Learn about the features of high-definition TV and how to subscribe or upgrade to it for U-verse TV and DIRECTV.
High-definition TV
High-definition Television (HDTV) offers the highest picture resolution. It’s called high-definition (HD) because the amount of information used to display the picture on your TV is higher with HD than with a standard-definition (SD) broadcast signal.
An SDTV signal is comprised of 486 visible lines, while an HD signal is comprised of up to 1080 visible lines. Due to the way the eye perceives the amount of lines, an HD signal results in a picture that’s up to 6 times sharper than the same image sent with a standard-definition signal.
You need a 720p, 1080i, or 1080p capable HDTV to take advantage of HDTV programming. Note: It may take up to 5 seconds for an HD picture to first display. This occurs because there are so many pixels to be created. Subscribe to HDTV To subscribe/upgrade to HD for U-verse TV you need:
A high-definition television set (HDTV).
An HD receiver.
HDMI cable, HDMI-to-DVI conversion with audio cable, or component cables for each receiver connected to an HDTV.
Once you have the necessary equipment, contact us to upgrade your service to HDTV.