HDTV: What is HDTV?

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HDTV: What is HDTV? | Screen Size | Picture Clarity | True Surround Sound | Digital Cable & HDTV | HDTV Equipment

HDTV: What is HDTV?

HDTV is the ultimate home-viewing experience. You get a wider screen, impeccable picture quality, and the very best in sound.

Here are some of the things that make HDTV special.

Screen Size

Standard TV (4:3)

A standard TV shows programs in an almost square 4:3 format. If you watch a widescreen program with standard TV, about one-third or more of the picture gets cut off.

Widescreen (16:9)

HDTV shows you widescreen programs and movies as they were meant to be seen. This widescreen format is often called "sixteen by nine (16:9)" to refer to ists wider, larger display. This format is much wider than standard TV, giving you a fuller picture and true cinematic experience.  

  

  
Picture Clarity

Sharpness

HDTV is up to ten (10) times sharper than standard TV, giving you absolutely the best picture available - even better than the picture you get with standard DVDs.

(High Definition)

True Surround Sound

HDTV has the best sound quality. Most HDTV programs are available with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This gives you a huge improvement over regular TV sound - even over Stereo Sound.

Standard Stereo Sound gives you 2 audio channels:

1. Left
2. Right

Dolby Digital 5.1 gives you 5 audio channels:

1. Left
2. Right
3. Center
4. Rear Left
5. Rear Right

Plus: Bass

This helps re-create a theater-like viewing experience.

Note: You must have the right audio equipment to take advantage of Dolby Digital Sound.

Digital Cable & HDTV

What is the difference between Digital Cable and  HDTV?

Digital Cable

Digital Cable is a digital television signal that offers an enormous improvement over standard TV, giving you better picture and 100s of channels - plus interactive services like Movies On Demand, Digital Video Recording and more. You can watch Digital Cable on a standard TV.

HDTV - The Ultimate TV Experience

HDTV enhances your digital cable experience, by offering a wider screen, even better resolution, crystal clear picture, the most vivid colors, and cinematic depth.

HDTV is the best television experience possible. It's like having a theater right in your home.

HD Equipment

To get HDTV, you need two things:

1. Digital Cable to get HDTV on cable - because HDTV is digital technology
2. An HDTV set

To learn more, go to the HD Equipment tutorial.

What's On HDTV?

HDTV Programming is available in wide and standard format screens. There are fantastic programming choices available today on HD, and the selection keeps growing.

When you get HDTV from Time Warner Cable, you will get all the great shows carried by the high definition channels that we offer:

• Many of your favorite network series
• Events that you can't get from satellite
• High Definition movies
• Programming from your favorite premium and cable networks

Note: Not all channels and shows are available yet in HD, so check your local listings to find out what's on HD in your area.