Directv® HDTV
What you Need
In order to be able to subscribe to
the Directv® HDTV programming you will need to have a television
set that is "HDTV ready". The first high-definition television
(HDTV) sets first became available in 1998. So, if you bought your
tv set before 1998 then you will need to upgrade your television set
before you can start to enjoy all of the HDTV programming that is
available from Directv®.
How to Get It
To sign up with Directv® you can
see the ordering
information page or do a quick side by side comparison
with the competition on our Dish
Network vs. Directv® page. We also have another page
that offers general information
about Directv®.
Directv® HDTV Features
With an HDTV television set and a
subscription to the Directv® HDTV service you can enjoy superior
resolution as well as digital surround sound. Directv® features
a selection of broadcasts in high definition as well as the equipment
that you will need in order to be a part of this service.
The high definition programs that
you can choose from include movies, sports, local channels, Pay Per
View and special events. You will be able to experience all of your
your favorite movies with details that you may have never noticed
before. An HD television set has 10 times the number of pixels as
an ordinary TV set. This means a much clearer and detailed picture,
more vibrant colors and wider image capabilities. With the Directv®
Advanced Program GuideŽ you will have easy access to all of your favorite
HD programming such as HBOŽ HD, ESPN HD, HD PPV and Universal HD.
The widescreen format of HDTV gives
it the feel of a movie screen. By adding realistic lifelike audio
you might even get confused and think that you are at the movie theater.
HDTV - The Way of the Future
High-definition television (HDTV)
is simply a television broadcasting system that features a much higher
resolution than the traditional formats of the past (and present)
allow for. HDTV is broadcast to consumers in a digital format and
so it's inception is sometimes confused with the inception of DTV
(digital TV). The technology was first introduced in the early 1990s.
Since that time, there have been
several standards of high-definition television standards introduced,
proposed or implemented on a limited basis. Currently, the technical
HDTV standards are defined as ITU-R BT.709 as 1080 active interlaced
or progressive lines, or 720 progressive lines, using a 16:9 aspect
ratio. You will probably never need to know any of this jargon though.
All you need to know is that HDTV allows you to have up to 10 times
the picture quality that you previously had. These days there are
more than 30 million homes in the United States that have HDTV equipment
and services..
