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Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is HD Service?
High-definition television is a
high-resolution digital wide-screen TV format. A high-definition
TV signal has twice the color resolution and imparts a picture
that is six times sharper than that provided by a traditional
analog TV set. HDTV likewise provides enhanced audio, such as
Dolby Digital.
An image displayed on a TV screen is comprised of small, adjacent
rectangles known as "pixels." TV resolution refers to
the number of horizontal lines (comprised of pixels) that are
displayed on the TV screen. High-definition TVs have up to 1080
horizontal lines – more than twice as many as an analog TV set.
High-definition television also differs from standard analog
television in pixel size. The pixels in high-definition TV screens
are square, smaller and spaced more closely together than in an
analog TV set. Finally, high-definition TVs typically employ a
16:9 aspect ratio (i.e., wide screen format), rather than the 4:3
aspect ratio utilized by traditional analog TV sets. However,
there are some HDTV's which only have a 4:3 screen. Even though
high-definition television comes in wide screen format, not all
wide screen broadcast is high-definition. DVD's, for example, can
sometimes display in wide screen but the content is not
necessarily high-definition.
Is
Digital Cable the same thing as HDTV (HIGH-DEFINITION TV)?
Cox HD Service refers to a type of
digital cable that is at a higher-resolution than Cox Digital
Cable. In order to receive Cox HD Service, a “HDTV-capable”
television set and a Cox HDTV Decoder will be required.
What
is the difference between “HD-READY" and
"HD-CAPABLE" TVS?
HDTV Ready or HDTV Capable (the
terms are used interchangeably) means that the HDTV set is
capable of delivering the HDTV signal, but requires the addition
of an external receiver/tuner or HD cable set top box to pick up
the HD signals.
An HDTV Integrated set, a significantly more expensive option,
is one with an HD tuner built in. While this type of HD set will
allow consumers to pick up unencrypted HD broadcast signals
without an external receiver/tuner or set top box, most of these
integrated sets still require the external receiver/HD set top
box to get the full array of HD channels. With Cox, those
channels include ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater, HBO HD, Showtime
HD and InHD 1 & 2.
What
will HD Service cost?
You can lease the HD receiver from
Cox for $9.95 per month. The HD Receiver will replace your
current digital receiver if you are a Cox Digital Cable customer.
With the receiver, you are able to receive ABC, CBS, FOX,
NBC and more, as well as HBO HD, Showtime HD, (as long as you are
a current HBO and/or Showtime subscriber). More information can be found
on our programming page.*
For an additional $4.95 per month you can add our HD Tier which
includes ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD and Discovery HD Theater.*
*You must
be a Cox Digital Cable customer in order to receive High-Definition Service from Cox. Cox Digital Cable pricing starts at
$55.49/mo.
What
equipment will I need to order to view HD programming?
There are two types of High-Definition TV’s – those that are “capable” and those that
are “ready.” HD-Ready televisions have an internal over-air
receiver that can accept a high-definition signal and send the
digital information to the display where a picture is presented in
high-definition. HD-Capable televisions can display a high-definition picture but do not have the internal over-air receiver
to accept the signal; these sets are used in conjunction with an
external receiver. HD-Ready televisions are more expensive than
the HD-Capable televisions.
In order to view HD programming, you need only purchase an
HD-Capable set (the one without the tuner built-in) You will be
able to purchase or lease the equipment necessary to view HDTV signals
delivered via Cox Digital Cable.
An HDTV set and a Cox HDTV Decoder are required. To work with our
first generation HDTV offering, your HDTV set or monitor must have
a YPbPr component input.
What is the difference between “interlaced” and “progressive” scan?
"Interlaced" or "progressive" refers to the
scanning system. In an interlaced format, the screen shows every odd line at one scan of the screen, and then follows that up with the even lines in a second scan. Since there are 30 frames shown per second, the screen shows one half of the frame every sixtieth of a second. For smaller screens, this is less noticeable. As screens get larger, the problem with interlacing is
flicker.
Progressive scanning shows the whole picture, every line in one showing, every sixtieth of a second. This provides for a much smoother picture, but uses slightly more bandwidth.
Do
I need a new television to view an HD signal?
You must have an HD-capable TV
set to
view any of our HD channels. The current analog or
digital channel will still be viewable on your existing TV.
Will
Cox HD service support plasma TVs?
Most plasma TV's will have a YPbPr
component input and be capable of supporting multiple HDTV
formats. Please consult your owner's manual.
What
is the difference between DTV, HDTV, and SDTV?
"DTV" is a general
reference to Digital Television, as compared to "analog"
Television. DTV broadcasts can be either HDTV (high-definition
television) or SDTV (standard-definition television). HDTV can
broadcast at resolutions typically as high as 1920 by 1080 pixels
(2 million pixels), whereas the resolutions of SDTV broadcasts are
typically only as high as 640 by 480 pixels (290,000 pixels). In
comparison, analog television produces a total of about 210,000
pixels. Broadcasters and cable providers can choose which format
of DTV they transmit, and most DTV's and new HDTV set-top boxes
will be able to receive the signal regardless of which format is
transmitted. Note, however, that your standard analog TV set will
not be able to receive DTV signals (neither HDTV
nor SDTV).
I
keep hearing about 720P and 1080I signal formats - What is Cox going
to support?
Cox will retransmit what ever level
signal we receive from the source. Currently, HBO, Showtime, CBS
and NBC are transmitting a 1080i HDTV signal. ABC is utilizing
720p and Fox is transmitting at 480p. Out receiver up-converts
all signals to output at 1080i.
4:3,
16:9, Wide screen, Sidebars, Letterbox, Stretch, Pan and Scan ---
What does it all mean?
4:3 (width: height) is the
standard television shape. HDTV's have been manufactured in both
4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
16:9 (width: height) is the traditional shape of a HDTV,
although some HDTV's have been designed with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Wide screen is a term used for the 16:9 aspect ratio. Most
HDTV sets are easy to identify because of their wide screens.
These screens, which are usually a lot wider than they are tall,
closely resemble their movie theater counterparts.
Sidebars present the entire
picture in the middle of the screen and display black bands on
each side of the picture. Sidebars are used when non-HD content is
displayed on HDTV's with aspect ratios of 16:9.
Stretch is a tool that can be deployed on some HDTV's to stretch a
4:3 image to a 16:9 screen (vs. sidebars).
Letterbox presents the entire picture in the middle of the
screen and displays black bands above and below the picture.
Letterboxes are used to show HD content on a 4:3 aspect ratio TV.
However, with a 16:9 aspect ratio HDTV you may also have black
bands at the top and bottom of the picture depending upon which
wide screen format the program was produced in.
Pan and Scan is a tool that
can be deployed to present 16:9 content onto a 4:3 television (vs.
letterboxes).
Will
all channels be in High-Definition?
At this time they will not. Federal
regulation mandates that sometime in the future (after 2006) all
broadcast signals must transition from analog to HDTV. There
is no federal mandate that cable channels switch to High-Definition.
Will
I be able to view my program guide?
Yes, the on-screen guide is capable
of being displayed through our HDTV decoders depending on how you
configure your system. You may or may not have this feature
available.
Will
I be able to connect my VCR/DVD to my HD receiver?
Yes, the HD
receiver will allow for VCR
& DVD connections. Content quality will be limited by the
capabilities of your VCR/DVD. Please consult your VCR/DVD owner's
manual for any limitations.
How
will High-Definition TV look on my regular television?
High-Definition will not work on regular
TVs, since they don't support the interfaces required for
HD signals. You must have an HD-capable TV
set to
view any of our HD channels. The current analog or
digital channel will still be viewable on your existing TV.
How
is High-Definition television receiver different from my current
digital receiver?
The HD
receiver
will be much the same as your current digital receiver;
however, it will have the ability to provide HD signals to your
HDTV.
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