How to make the most of choosing HD TV channels

Many television manufacturers and digital TV providers have been getting very excited about HD in the last couple of years, as it brings with it the future of digital television. But what exactly is HD TV? Standing for ‘High Definition’, HD is the pinnacle of television picture quality and offers the viewer superb contrast and clarity which can’t be matched by a traditional analogue signal. An often overlooked secondary advantage of HD TV though is that it also comes with greatly improved sound quality, with 5:1 surround sound capabilities as standard.







HD channels were first introduced in the UK in 2006 through the BBC, but now the likes of Sky are able to offer a significant number of different HD channels. Any digital TV provider should be able to offer dozens of HD channels, but before you start picking which ones you want to add to your standard package, it’s maybe wise to first consider what sort of television programmes you currently watch.







Once you have an "HD ready" television, that is a TV which can accept HD signals (a minimum resolution of 720 lines in wide aspect ratio from a LCD or plasma screen TV, instead of the usual 567 UK TV picture) plus the necessary decoder set-top box from which to receive them, you can start choosing the channels you would like to watch. Sky Digital has over 40 HD channels at present, ranging from common entertainment channels like Sky 1 HD, through to Sky Sports, Discovery HD and Sky Box Office Movies HD.

There are many more HD channels available in the UK depending on which provider you choose to go with, and many providers have started offering specific HD packages to their tariffs list. However, another interesting addition to your TV package is an HD recorder box, like a Sky+HD Box. These let you record all of you favourite shows in advance so you can then watch them back at a time that’s convenient to you, in the same crystal clear high definition. With all digital television providers though, there is usually a monthly or quarterly subscription cost for the service, and often an installation fee for the necessary satellite dish or set-top box, so always factor this into your choice.







However, with more HD channels available than ever before, it seems that TV is turning the corner into a whole new golden era.