HD Essentials

 

HD TELEVISION

A High-Definition TV capable of receiving a signal will have active vertical scanning lines of 720p (progressive), 1080i (interlaced), or higher. If you’re unsure, check for the HDTV logo on the TV set.

MISCONCEPTION - Only 1080p is full HD.

ANSWER - Both 1080i and 720p are full HD. 1080p is just another type of HD resolution.

EXPLANATION - Even though many new HD sets are capable of 1080p, no TV shows are actually broadcasting in 1080p. Only Sony Blu-Ray DVDs and Toshiba HD-DVDs support 1080p today. If you buy a 1080p set today it will work fine with DIRECTV and it will display all shows broadcasting in the other HD formats.

 

MISCONCEPTION - Wide-screen TVs are always HD. Square TVs are always standard-definition.

ANSWER -Most wide-screen TVs are HD, but some of them are only Enhanced Definition. Most square TVs are only standard-definition.

EXPLANATION - Wide-screen TVs are also called 16:9 and square TVs are also referred to as 4:3. To be sure the TV is HD it must have active vertical scanning lines of 720p, 1080i or higher. Check for the HDTV logo on the set.

 

MISCONCEPTION - EDTV and DTV are high-definition.

ANSWER - EDTV and DTV aren’t high-definition because they cannot display 720p or 1080i formats.

EXPLANATION - EDTV is enhanced definition. DTV is digital TV with active vertical scanning lines of 480p or higher.  An HD television is required for HD.

 

MISCONCEPTION - HD-ready TV or HD-capable TV means you don’t need a DIRECTV receiver because the tuner for HD is built into the TV.

ANSWER - Even if the TV has a built-in tuner it will only have access to local off-air channels until it is connected to an external HD tuner – which is the DIRECTV HD Receiver.

EXPLANATION - For DIRECTV HD programming you need a DIRECTV HD Receiver. To get full HD programming like HBO® in HD, ESPN in HD, as well as many other HD channels, you need an external HD tuner.

 

MISCONCEPTION - All HD sets have Dolby 5.1 sound systems built-in.

ANSWER - Dolby 5.1 requires an external surround sound system with multiple speakers placed in multiple locations.

EXPLANATION - All HD sets have good stereo sound even without additional speakers. However, true Dolby® Digital requires an external surround sound system.

 

HD EQUIPMENT

HD receiver -  H20, H21, HR20, or HR21: you will continue to get all your current HD programming, as well as the newer programming offered in mid-September 2007.

Any other HD receiver: you will continue to get all your current HD programming, but not the extra new HD channels.

HD dish  –  3-LNB: used with older HD receivers, limits the number of HD channels you can get and provides only MPEG-2 channels.

5-LNB: used with H20, H21, HR20, and HR21, provides the greatest number of HD channels and provides both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 channels.

Other equipment -  B-Band Converter is required for H20, H21, HR20, and HR21. An extra multi-switch may be required for extra receivers.

 

MISCONCEPTION - When the new HD channels launch I’ll lose my current channels.

ANSWER - This is not true. For the immediate future, you’ll continue to get the same HD channels you get today. In fact, you could get more HD channels depending on your HD equipment.

EXPLANATION - Newer receivers with B-Band converters and connection to a 5-LNB dish will get the greatest number of new channels. Even if you have an older HD receiver and a 3-LNB dish you’ll still get the HD channels you’ve been seeing all along. Remember, if a channel isn’t in your standard-definition programming package, it won’t be available in HD either.

 

MISCONCEPTION - The B-Band Converter is a broadband converter.

ANSWER - The B-Band Converter has nothing to do with broadband.

EXPLANATION - B-Band is a range of the frequency spectrum. It relates to broadcasting, not broadband.

 

MISCONCEPTION - Adding a B-Band Converter to my older HD receiver will give that receiver MPEG-4 compression.

ANSWER - The B-Band Converter does NOT convert MPEG-2 into MPEG-4 on the older receivers.

EXPLANATION - The B-Band Converter only works on H20, H21, HR20, and HR21 receivers. Older receivers aren’t MPEG 4 compatible and they don’t need a B-Band Converter. MPEG is a compression technology and the B-Band Converter is a frequency converter.

 

HD CABLING

There are several options for HD cabling between the receiver and the TV. HDMI is the most common and uses a single cable to provide video and audio. Component (Y-Pr-Pb), RGB, or DVI provide the same video quality as HDMI but are less convenient to connect and require extra audio cables. Cables other than the ones listed above are not HD.

 

MISCONCEPTION - HDMI always transmits HD.

ANSWER - An HDMI cable may transmit either standard-definition and HD. If the show is broadcast in HD you'll see it in HD.

 

MISCONCEPTION - With HDMI you need a standard-definition cable too.

ANSWER - An HDMI cable transmits both standard-definition and HD.

EXPLANATION - An HDMI cable carries all vertical scan resolutions (1080i/p, 720p/i, 480p, 480i.) and the DIRECTV Receiver can output all these resolutions.

 

MISCONCEPTION - Expensive cables are better.

ANSWER - Gold connectors and expensive cables do not provide better HD output. However, keeping the cable under 33 feet (10 meters) is important.

 

HD PROGRAMMING

Whether you’re in a residential or a commercial establishment you’re going to love our HD channel expansion. Loads of variety – CNN HD, The History Channel HD, Cartoon Network HD, NFL Network HD – and lots more! If you’re in a residence, you need “HD Access.”

 

MISCONCEPTION - If you get HD Access you get all the HD programming.

ANSWER - HD Access is like a key that unlocks HD content for you, but you need to subscribe to the programming content.

EXPLANATION - For example, if you want to see HBO® in HD you need to subscribe to HBO® in your programming too. If you want NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ in HD, subscribe to NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ and SuperFan™. In other words, if you don’t have a program as part of your standard-definition programming, you won’t see it in HD either just by subscribing to HD Access. For HD local channels, if they’re offered in HD in your area they’ll come with your base package (FAMILY package or above) and HD Access. Use the ZIP code lookup tool to find what HD local channels are offered in your area.

 

HD CHANNELS

MISCONCEPTION - An HD channel has shows in HD all the time.

ANSWER - Some HD channels, like HDNet, always broadcast only HD programming. Others, like ESPN, broadcast only some HD programs. DIRECTV does not control what programming the channels choose to broadcast.

 

HD SHOWS

Even if a show is advertised as HD, you must be watching it on an HD channel.

 

HD SETTINGS