Broadband Cable Association of Pennsylvania

HDTV

High Definition Television

As the nation is in the midst of transitioning from analog to digital TV, Pennsylvania's cable industry is playing an important role by aggressively rolling out and marketing high-definition television (HDTV) to the majority of the state's households. The result is an increasing variety of programming choices.

HDTV is a digital television format offering broadband cable subscribers up to ten times the resolution of standard analog television, delivering theater-quality pictures and CD-quality sound. The nation's cable networks have been at the forefront of providing programming available in high definition.

In addition to providing improved picture quality, with more visible detail, HDTV offers a widescreen format with many programs also featuring digital surround sound. HDTV has been described as the most dramatic change for viewers since the introduction of color television.

Cable operators began delivering HDTV service in earnest to customers in 2002, and deployment has been on an upward arc ever since. The cable industry is also working closely with television manufacturers to ensure that consumers receive HDTV in the most convenient and user-friendly ways possible.

The full-scale deployment of HDTV service and programming represents one of the most rapid rollouts launched by the broadband cable industry. Today, consumers continue to enjoy a growing choice of creative and innovative high definition programs and features.