3. Recording HDTV

You can record an HDTV broadcast on a standard VHS, DVD or PVR recorder, but you'll only get standard resolution. This will be better than the same content recorded from a standard TV source, but it's not HD. HD PVRs are coming out, but HD takes up a lot more disk space. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will have recording formats also, but they'll be expensive for a long time. You can record HD content on a Windows Media Center PC too. There is an HD version of the DivX codec that you can record HD content in; even though they're MPEG4, standard DivX recordings aren't HD.

HD Content

In the US, many viewers can get HD content over the air through a standard TV antenna (especially if you adjust it to the best angle for your area). Not all channels broadcast in HD and not all the programs on an HD channel are in HD, but currently Fox, ABC and SPN broadcast 720p content, and NBC, CBS, HBO-HD, TNT and several HD-specific channels broadcast in 1080i.

In the UK you can get HD by cable from NTL/Telewest or by digital satellite from Sky (including some programs on the free-to-air BBC channels available by digital satellite without a Sky subscription). A small Freeview trial in London broadcasts HD versions of BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five (though only a few programs are showing in HD on the channels) to HD-capable digital set-top boxes. The full service isn't likely to start until the analogue channels are switched off (currently estimated to be sometime between 2008 and 2012), freeing up extra bandwidth.

You don't have to get HD content by broadcast. Films will be available on DVD in HD, in both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats. IPTV services often include HD channels, and in the UK, BT is launching a service offering HDTV over broadband for pay-per-view content. Microsoft has an HD codec for Windows Media Player, Apple has an HD codec for QuickTime and you can download movie trailers in HD. Expect more HD downloads of programs from pay-for services in both formats, as well as DivX HD, but also expect large files that could take several hours to download at current broadband speeds. High resolution means great quality - but large files!

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