Summary
HDTV stands for High Definition Television. The High part comes from the increased number of pixels as compared to Standard Definition Television (SDTV). Pixels are the smallest parts of picture. The more pixels a picture has, the more detailed the picture will be.
HDTV requires more transmission bandwidth, which is why the United States is moving to all digital broadcasts in Feb 2009. A digital signal allows the data to be compressed, which allows the signal to hold more data.
Different types of HDTV (and SDTV)
|
Resolution |
Total Pixels |
Aspect Ratio |
HD or SD |
| 480i/p |
720x480 |
345,600 |
3:2 |
SD |
| 720p |
1280x720 |
921,600 |
16:9 |
HD |
| 1080i |
1280x1080 |
1,382,400 |
16:9 |
HD |
| 1080p |
1920x1080 |
2,073,600 |
16:9 |
HD |