HDTV stands for High Definition Television. In layman's terms, HDTV is a new, advanced television signal standard that provides:

• a noticeably sharper, more detailed picture
• support for "Surround-Sound" audio
• a different screen shape that is wider, like a movie screen

Another key aspect of HDTV is that it is based on a digital signal. In fact, HDTV is just one of the new digital television standards proposed by the ATSC to ultimately replace the country's existing TV system.

Both HDTV and our Digital Cable service are based on digital TV signals.

HDTV is a new kind of television. To view it, you must purchase a new kind of TV set (and/or possibly an additional decoder) that is capable of displaying HDTV signals. A current, conventional TV set cannot display HDTV.

The Bright House Networks Digital Cable service, on the other hand, is fully compatible with today's TV sets, as long as you have a Digital Cable decoder box. The benefits of current Digital Cable are the ability to provide many more cable channels on our cable lines; and much clearer sound and pictures than analog channels provide.

The full answer to this question is very technical. Suffice it to say that pictures and sound can be recorded and transmitted in two ways: digital or analog. Analog techniques have been around a long time. Digital technologies have come into common home usage only in the last couple decades.

Analog technologies include cassette tapes and radio. Analog signals are very susceptible to degradation, which decreases the quality of the sound and picture information. Digital signals - including computer data and compact disks - do not degrade. Therefore, signals transmitted digitally can provide pictures and sounds that are much clearer.

Here are a few links if you are interested in learning more about HDTV:

• HDTV article on the "HowStuffWorks" Web site 
• Motorola's HDTV page
• HDTV Information Center from CNET