All About HDTV TCF April 2008

1. All About HDTVTCF April 2008

2. They Look Great • 50” Vizio

3. All About HDTV - Outline • Digital TV (DTV) and High Definition (HDTV) • Frequency Allocation • What are Broadcasters Doing • Where are the Signals Coming from • Plasma, LCD and DLP Displays • How to Hook Up HDTV to Your System • HD Recording • Consumer Guide

4. Digital TV and HDTV • OTA Analog transmissions to cease in 2009 after over 50 years. DTV offers better picture quality – no snowy or degraded picture, no convergence problems • Each pixel separately generated • Stereo and surround sound (5.1) built-in • MPEG-2 compresses 1 Gb/s video stream • One 6 MHz Channel can carry 20 Mbits/sec or several DTV (HDTV and SDTV) sub channels and other data (8-VSB and QAM)

5. Digital TV and HDTV(cont.) DTV Formats – 480i, 576i, 720p, 1080i, 1080p (1080p Blue-Ray, HD-DVD only) • Native HDTV Formats - 720p or 1080i, up or down conversion is required • Aspect Ratios – 4:3, 16:9 – black stripes, missing foreheads or 300 lbs bodies • On-Screen Daily Schedules

6. 2008 TV Receivers • Sets with HD display and no tuners (HD ready or HD monitor) • Sets with HD display, NTSC/ATSC and QAM tuners with or without cable cards (most common) • Sets with SD display (LCD or CRT) and NTSC/ATSC tuner (least expensive)

7. Frequency Allocation • Old Assignments: VHF (Ch. 2-13) and UHF (Ch. 14-68) • New Assignments: Upper VHF, lower UHF (Ch. 7-53) • Government Will Auction the Vacated Channels for $$ Billions, is issuing rebate coupons for converter boxes

8. What are Broadcasters Doing • Broadcasters take advantage of uninformed public • Saving on Quality for Profits – more channels, less HD • Few Broadcasters provide a consistent true HD Signal • Basic Cable May or May not Include Digital Channels • Cable and satellite providers degrade the HD signal by further compressing it • Over-the-air still the best – not publicized and hushed up by cable providers and retailers

9. Transmission and Modulation NTSC/ATSC/QAM Tuners QAM (Cable) 6 MHz + Video Stream 1 Gbit/sec MPEG-2 20 Mbits/sec 8-VSB (OTA) 6 MHz

10. Digital Transmission • 6 MHz Channel

11. Are You Watching HDTV? • Sleeping in the Garage Doesn't Make You a Car • Nearly half of the 24 million households with HDTVs don't actually watch high-definition programs • HDTV Material Doesn't Grow on Trees

12. Where are the Digital Signals Coming from • Digital Cable • Satellite (Dish Network) • Over the Air – A well kept secret. An old antenna, even rabbit ears will often do • Blue Ray DVDs and other new formats

13. Plasma, LCD and DLP Displays • Plasma – Generates its own light, vivid colors, best viewing angle, but subject to burn-in, ambient light a problem (glare, reflections) • LCD – Backlit, (Venetian blinds) good pastel colors, poor blacks, low power consumption, low weight, good in lighted areas, 42” or less • DLP – Reflected light (Rear projection), bright colors, relatively expensive, fragile, 50” and up, • www.howstuffworks.com/lcd2.htm

14. Plasma Display • Panel Cross Section

15. Plasma Display • Cell arrangement

16. LCD Display • Polarization

17. LCD Display • More Details

18. DLP (Projection) Display • How it works

19. How to Hook Up HDTV to Your System (A/V Components) • Over-the-air and cable combination • Analog vs. digital cable (cable cards, boxes) • Use of additional tuners (VCR, ATSC) • Analog and digital audio to your HiFi • Use with Laptop as Monitor • DVD Player • Games, computer and other components

20. How to Hook Up HDTV to Your System (Inputs and Outputs) • Varies between Manufacturers and Models • Composite - AVI (3 RCA cables) • Component (5 RCA cables) • HDMI • Svideo + audio • RGB (15 pins) + audio • Analog Audio (Stereo) • Digital Audio (5.1)

21. How to Hook Up HDTV to Your System (Cable Types) • HDMI, RCA, Svideo, RGB

22. How to Hook Up HDTV to Your System (OTA and Analog Cable) • Combining Over-the –air with analog cable HDTV Cable VCR AV1 Antenna DTV/TV

23. Recording of HD/SD Programs • Lack of video outputs on most HDTV sets makes recording difficult (DRM raises its ugly head) • Recording to PC hard drive with external ATSC tuner • Regular VCR if analog output available from HDTV or digital cable box • TiVo recording to hard drive • DVRs with built-in ATSC/QAM tuners and DVD recording media coming down in price

24. Pinnacle PCTV HD Stick .

25. HD Picture on PC Screen • .

26. Current HD/SD Programming • Networks simulcast their main analog channel • Plenty of weather channels • News, sports, specials and some shows in HD • PBS carries a separate HD channel with high quality documentaries, cultural and science programs (3 hour operas from the MET, full concerts, etc)

27. Government Coupon Program • Analog OTA transmission will cease on 2/17/2009 • Between 1/1/08 and 3/31/09 you can call 1-888-388-2009 to apply • 1-2 $40 Rebate coupons per household • Coupons expire 90 days after issue • ATSC to analog converters will give new life to old TVs and VCRs

28. Consumer Guide • Fit Size to Your Viewing Area • Built-in ATSC/QAM tuner or HD-Ready • Plasma. LCD or DLP • Availability of Inputs and Outputs • Price, warranties, repair cost • Ask questions on alt.tv.tech.hdtv and check http://www.avsforum.com

29. Additional Resources • Converter box site: www.dtv2009.gov: • Find out about OTA reception at your home: www.antennaweb.org • Quiz to tell if you are ready for HDTV: www.dtvtransition.org: