Over the past few years Agren Appliance and Television has experienced significantly increased demand for high-definition televisions. Below are the questions most frequently asked of its salespeople regarding high definition television and the switchover from analog to digital broadcasting.

The #1 question: Will my television work after February 17, 2009?

For the vast majority of people, yes, because 90% of households have a satellite or cable provider. Households with antenna reception, whether by rabbit ears at the set or from outside, will require a digital converter box to receive broadcasts after February 17 (unless the TV set is relatively new and has a digital tuner: a Digital Input port on the back indicates your set will receive the digital signal without needing a converter box).

The Federal Government is offering consumers two coupons worth $40 each toward the purchase of two digital converter boxes (you can order the coupons online at www.dtv.gov). Consumers needing more than two boxes-with more than two TVs-will have to cover the regular cost of additional boxes. Agren Appliance & Television will make these boxes available when they arrive.

Question #2: Is high-definition television

the same as digital?

No, but a digital signal is required to receive high-definition television. The step up to High-Definition will require an HD converter box from your cable or satellite provider to boost the digital image to high-definition (the exception this time-via antenna: a new TV with a built-in digital & HD tuner will make some high-definition content available, though much more will be broadcast by the cable and satellite providers). High Definition converter boxes typically add about $15-20 per month to your cable or satellite bill.

The difference can be thought of this way: HD is a digital signal on turbo-drive-images are crisper and colors, including blacks and white, are brighter and deeper.

Question #3: Which is better,

LCD or plasma HDTV?

LCD sets outsell plasma sets by a large margin. Their lifespan is greater (though the newer plasma sets have improved in this department). In a bright room, LCD sets reflect less ambient light-light from windows and lamps-in their screens than plasma sets, so plasmas are best viewed in darker environments. Plasma sets are also more subject to image burn-in than are LCDs (though here too technological improvements have reduced this occurrence). Plasma sets have a slight edge in overall color reproduction and in programs with fast-moving images, such as some pro sports and action movies, but this advantage is barely noticeable to most viewers of either LCD or plasma TVs.

All-digital television in the future

With this said, the new all-digital transmissions which begin next February will provide much better picture quality than the current analog signal, even without the step-up to High-Definition. But the leap from today’s analog signal to high-definition has been compared to the 1950’s shift from black & white to color television. FMI, visit Agren Appliance & Television at 40 Minot Avenue, Auburn.