Frequently Asked Questions

To assist you with your purchase, we have compiled a list of some of the most common questions we receive from customers.
These questions have been divided into the following categories:

What is High Definition TV (HDTV)? HDTV is a type of DTV service. HDTV provides high resolution programming in a widescreen format. A current analog TV picture provides resolution of up to 480 horizontal lines. An HDTV picture can have up to 1080 lines, allowing for stunning picture detail. Widescreen format refers to an image's aspect ratio, which is a comparison of screen width to screen height. Analog television has an aspect ratio of 4 by 3, which means the screen is 4 units wide by 3 units high. The aspect ratio of HDTV is 16 by 9, the same as the wide scope of a movie theater screen. HDTV programs can include Dolby digital surround sound, the same digital sound system used in movie theaters and on DVDs. What makes HDTV better than today's television? HDTV offers incredibly detailed, life-like picture quality with up to 5 times the sharpness of today's television along with digital surround sound capability and a widescreen format. Is My Current TV Obsolete? No, Analog televisions will continue to receive analog broadcasts at least through February 17, 2009. After that, consumers will be able to connect an inexpensive receiver to their existing TV to decode TV broadcast signals, just not in high-definition. Of course, current televisions will continue to work with cable, satellite, VCRs, DVD players, camcorders, video game consoles and other devices for many years.