What is the Difference Between EDTV and HDTV?
EDTV is an acronym for Enhanced Definition TeleVision. It has a display resolution of 852×480 lines (480p) in either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios & includes Dolby Digital sound system. True HDTV formats have a display resolution of 1280×720 to 1920×1080 lines. Formats include: 720p, 1080i and 1080p in a 16:9 (1.78:1) aspect ratio, along with a high quality Dolby Digital surround sound system (AC-3).
Shopping for a new television can be a little complicated today. This article will attempt to clear up at least part of the picture by explaining the difference between enhanced definition TV (EDTV) and high-definition TV (HDTV). In the process we’ll also define standard definition TV (SDTV). A certain amount of technical information is necessary. To start, a television displays a moving picture by running a set of still pictures in quick succession to create the illusion of movement. These still frames flash by at 30 frames per second. But to display a single frame, the TV must “paint” the screen or picture, line by line. A standard television screen is comprised of about 480 scan lines. The TV receives data for the even numbered lines first, then must make a second pass to fill in the odd numbered lines to complete each frame. Both passes together take place in the span of 1/30th of a second. Because each pass paints every other line, this type of display is referred to as interlaced
