HDTV info? (1 Viewer)

[Mike Capulli]

I have a list of questions that have been brewing in my head recently about HDTV. I have a Sony WS HD-Ready set and Im getting ready to purchase a DirecTv HD Reciever for my set. Anyways I know the questions have most likely been asked before and the like, but I haven't had much luck finding information on this kind of stuff. Any help is appreciated.

First off, from what I've collected around here, there are 5 different formats. 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i. Why isn't there a progressive 1080 mode or an interlaced 720 mode?

If a 1080i movie is broadcasted can the HDTV set perform an inverse 3:2 pulldown to convert (deinterlace) to 24fps without quality loss or are those options disabled during an HD stream?

Are movies even broadcasted in 1080i or is that strictly for more televised programs? In other words, is 720p the only format for HD movies?

also for audio ....

Are all audio streams a fixed bitrate for Dolby Digital?

Are all audio streams broadcasted in 5.1channels? Or are there as many channel combos on HD as there are on DVD?

What about different frequency settings? Is HD in 44.1KHz or does it follow DVD's 48KHz standard?

Are other audio formats available in the future or would formats such as DTS bring up issues with compatability?

What about multiple audio tracks in the stream? This could help other audio formats such as DTS make appearances on HDTV.

AND... Are all HDTV streams 16:9? If so, why are 4:3 HD sets on the market?

(Without going over $1000) what is a good HD reciever for DirecTV for a Sony HD set? does the quality vary among them?

I know its alot but again any help is appreciated!

 

[Patrick Sun]

1080i is good enough to fool the eye due to the high resolution.
It depends on your HDTV model, but it should be able to handle the 3:2 pulldown for 1080i film sources.
The resolution for movies will vary with the source material, it's not set in stone to be broadcasted in 1080i or 720p, it's totally a case-by-case thing.
Some networks only do 480p (like Fox), some others do 720p (I've read that ABC used 720p native source material for broadcast (Alias), and then rely on upconversion to have it shown in the 1080i mode on TV sets, or the user might be able to view it in 720p if their set supported it).
I don't know about the fixed rate for DD bitstream. It's entirely possible to have 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 5.1 for the DD bitstream, again, it's source dependent and at the discretion of the broadcaster.
I'm not certain of the audio sampling rate, but I would assume it follows the DVD sampling rate, so that your receiver's DD decoder would be able to handle that DD bitstream from an OTA HDTV receiver or DirecTV HDTV receiver. No idea about dts bitstreams in HDTV broadcasts, but it's probably not going to happen for bandwidth consideration.
4:3 HDTV sets exist because they were the 1st HDTV sets, but nowadays, only 16x9 HDTV sets are being manufactured, as we march onwards toward the 16x9 HDTV standard mandated to be in place by 2006.
Commercials are mostly in 4:3, so not everything broadcasted over HDTV channels is native 16x9. Again, it's source material dependent. Some shows shot in 4:3 would appear as 4:3 even on the HDTV channels received OTA. You have the option to stretch it to fill the screen if your TV supports it.
Some Models for SAT: Sony HDS-200, Zenith HD 520, Samsung SIR-TS160, Zenith DTV1080, Hughes E86.
DirecTV's HDTV FAQ
Don't be afraid to do a google search on your questions as well, and let us know what you have found in terms of getting your questons answered.

 

[Mike I]

All Hd broadcasts are 16.9 which is the standard for HD...If a particular program is not HD you will see it as 4.3 but it is not hd, but up converted to 1080i by the local digital affiliate..
When HDTV sets first hit the market, only wide screen sets could display the full resolution of HD...Most HD 4.3 sets made now have the ability to display full HD resolutions..According to a recent article in the Home theater guide, just about all manufactures are planning to drop their 4.3 HDTV sets in the next two years...
Just about all TV programs produced in the last few years are actually shot wide screen and framed for 4.3 for non HD broadcasts..

 

[Mike Capulli]

Thanks for the replies!

What type of quality differences are apparent in different DirecTv / HDTV recievers? Who has the best one out there right now?