting
high quality
video and audio to your
TV set. Using DTV, broadcasters
can transmit high definition
TV (HDTV) images,
Dolby digi-
tal surround
audio,
and new services such as multicasting
(transmitting
more than one pro-
gram on the same TV channel)
and datacasting
(providing
electronic
program
guides
and
interactive
television).
Several of these services can be combined
into a single digital
broadcast.
Digital Television
Services
DigitalPictureQuality
DTV programs
are transmitted
in two different
formats.
The first is Standard
Definition
Television
(SDTV) and the second is High Definition
Television
(HDTV).
SDTM program
formats include
480-line
interlaced
(4800
and 480-line
progressive
(480p)
video.
480i
programs
are essentially
a digital
version of our current analog
TV programs,
while the 480p
format offers improved
image detail over 480i.
Some 480p
programs
are
broadcast
in widescreen
and are comparable
to progressive-scan
DVD movies in image
quality.
HDTV
program
formats include
1080-line
interlaced
(1080i)
and 72D-line
progressive
(720p).
Both HDTV formats are always
broadcast
in widescreen,
and both offer much
higher
picture quality
than SDTV.
DolbySurround Sound
With DTV, you can listen to a variety
of Dolby digital
audio formats from Dolby Surround
2.0 to Dolby
Digital
5.1 surround,
using your home audio system. Many
HDTV programs
are now broadcast
with DD 5.1 soundtracks.
InteractiveCommunications and Datacasting
DTV will allow you to interact with your television;
choosing
programs
from a detailed
pro-
gram guide,
ordering
products on-line while watching
TV, and accessing
ancillary
data
about a program.
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