HDTV question:

[Hawaii Hiker]

Let's say you went out & bought a new HDTV but you only have a basic cable package in your home, when the change from analog to digital occurs in Feb. 2009, will you get high-definition picture quality at that time on the network stations if you still only subscribe to basic cable...

Now, running a blu-ray player into a high-def TV will give you the hi-def experience for movies, but I'm wondering what is needed to be able to watch NFL, NBA, NCAA sports, etc. in true high-def...Do you need to have a premium cable package, etc?..

I'm just not sure how all this is going to work....

[rcrush]

1. /

The switchover wont give you free HD as far as I know. If you are using a cable company then they will have an HD package you can upgrade to then the only HD you'll be able to see is on the HD channels on your cables package.

[Reverend_Smitty]

2. you can get true hi-def from just a signal picked up by an antenna

in fact it's probably a better picture than if you get it through the cable company because the signal is uncompressed. However if you want hi-def programming through a cable company you probably need a hi-def cable box to receive the channels, you should be able to get one of those and still keep basic cable. You may not be able to get hi-def versions of channels you don't get in standard definition but the major networks should be available. I don't think we pay any extra to have the hi-def box versus the standard cable box