About HDTV

Television: The Next Generation

Watch WWMT-HD 3.1 on Charter channel 782 and Comcast channel 233. Watch West Michigan CW (WWMT-DT 3.2) on Charter channel 7 and Comcast channel 17.

(NEWS 3) The future is here for television. On Friday, June 14, 2002, WWMT-TV joined a revolution as we began broadcasting a digital signal.

Although noticed by few in the beginning, the transition from analog to High Definition Television (HDTV) is the biggest leap in television since the arrival of color TV.

What does HDTV mean to you, the viewer? Two things: Superior sound and image quality. HDTV provides a wider and sharper image that rivals DVD's. The fuller, richer sound is comparable to CD's.

HDTV is like seeing a movie on a movie screen. The ratio is the same as what is in the theatre — 16x9. When a film is formatted for analog TV (4x3), the edges of the movie are chopped off. Viewers get a panoramic view with HDTV.

But as with any technological leap, HDTV comes with a lot of questions: What do I need to watch HDTV? Will my old TV set become obsolete? Who is broadcasting in HDTV?

Check out these resources:

Frequently Asked Questions about HDTV
High Def Forum
High Definition Television
Digital Television: List of broadcasters