Digital vs HDTV Question

[mwgiii]

I am looking at getting a HDTV for X-mas.

In Birmingham, AL most stations are already broadcasting a digital channel.

http://100kwatts.tmi.net/tv/DTV.html

Does this mean that they are broadcasting a HD signal or just a digital signal of the analog feed?

When they do broadcast HD, will it be on their digital channel or will they have a HD specific channel?

[scooper]

The only requirements that the FCC laid on the stations was to be broadcasting a DIGITAL signal (ATSC). Whether or not this is HDTV depends on the station and how much money they are willing to spend.

Any given station will have only 1 digital channel - however , they may use sub-channels to seperate out an SD version, an HD version and maybe even a weather radar subchannel - whatever the station decides they want to do.

BU the only requirement the station must meet is at least 1 ATSC broadcast of their current analog programming (eventually).

[ibglowin]

Does this mean that they are broadcasting a HD signal or just a digital signal of the analog feed?

When they do broadcast HD, will it be on their digital channel or will they have a HD specific channel?

The digital and HD is on the same channel if the station is actually broadcasting in HD. many are not. They claim its too expensive to upgrade to HD. If your lucky you'll get CBS, ABC and perhaps your PBS in HD. Fox , NBC , WB, UPN for the most part are broadcasting a digital channel but only 480p which is not HD.

Try out http://www.titantv.com/

Register, then pull up the digital TV channels in your area, it is a great source for one stop info on alot of things related to digital TV

Better yet, call up your local stationand ask for the engineering deptartment. There usually pretty friendly and don't mind talking shop. Find out if they are broadcasting HD, and if they are, THANK THEM!!!!!

If they are not, tell them you will soon be watching your TV shows more and more based on whether or not they are delivered in HD, if enough people start telling them "I WANT MT HDTV!" they will start to listen. :D

[dmodemd]

Most network shows from ABC, NBC, CBS are in HD now. Your local stuff will almost certainly not be. Some WB is also in HD now. FOX uses ENHANCED definition which is between SD and HD essentially but they will go HD next year.

Bottom line, if you have digital TV in range of you, you will be getting to see a lot of HD... its worth diving in now.

[dmodemd]

Oh, and what you see is the same feed you see on analog. If the show is in HD you will see the same show in HD... better resolution and a bit more on the edges. There are exceptions to this, e.g. many PBD stations don't show the same stuff on the digital channel.

[mwgiii]

Thanks,

According to http://www.titantv.com/ my CBS and NBC station are in HD.

[ibglowin]

Thanks,

According to http://www.titantv.com/ my CBS and NBC station are in HD.

Thats good and bad. Good because not a whole lot of local NBC stations are broadcasting HD at the moment so you may be able to to ER, West Wing in HD. Bad because it sounds like your local ABC station is not. That would mean no Monday night football in HD! ABC also broadcast a nice line up of Primetime shows in HD as well as the Sunday night movie.

I would call your local ABC to see what the scoop is.