The vast majority of video displays available today are capable of displaying high definition images (know as “HDTV”). HDTV refers to the newer digital broadcasting technology that offers a stunning picture quality with a much sharper, clearer, and distortion-free picture, with much better color. You will receive HDTV broadcasts either from a satellite provider, through participating cable TV companies, and in some areas, “over the air” with a conventional TV antenna.

HDTV is broadcast in a widescreen format as opposed to the outgoing analog (nearly) square TV shape. More and more television shows are being filmed and taped in this format, as this wider aspect ratio more closely matches the screen shape you see in movie theaters. If you have a conventional TV, you have undoubtedly noticed the black bars at the top and bottom of your picture on many DVD’s and television shows; with a widescreen TV, these black bars will either completely or mostly disappear from the image.