It's a Digital World

One frequently overlooked benefit of going high-definition is going digital, but at least one expert thinks consumers should pay attention to the change. “Going digital is where I see the huge, huge benefit,” says Alfred Poor, author of Professor Poor’s Guide to Buying HDTV and webmaster of HDTVProfessor.com. “The difference is like going from cassette or LP to CD,” he says, “even watching standard content is like watching a DVD. And, when you get HD [content]…wow.”

“Thanks to a [Federal Communications Commission] order, all TVs in production since March must accept digital signals,” says Poor. This is because of another important FCC order requiring all television stations to broadcast exclusively digitized content beginning on February 17, 2009. What does this mean? “[After that date], analog televisions will need an HDTV tuner, cable box or satellite to get programming,” Poor explains.

If you’ve bought a new television in the last few years, you’re likely covered for the switch. Note, however, that not every DTV is an HDTV, but every HDTV on the market now is DTV—so it could be time to make a change. “Although not all programming is in HD, a lot of it is,” Poor says. “And there will be more in the future.”