High - definition television in the United States - wikipedia High - definition television in the United States High - definition television ( HDTV ) in the United States was introduced in 1998 and has since become increasingly popular and dominant in the television market. Hundreds of HD channels are available in millions of homes and businesses both terrestrially and via subscription services such as satellite, cable and IPTV. HDTV has quickly become the standard, with about 85 % of all TVs used being HD as of 2017. In the US, the 720p and 1080i formats are used for linear channels, while 1080p is available on a limited basis, mainly for pay - per - view and video on demand content. Contents 1 From proposals to introduction 2 Satellite and cable 3 List of current American high - definition channels 4 See also 5 References From proposals to introduction The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) began soliciting proposals for a new television standard for the U.S. in the late 1980s and later decided to ask companies competing to create the standard to pool their resources and work together, forming what was known as the Grand Alliance in 1993. On July 23, 1996, WRAL - TV ( then the CBS affiliate in Raleigh, North Carolina ; now affiliated with NBC ) became the first television station in the United States to broadcast a digital television signal. HDTV sets became available in the U.S. in 1998 and broadcasts began around November 1998. The first public HDTV broadcast was of the launch of the space shuttle Discovery and John Glenn 's return to space ; that broadcast was made possible in part by the Harris Corporation. The first commercial broadcast of a local sporting event in HD was during Major League Baseball 's Opening Day on March 31, 1998, the Texas Rangers against the Chicago White Sox from The Ballpark in Arlington in Arlington, TX. The telecast was produced by LIN Productions, and overseen by LIN Productions president and Texas Rangers television executive producer Lee Spieckerman. The game was also the inaugural telecast on the digital channel of Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas NBC affiliate KXAS channel 5. The historic event was simultaneously shown via satellite at a reception attended by members of congress, the FCC and other luminaries in Washington, DC. This telecast was also the first commercial HD broadcast in the state of Texas. The first major sporting event broadcast nationwide in HD was Super Bowl XXXIV on January 30, 2000. Satellite and cable This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( March 2014 ) Satellite television companies in the United States, such as Dish Network and DirecTV, started to carry HD programming in 2002. Satellite transmissions in the U.S. use various forms of PSK modulation. A separate tuner is required to receive HD satellite broadcasts. Cable television companies in the U.S. generally prefer to use 256 - QAM to transmit HDTV. Many of the newer HDTVs with integrated digital tuners include support for decoding 256 - QAM in addition to 8VSB for OTA digital. Cable television companies started carrying HDTV in 2003. Currently, HD programming is carried by all major television networks in nearly all DMAs, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, The CW, MyNetworkTV and Telemundo ; and on many independent stations. All but a select few of cable networks offer an HD broadcast to cable and satellite companies. List of current American high - definition channels Name HD Format Category Type A&E 1080i Entertainment Cable ABC 720p Broadcast Broadcast AccuWeather Network 1080i News Cable Adult Swim 1080i Entertainment Cable Altitude 1080i Sports - Regional Cable AMC 1080i Entertainment Cable American Heroes Channel 1080i Entertainment Cable Animal Planet 1080i Lifestyle Cable AT&T SportsNet 720p Sports -- Regional Cable ASPiRE 1080i Entertainment Cable Audience 720p Entertainment Cable AWE 1080i Lifestyle Cable AXS TV 1080i Entertainment Cable Azteca 1080i Broadcast -- Spanish Broadcast BBC America 1080i Entertainment Cable BBC World News 1080i News Cable beIN Sports 720p Sports Cable beIN Sports en Español 720p Sports -- Spanish Cable BET 1080i Entertainment Cable BET Her 1080i Entertainment Cable Big Ten Network 720p Sports - College Cable Bloomberg TV 1080i News Cable Bravo 1080i Lifestyle Cable Cars.TV 1080i Sports Cable Cartoon Network 1080i Family Cable CBS 1080i Broadcast Broadcast CBS Sports Network 1080i Sports Cable Cinemax ( MoreMax, ActionMax, ThrillerMax, 5starMax, MovieMax, OuterMax, MaxLatino ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium CMT 1080i Entertainment Cable CNBC 1080i News Cable CNN 1080i News Cable Comedy Central 1080i Entertainment Cable Comedy.TV 1080i Entertainment Cable Cooking Channel 1080i Lifestyle Cable Crime & Investigation Network 720p Entertainment Cable The CW 1080i Broadcast Broadcast Daystar 720p Religion Cable Destination America 1080i Lifestyle Cable Discovery Channel 1080i Entertainment Cable Discovery Family 1080i Family Cable Disney XD 720p Family Cable Disney Junior 720p Family Cable Disney Channel 720p Family Cable DIY 1080i Lifestyle Cable E ! 1080i Lifestyle Cable El Rey Network 1080i Spanish Cable Epix ( Epix 2, Epix Hits ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium ES.TV 1080i Entertainment Cable ESPN 720p Sports Cable ESPN2 720p Sports Cable ESPNews 720p Sports Cable ESPNU 720p Sports Cable ESPN Deportes 720p Sports -- Spanish Cable ESPN Goal Line / Buzz Beater / Bases Loaded 720p Sports Cable EVINE Live 1080i Shopping Cable Flix 1080i Premium Movies Premium FM 1080i Music Cable Food Network 1080i Lifestyle Cable Fox 720p Broadcast Broadcast Fox Business Network 720p News Cable Fox Deportes 720p Sports -- Spanish Cable Fox News Channel 720p News Cable FS1 720p Sports Cable FS2 720p Sports Cable Fox Soccer Plus 720p Sports Cable Fox Sports Networks ( All Networks ) 720p Sports -- Regional Cable Freeform 720p Family Cable Fuse 1080i Music Cable Fusion 1080i News Cable FX 720p Entertainment Cable FXM 720p Movies Cable FXX 720p Entertainment Cable FYI 720p Lifestyle Cable Galavisión 1080i Spanish Cable Gol TV 1080i Sports -- Spanish Cable Golf Channel 1080i Sports Cable Great American Country 1080i Music Cable GSN 1080i Entertainment Cable Hallmark Channel 1080i Family Cable Hallmark Movies & Mysteries 1080i Movies Cable HBO ( HBO2, HBO Comedy, HBO Family, HBO Latino, HBO Signature, HBO Zone ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium HDNet Movies 1080i Movies Cable HGTV 1080i Lifestyle Cable History 1080i Entertainment Cable HLN 1080i News Cable HSN 1080i Shopping Cable HSN 2 1080i Shopping Cable IFC 1080i Movies Cable Investigation Discovery 1080i Entertainment Cable Ion 720p Entertainment Broadcast Justice Central 1080i News Cable Lifetime 1080i Lifestyle Cable LMN 1080i Lifestyle Cable Logo TV 1080i Lifestyle Cable MASN ( MASN2 ) 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable MAVTV 1080i Sports Cable Mega TV 1080i Broadcast -- Spanish Cable MGM HD 1080i Movies Premium Midco SN 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable Minnesota Channel 1080i Entertainment Broadcast MLB Network 720p Sports Cable MLB StrikeZone 720p Sports Cable The Movie Channel ( The Movie Channel Xtra ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium MoviePlex ( IndiePlex, RetroPlex ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium MSG ( MSG Plus, MSG Western New York ) 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable MSNBC 1080i News Cable MTV 1080i Entertainment Cable MTV2 1080i Entertainment Cable MTV Live 1080i Music Cable MyDestination.TV 1080i Lifestyle Cable MyNetworkTV 720p Broadcast Broadcast Nat Geo Wild 720p Lifestyle Cable National Geographic 720p Entertainment Cable NBA TV 1080i Sports Cable NBC 1080i Broadcast Broadcast NBC Sports Regional Networks 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable NBC Universo 1080i Spanish Cable NBCSN 1080i Sports Cable NESN 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable Newsmax TV 720i News Cable NFL Network 1080i Sports Cable NFL RedZone 1080i Sports Cable NHL Network 1080i Sports Cable Nick at Nite 1080i Family Cable Nickelodeon 1080i Family Cable Nicktoons 1080i Family Cable Nick Jr. 1080i Family Cable One America News Network 1080i News Cable Outdoor Channel 1080i Sports Cable Ovation 1080i Lifestyle Cable OWN 1080i Lifestyle Cable Olympic Channel 1080i Sports Cable Oxygen 1080i Lifestyle Cable Pac - 12 Network 1080i Sports -- College Cable Paramount Network 1080i Entertainment Cable PBS 1080i Broadcast Broadcast Pets.TV 1080i Lifestyle Cable Playboy TV 1080i Adult Cable Pop 1080i Lifestyle Cable QVC 1080i Shopping Cable Recipe.TV 1080i Lifestyle Cable Reelz 720p Entertainment Cable Revolt 1080i Music Cable Science 1080i Lifestyle Cable SEC Network 720p Sports - College Cable ShortsTV 1080i Movies Cable Showtime ( Showtime 2, Showcase, Showtime Extreme, Showtime Beyond, Showtime Next, Showtime Women ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium Smithsonian Channel 1080i Lifestyle Cable SNY 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable Sony Movie Channel 1080i Movies Cable Spectrum SportsNet LA 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable Spectrum SportsNet 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable Spectrum Deportes 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable Sportsman Channel 1080i Sports Cable Starz ( Starz Comedy, Starz Edge, Starz Kids and Family, Starz InBlack, Starz Cinema ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium Starz Encore ( Starz Encore, Starz Encore Action, Starz Encore Black, Starz Encore Classic, Starz Encore Suspense ) 1080i Premium Movies Premium SundanceTV 1080i Movies Cable Syfy 1080i Entertainment Cable TBS 1080i Entertainment Cable TCM 1080i Movies Cable Telemundo 1080i Broadcast -- Spanish Broadcast TeenNick 1080i Family Cable Tennis Channel 1080i Sports Cable TLC 1080i Lifestyle Cable TNT 1080i Entertainment Cable Travel Channel 1080i Lifestyle Cable truTV 1080i Entertainment Cable TV Land 1080i Family Cable TV One 1080i Entertainment Cable UniMás 1080i Broadcast -- Spanish Broadcast Universal Kids 1080i Family Cable Univision 1080i Broadcast -- Spanish Broadcast Univision Deportes 1080i Sports -- Spanish Cable Up 1080i Family Cable USA Network 1080i Entertainment Cable Velocity 1080i Sports Cable Viceland 1080i Lifestyle Cable VH1 1080i Entertainment Cable WE tv 1080i Lifestyle Cable The Weather Channel 1080i News Cable WeatherNation TV 1080i News Cable WGN America 1080i Entertainment Cable World Fishing Network 1080i Sports Cable YES 1080i Sports -- Regional Cable See also Television in the United States portal Television portal Big Three television networks Cable television in the United States Communications in the United States Fourth television network List of television stations in the United States List of United States cable and satellite television networks List of United States over-the - air television networks List of United States television markets Satellite television in the United States Television in the United States Television news in the United States United States cable news References Jump up ^ HDTV SETS NOW IN OVER 80 % OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS Leichtman Research Group March 16, 2015 Jump up ^ History of WRAL Digital Jump up ^ `` HDTV : Launched and Counting ''. Broadcasting and Cable. BNET. 1998 - 11 - 02. Archived from the original on 2008 - 12 - 10. Retrieved 2008 - 10 - 24. Jump up ^ KXAS Texas Rangers vs Chicago White Sox introduction -- March 31, 1998 High - definition television broadcasting by country United States Australia United Kingdom Singapore Malaysia in order of deployment Digital television in North America Terrestrial Digital broadcasting ATSC tuners Digital subchannels Virtual channels Distributed transmission system Datacasting Guide Plus National Datacast UpdateLogic Metropolitan Television Alliance Grand Alliance Digital switchover All - Channel Receiver Act SAFER Act Digital channel election Set - top boxes Digital television adapter U.S. Converter Box Coupon Program legislation Analog passthrough DVD recorders Digital video recorders Digital standards ATSC Standards ATSC ATSC - M / H 8VSB A-VSB E-VSB PSIP PMCP full list Standard - definition TV 480i 576i Enhanced - definition TV 480p 576p High - definition TV 720p 1080i 1080p Ultra high - definition TV 2160p Serial digital interface Smart antennas CEA - 909 Digital networks see Template : American broadcast television Template : Canadian television networks National deployment List by country Canada Mexico United States HDTV transition wireless spectrum auction Cable Digital cable Digital - cable - ready TV QAM tuners Interactive - digital - cable - ready TV OpenCable Application Platform Encryption Must - carry Subscription TV AllVid CableCARD Downloadable Conditional Access System Tru2way Satellite TV DVB - S Dish Network GlobeCast World TV Free - to - air receiver Bell TV / Telus Satellite TV Dish México DigiCipher 2 4DTV Shaw Direct Digital Satellite Service / DVB - S2 DirecTV IPTV AT&T U-verse Bell Fibe TV FibreOP Telus Optik TV Technical issues 14 : 9 Active Format Description Broadcast flag Channel protection ratios HDTV blur Hierarchical modulation Pirate decryption Standards conversion Video on demand Television in the United States Stations and networks Over-the - air television networks ABC CBS NBC Fox Stations Cable and satellite Networks High - definition Channels Awards and events Emmy Award Primetime Daytime International Sports News & Documentary Technology & Engineering Sylvania Award Directors Guild of America Award Producers Guild of America Award Writers Guild of America Award Golden Globes Screen Actors Guild Award TCA Awards Critics ' Choice TV Award Peabody Award People 's Choice Awards NAACP Image Awards Eddie Awards Artios Award American Society of Cinematographers Awards Humanitas Prize ADG Excellence in Production Design Award Hugo Award Visual Effects Society Awards Golden Reel Award GLAAD Media Award MTV Movie & TV Awards MTV Fandom Awards Organizations Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers American Society of Cinematographers Directors Guild of America Federal Communications Commission Motion Picture Association of America National Association of Broadcasters National Cable & Telecommunications Association Paley Center for Media Producers Guild of America SAG - AFTRA Writers Guild of America, East Writers Guild of America, West Telecommunications History Beacon Broadcasting Cable protection system Cable TV Communications satellite Computer network Drums Electrical telegraph Fax Heliographs Hydraulic telegraph Internet Mass media Mobile phone Optical telecommunication Optical telegraphy Pager Photophone Prepay mobile phone Radio Radiotelephone Satellite communications Semaphore Smartphone Smoke signals Telecommunications history Telautograph Telegraphy Teleprinter ( teletype ) Telephone The Telephone Cases Television Timeline of communication technology Undersea telegraph line Videoconferencing Videophone Videotelephony Whistled language Pioneers Edwin Howard Armstrong John Logie Baird Paul Baran Alexander Graham Bell Tim Berners - Lee Jagadish Chandra Bose Vint Cerf Claude Chappe Donald Davies Lee de Forest Philo Farnsworth Reginald Fessenden Elisha Gray Erna Schneider Hoover Charles K. Kao Hedy Lamarr Innocenzo Manzetti Guglielmo Marconi Antonio Meucci Radia Perlman Alexander Stepanovich Popov Johann Philipp Reis Nikola Tesla Camille Tissot Alfred Vail Charles Wheatstone Vladimir K. Zworykin Transmission media Coaxial cable Fiber - optic communication Optical fiber Free - space optical communication Molecular communication Radio waves Transmission line Network topology and switching Links Nodes Terminal node Network switching ( circuit packet ) Telephone exchange Multiplexing Space - division Frequency - division Time - division Polarization - division Orbital angular - momentum Code - division Networks ARPANET BITNET Cellular network Computer CYCLADES Ethernet FidoNet Internet ISDN LAN Mobile NGN NPL network Public Switched Telephone Radio Telecommunications equipment Television Telex WAN Wireless World Wide Web Category Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=High-definition_television_in_the_United_States&oldid=833234035 '' Categories : Digital television in the United States High - definition television by country Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from March 2014 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 30 March 2018, at 11 : 36. 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Question: when did the first hd tv come out
Answer: 1998