The Added Weight Of HD

Samsung LCD TVs

When new technology comes out, we all expect it not only to work but also to fit in seamlessly with the gadgets and gizmos we already have. You could argue that this is only logical, but some developments in recent times have moved the goal posts quite significantly in ways you might not initially think of. Take HDTV for example. Everyone loves the increased picture fidelity and vivid colours that help make their viewing experience even more immersive, but the extra detail means extra data, not just being transmitted from studios and stadiums to your home, but also being saved and stored by OnDemand services and home DVRs.

Samsung 32 Inch TV

The extra data capacity required for HD broadcasts and recording has had a significant knock-on effect on the supporting infrastructure, with many facilities requiring full scale overhauls of their equipment. The effect is even being felt at home, with Sky now offering a HDTV DVR system with a whopping 1TB of storage, allowing viewers to store a similar volume of HD programming as they could with their traditional “low definition” systems. The BBC’s iPlayer service offering high definition versions of their programmes has also required a large number of households to upgrade their broadband packages, as a standard 2 or even 4mb/s service will struggle to stream the extra data.

Not to worry though, HD is probably the biggest jump we will see in terms of data bandwidth requirements for a long time, meaning that if you’ve just splashed out on a new Samsung 32 inch TV and DVR then its storage capacity will probably last you a long while. In fact the next step will most likely be along the path of integration, with Samsung LCD TVs having full digital program recording and even internet browsing available all in one box.