OTHER TECH

Q. What is HDTV?A. Simply put, HDTV - or high-definition television - is a new form of TV. Using digital technology, HDTV sets can display a sharper, more true-to-life image that makes regular TV look fuzzy and primitive. HDTV programs are transmitted in a widescreen format and are sometimes enhanced with 5.1-channel Dolby Digital sound. This can result in an experience akin to sitting in a first-rate movie theater.

In 1998, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated that all free, over-the-air TV would have to be broadcast digitally by the end of 2006. That meant that the ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS networks as well as local stations would have to replace the analog technology that's been used for more than half a century. Among other advantages, a digital broadcast produces pictures entirely free of analog reception problems like ghosts and snow. Depending on the station's preference, digital images can be broadcast in either high-definition or a standard-definition format that's roughly equivalent to analog TV in resolution.

To accomplish the switchover to a digital TV system, the FCC gave each commercial and public TV station an extra channel to broadcast its digital signal. The FCC still hopes to turn off the analog system and auction off the reclaimed spectrum for public services and other uses by 2007. But the switchover won't take place until 85% of the households in each market can receive digital broadcasts, even if that means going beyond the original date.

Q.So eventually all TV will be digital?A. Yes - at least over-the-air broadcasts, which the FCC says must be converted to digital transmissions. It hasn't yet decided to what extent cable and satellite will be required to carry digital - let alone high-definition - signals.

Q. Will I be able to keep my old TV and watch the digital broadcasts?A. Absolutely. But if you currently watch free broadcast TV using rabbit ears or another antenna, be prepared to upgrade. Once the FCC shuts off the analog system, you'll need either a digital TV or a set-top box that converts the digital stream into a signal that your existing analog TV can display. These boxes aren't yet available, but it's estimated that with increased sales volume, manufacturers will be able to sell them for between $50 and $100.

To smooth the transition to digital broadcasting, in 2003 the FCC mandated that eventually all new TVs - even inexpensive models destined for the kitchen counter - must have a built-in digital tuner. By July of this year, half of all sets larger than 36 inches (diagonally) must have built-in DTV tuners, and every set larger than 13 inches must have one by July 2007.

Q. So what do I need to see HDTV?A. To see HDTV in all its glory, you'll need a set designed to display high-definition images. To keep costs down, most "HDTV" sets are actually only HDTV-ready - that is, they need an external digital tuner to receive and display a high-definition broadcast. Only sets with built-in tuners are officially called HDTVs, while those that need an external tuner are called HDTV monitors. External tuners that decode only over-the-air HDTV signals cost $350 and up, while ones that double as satellite TV receivers cost a bit more.

Q. Once I have all the right digital gear, will everything I watch be in high-definition?A. No. While the FCC told broadcasters they had to switch from analog to digital, it never said they had to broadcast HDTV. It's up to the broadcasters whether to transmit a program in standard-definition or high-definition.