The picture that you currently receive on your television set is based on an analog transmission system that is 50 years old. Although the development of this analog system was, at that time, a technological breakthrough, the quality of the picture is no longer acceptable by today's standards. The reason is that the analog signal can be easily distorted as it travels over the air from the television station to the home.
Television is about to change from analog to digital broadcasting.
Viewers at home will be able to receive high quality, crystal clear pictures. And, because it is digital, audiences will have the benefit of CD quality, surround sound. In other words, you will be able to enjoy a true home theater experience. SDTV offers a higher quality picture than we have today, along with stereo sound. Whether we are broadcasting in HDTV or multicasting SDTV programs, digital technology will give broadcasters the capability to use leftover bandwidth to transmit video, audio, text or data directly to computers, fax machines or the television set itself over the air.