When the industry changes to all digital broadcasting, will they be broadcasting in a blu-ray fomat?

Question

I am paying $10 more each month to have my satellite provider provide me with high definition channels. My question is; Next February when they switch over to all digital signals, will they be broadcasting in blu-ray quality? If I purchase a blu-ray recorder will I be able to record blu-ray quality movies?

Answer 1

No ..........digital vs. anolog. The industry conversion has nothing to do with high definition ( different subject ). Although bitstreams will vary, High Def is 720p to 1080p resolution ( line per million ). Digital is nothing more than the frequency and lines of frequency signals are used to transfer bit data through space to your dish or your cable box ( which is signal transfered from a sattelite. HD is the amount of resolution recorded on a disk or transfered via satellite to your TV. TV's are those where 720p or higher can be decode  either from HD disks or HD programming.  Remember, most cable companies and DirecTV and Dish already have HD packages you can subscribe to. Digital from analog conversion next year is a separate subject. And yes - a blue ray recorder will be able to record in either 1080i upconversions or 720-1080p full HD. It all depends on the signal being transfered to your cable box or dish box.  

Answer 2

No one can say for certain if regular programming will be in 1080p Blu-ray quality when everything switches to digital.  The only difference will be that the signals sent will be digital as opposed to analog.  And if they do decide to transmit 1080p quality, it might be limited to certain programming and stations.

The best rez for Cox, Comcast & DirectTV is 1080i.

Right now, the only provider that is supposedly offering 1080p movies is DishNet through their VOD package, called TurboHD.  As far as regular programming,  I can't say for sure if they will offer it in true HD or upconvert the signal to 1080p, when the transition happens.

But with the advent of Verizon's FiOS network, I imagine that it will become more prevelant in the near future.

And once analog "dies"  This should free up more bandwidth to allow for more HD programming and possibly 1080p content for cable providers.

With blu-ray recorder, as long as the source you are recording from isn't copy-protected, you will be able to record HD content.

Answer 3

The blu-ray format has to do with the method of storage on a CD sized disc.

The digital broadcasting has to do with the transmission type of the signal over the air (digital versus analog).

If you local stations are already broadcasting in digital, and you have a TV with a digital tuner, just plug in some rabbit ears.  The quality is HD it's not going to be as consistently good as a blu-ray disc.

Answer 4

(sigh)

The digital switch over is only for the standard def antenna signals. It has NOTHING to do with high def.

Right now you can put up an antenna and probably pick up some ABC, CBS, NBC stations in High Def that fully support the 720/1080 standards that BluRay also supports.

You dont have to wait for February.

  

Plug an antenna like the Phillips Silver Sensor into your Dish Receiver Antenna input (not the Sat dish input). Position the antenna somewhere with line of sight to the broadcast towers and tell the Sat receiver to scan for channels.

You can also plug the antenna directly into your TV and do the same thing as long as you do not have a "HD Ready" television which does not have a tuner.

Answer 5

HD, especially from a satellite is usually much lower quality than Blu-Ray. The satellite is already a digital signal and the change will have NO effect on you. Blu-Ray is a 1080P picture which your TV likely cannot even display. (Your satellite is running at 720P HD) FYI - Most people get HD for free so I don't know why you are playing extra unless you pay for something special.