Where to Get HD Programming

You've got a new HDTV. Now, where do you get some programming for it? Though it's still far from ubiquitous, HDTV sources are certainly more plentiful than ever before. Here are the main ways to get it.

Over the air: As long as you have an HDTV (which, by definition, should have a built-in definition or ATSC tuner), you can get HD programming from local channels and major network programming with a standard UHF antenna or a special HDTV one. That said, whether your local news will be in HD depends on the channels in your area. To see who broadcasts in HD in your area, go to HDTVPub's HD Finder, where you can search by zip code. Of course, the drawback to this method is that sometimes you just won't get reception. I live in building-dense New York City; the indoor HD antenna I'm using gets the local CBS and ABC affiliates no problem, but the local NBC channel coverage is spotty and often cuts out just before Conan's punch line.

Cable: Compared with some of the satellite services, cable providers are woefully behind in the HD department, but some companies are providing as many as 20 HD stations. My cable provider (Time Warner of New York) offers an HD box with local channels and a few premium ones for the same price as a digital cable subscription. I get HBO and Cinemax HD at no added cost, since I already subscribe to those channels, but I have to pay extra for INHD and ESPNHD. My parents have to pay extra for HD, but they get a bunch of on-demand options with their Comcast provider in New Hampshire. (Comcast averages about 20 HD channels in most of its markets.) There is no real uniformity to what the cable providers across the country offer, so your best bet is to just call or go online to find out what the HD deal is with your local cable company. Most cable providers also offer HD DVRs for a nominal extra cost, but be warned: Like the cable boxes, the cable DVRs are glitchy.

Satellite: The definite leader in HD offerings over satellite is Dish Network, which absorbed the old all-HD satellite service Voom and offers 30 HD channels (and counting), including many exclusive all-movie channels. Despite offering a new DVR with more space for saving shows, DirecTV's HD offerings are a little slimmer, with about 12 channels. You may still need an antenna to get some local stations (like the CW or PBS) if you go the satellite route, however.

On-demand: Besides the on-demand HD offerings in some Comcast markets, downloadable movies are available to anyone with an Xbox 360 and an Internet connection. The Xbox Video Marketplace on Xbox Live offers about 50 movies and several dozen TV shows that can be downloaded to the Xbox 360's hard drive and watched on your TV. That said, HD offerings are still minimal, but it's a good option if you like your CBS shows crisp and clear. Another option is the Movielink player, which has about a half-dozen or so HD movies in its lineup of around 100 titles per month (the movie lineup is automatically downloaded into the air into the Movielink set-top box). Choices run on the mainstream side, but at least standard-definition movies are upscaled to 720p if you connect using HDMI.

Blu-ray/HD-DVD: You can either get costly stand-alone players, such as the Panasonic DMP-BD10 (for Blu-ray) or the Toshiba HD-A2 (for HD-DVD), to watch the stunning-looking images produced by these next-gen disc formats. Also, PS3s double as fine Blu-ray disc players, and Xbox 360 owners can add a $200 HD-DVD drive to their console, and presto, they've got an HD-DVD player.

Other options: Besides the HD-DVRs from your cable company, TiVo recently released an $800, THX-certified Series3 DVR that can record two HD shows at once, either via antenna or with two CableCards. Unfortunately, it won't hook up to your satellite or cable box. Also, check if your area is eligible for Verizon's FiOS TV, which the company is making available in seven states by bringing high-speed, high-capacity fiber-optic cable directly to customers' homes (translation: more HD channels, more HD on demand).

Though the service requires the installation of a big and ugly box on the side of your house, FiOS TV is accessed via a set-top box. AT&T also this week expanded its U-verse TV service to six markets and will further expand in 2007. U-verse is an Internet Protocol-based (IPTV) service that sends up to 27 HD channels (and around 300 SD ones) over the Internet to your home.

One last thing to consider: Even if you've got an HD channel on, you may not be getting HD since not all shows are delivered in HD. For an up-to-date schedule of HD programming, go to the "What's On" listings at HDTV Galaxy.

Related links:

Finding Out Who's Sending HDTV Signals
HD-Ready, HD Monitor, HDTV: What's the Difference?