Availability of HDTV broadcasts differs significantly between countries.
The United States and Japan are leading the world, however, Canada and
Australia are not far behind. High Definition Television is at its
infancy in Europe and elsewhere.
There are three different sources available for HDTV signals:
- Over-the-Air Broadcasts
- Cable television
- Satellite television
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that all US TV
stations broadcast DTV signals by May 2006. There is also a
requirement that 50% of televisions sold in the United States include a HDTV
tuner by mid-2005. These rules were established to help speed-up the
deployment of HDTV in the United States.
Satellite and cable companies are in stiff competition to provide
consumers with access to HDTV broadcasts as they become available.
Many companies offer attractive packages to attract first-time customers
that include HDTV services and any required hardware.
