The first official high-definition public television broadcast took place in the United States in 1996, after several test runs. Since then, the HD market, including video-production products and media available, have only been increasing.
High-definition in the beginning
Did you know that in Europe, HD television was introduced as early as the late 1930s? It wasn’t HD television as it’s seen today, but it was better than what anyone had previously. In 1949, France introduced a high definition system that actually would be high definition by today’s standards, at 768i. HD televisions as we know them today first hit the market in 1998.
HD television is broadcast digitally, as opposed to other signals that are broadcast analog. THe signals broadcast digitally have greater lineal resolution, allowing for more detail, smoother motion as well as bright colours.
You may have previously seen commercials for television stations in the United States that were trying to get consumers prepared for the switch to a digital signal as opposed to analog. In Canada, the switch is dated for the end of 2011, when analog televisions will be obsolete without additional hardware, like a digital converter. When HD signals are broadcast to analog televisions, they don’t offer the same quality as the digital signal. However, as more people switch over they’ll begin to notice a stark difference.
High-definition is far more than just television broadcasting
High-definition is far more than merely television broadcasting, as there are numerous other formats for it as well. It can be used for video recording and distribution, as evidenced by Blu-Ray DVDs and systems. HD recording devices such as HD-capable video cameras are also becoming more readily available and affordable.
HD video recording as also rumored to be available on the next iPhone system and HDV (the format for recording HD on tape) is set to make HD recording more available for the average video producer, whether they are professional or amateur. This digital format also makes it possible for original content to be reproduced without loss of quality or degradation.
Another important issue for professionals in the film or television making industry or those who need to create marketing videos or educational videos, is that HD works far better and is much more compatible with surround sound systems, similar to what you’d experience in a movie theatre. High-definition will provide those watching any video footage with an optimal experience.
High-definition is certainly poised for global domination. However, this is hardly a bad thing because of the affordable and widely available video production options that are developing within the industry. As the technology becomes more familiar, the costs of these options, as well as HD televisions, will come down even more.