Q: Are HDTV and DTV the same?

A: Not always.  DTV, digital cable and satellite stations broadcast signals in digital (DTV), but not always in HDTV format; some of them are in the 480p format, which is DTV but not HDTV programming. In fact, some viewers complain that their old TV produced better pictures on some shows. This is due to the program in question not being produced in a HD format. The good news is that more and more programming is being produced in HDTV format.  Some older programming or those current, but not shot in HD, are upconverted by broadcasters then sent as a digital feed. This achieves improved picture quality but will not meet the performance of true high definition.  Eventually all television programming will be digital broadcasts.  On the other hand, HDTV is not always digital; the component video output from HD devices are analog; but it is suggested to use the digital output, especially HDMI, for the best results.

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