What Is an HD Capable TV?

HD-capable televisions support high-definition signals but do not include a built-in Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) tuner. These televisions will display high-definition video only when connected to external HD devices, such as Blu-Ray players and ATSC tuners.

Features

• Depending on the model, HD-capable TVs display maximum resolutions of 720p or 1080p when connected to an HD source. They also render standard-definition video at resolutions of 480i and 480p when used with DVD players, VCRs and analog TV tuners.

Connections

• HD-capable televisions manufactured prior to 2006 typically use a Digital Video Interface (DVI) to connect to external HD video sources. Newer models provide both DVI and High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) ports. HDMI adds the ability to transmit both video and audio through a single cable. S-Video, composite and RCA connections provide support for standard-definition signals.

History

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the ATSC high-definition standard in 1996. However, because most television stations continued to broadcast in standard definition, many of the first consumer HDTVs lacked ATSC tuners. The FCC later mandated that all stations begin broadcasting digital signals by 2006. As a result, most HDTVs now include ATSC tuners.