Thursday, May 31, 2007

HDTV Without Good HD Programming Is Not Worth Much

There is no question that high definition television is better than standard definition television. That is unless, of course, you happen to be an actor. The increased resolution and the ability to see tiny details with an HD television set, makes actors fairly nervous. After all, they make a living making every else think that they are perfect and never suffer from acne, blemishes, cellulite, and other imperfections and HDTV has the potential to disrupt these images!

For everyone who doesn't appear on the television screen, HDTV can only be considered a good thing. What can be bad about getting better television, clearer images, higher quality sound, and a whole host of other benefits. And for people who are extreme sports or movie buffs, HDTV can hold even more appeal. These are the types of programming that benefit most from the high definition television format. Movies benefit because they are originally produced to look good on a huge, wide screen with great surround sound. And sports are always better when they are as detailed as possible. Nothing is better than being able to see the sweat pour down a player's face while he scores the winning touchdown.

High definition television is still in a growth stage. The technology is now perfected and it is possible to get everything you need in order to begin watching your programming in high definition, but the programming is lacking. It seems like every channel should now be available in high definition, especially when you consider how many families bought HDTV sets over the past holiday season. But the networks have been slow to catch on. Upgrading their programming to high definition requires special equipment and some work, so many have been putting off the upgrade. This is a disappointment to the many fans waiting to watch their programming in high def.

Fortunately there are ways to get around the dearth of high definition programming. Dish Network television service actually has over 30 channels in high definition. It has amassed so many channels by acquiring all of the HD channels that are produced by familiar networks- like CBS, TNT, ESPN, and HGTV, and also expanding its selection with special HD-only channels like HDNet Movies, HDNet, Universal, Rush HD, Rave HD, and Majestic. With the selection of over 30 HD channels, Dish Network offers its customers the chance to watch high definition television 24 hours a day.

Dish Network HD programming is divided among four programming packages. The Platinum package is the best with over 200 standard definition channels and the full 30 HD channels. These HD channels include premium movie channels like HBO and Starz as well as National Geographic. Gold is the second best with the exact same selection as the Platinum minus the premium HD movie channels. At the Silver and Bronze level, the packages include 27 HD channels and have over 200 and 80 standard def channels respectively. Dish Network's high def television selection is expanded when you take advantage of the high def Pay Per View and Dish on Demand programming in addition to regular programming.

While it would be nice if every channel could be viewed in high def, it is good to know that Dish Network offers such a wide variety of HD choices. With a Dish Network HDTV programming subscription, it is possible to enjoy the HD format even now.