Page 9 - Sphere No.21 (Mar 2008)

SPHERE 7
PHOTOS: KAY YUEN
tal) x 1,080 (vertical), resulting in a picture more detailed than
conventional television.
Why does the amount of lines matter? The number of lines on
a television is important because it allows for greater detail in the
image. This is a similar concept to digital photos and how dots per
inch (dpi) determine print quality.
In addition, HDTV displays wide-screen pictures with a 16:9 as-
pect ratio capable of “cinema-quality” sound, eliminating a variety
of imperfections found in conventional television.
Why is aspect ratio important?The aspect ratio is the relation of
the width of a video image compared to its height. The two most
common aspect ratios in home video are 4:3 (standard) and 16:9
(wide-screen). All the older TVs and computer monitors had the
squarer 4:3 shape – only 33 per cent wider than it was high. On
the other hand, 16:9 is the aspect ratio of
most HDTV programming; it is 78 per cent
wider than it is tall, or fully one third wider
than 4:3. The wide-screen image is a dis-
tinct improvement as it offers a larger im-
age, and the horizontal orientation is more
in line with how our eyes view objects.
The HDTV concept came from wide-
screen movies. When they were first intro-
duced to the public, filmmakers soon realised
that the audience had a much better watching
experience than those sitting in front of tra-
ditional narrow screens. And now, with ad-
vanced technologies, consumers are enjoying
all the benefits of this viewing experience in
the comfort of their own homes.
In Hong Kong, the attraction to HDTV
has been helped by the city’s entry into ter-
restrial digital broadcasting and the launch
of several HD broadcast channels. In gen-
eral, digital broadcasting has a number of
other advantages over analogue television.
Traditionally, Hong Kong’s television services have always been
broadcast via analogue signals and then converted back into pic-
tures and sound for viewing at home. Noise is common in this
form of transmission, causing interference to the picture. With
digital broadcast, noise and ghost images are eliminated.
Around the world, digital broadcasts have made many innova-
tions possible. It can provide programme guides with multiple
functions. Using a digital decoder, programme details, previews
and subtitles can be easily accessed with a remote control. As con-
tent developers get more creative, it may also be possible for the
audience to adjust camera angles or read electronic magazines.
Some television platforms even allow viewers to enjoy interac-
tive services and also use telephones or remote controls to handle
interactive functions such as stocks. Because digital signals can
pack more information than the traditional analogue ones, digital
can support HD quality pictures that are five times the resolution
of conventional TV or DVD.
To watch digital TV programmes, viewers need to connect
their existing television sets to a digital set-top box or buy an
integrated digital television set with a built-in decoder. Not all
consumers will switch over at once, as the planned migration
from analogue to digital in Hong Kong is due for completion
in 2012.
“It will be a gradual process,” says Mr Ng. “What we normally
see with innovations like this is people start talking about it with
colleagues at work or visit a friend who has HDTV and think ‘that
looks really good, I want one too’. I think this retail pattern will
start to emerge, especially with the Olympics coming up.”
Consumers
are enjoying
all the benefits
of HDTV in
the comfort
of their own
homes.
Newtrends