Football in HD
What is HD TV?
High definition (HD) offers picture quality with four times more detail than standard definition (SD) TV delivering vibrant colour, stunning detail and incredible depth. It is the ultimate way to watch your favourite movies, TV programmes and sporting events and it is going to blow you away! Viewers will be able to see individual blades of grass on a football pitch and the details of faces at the back of a crowded stadium.
The Cost of HD TV
To enjoy the majority of live football on TV you will need to get either a Sky HD box, (currently free to new and existing subscribers!) or a Virgin V+ box (cost varies depending on the package you subscribe to - click here for more information). Both boxes also work like a VCR and allow you to record, pause, and rewind TV programmes.To watch football on the HD channels you will need to pay a monthly subscription on top of your TV package deal. This will set you back an extra £5 to £10 and for this you will get the full range of HD channles including BBC and ITV.
Another option is to sign-up to Freesat - for an initial cost of £50 to £200 (for a DigiBox and a Satellite dish if you don't already have one), you can receive a number of HD channels (in addition to other freeview channels), with no subscription fee! Interested? Click here for more information!
| Provider | Box Cost | Monthly Cost | Features | Channels | Interested? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 £25 FREE M&S gift vouchers! CLICK HERE! |
FREE Box plus FREE set up - Online exclusive | £10 per month |
|
37 HD Channels including Sky Sports, Movies, Sky 1 & BBC | Upgrade New Customer |
 2 Months FREE plus FREE installation! |
SPECIAL OFFER! Currently £45 | FREE with XL TV package or £5 per month |
|
ESPN HD, plus 6 others and on demand movies | Switch to Virgin |
 Freesat HD receiver only £99.99 CLICK HERE! |
£99 - £299 Can get with built in TV from £749 |
FREE |
|
BBC HD & ITV HD | Click here for info |
Is It Worth It?
If you have a HDTV, and are wanting to get the best out of it, then definatley!If you can afford the monthly cost then what are you waiting for? The quailty differnce is amazingly clear so much so you will never be able to watch live football in poor old standard resolution again. It is worth it too for the movies with many of the being filmed in HD these days as well. The only down point is that ESPN games are still only available in standard but we are sure it is just a matter of time before the launch their HD channel.
Sky Television HD
"Sky HD is amazing, its quality is far superior to standard quality. The sharpness, colours and details are all amazing."- Taken from www.reviewcentre.com.
Freeview HD (Freesat)
"Everyone who's come round to see it has been very impressed and can clearly see the difference between HD and SD. There is definitely a great sense of depth to the image. Sometimes you do actually feel as if you can reach out and touch it!"- Taken from www.hdtvuk.tv.
Are HDTV programmes on air now?
Owning a HD-TV does not mean that you will automatically be able to watch high-definition television. In fact high-definition broadcasts will be limited for some time to come. Sky and Virgin Media are preparing to transmit HD programmes to their paying subscribers who have signed up for the service and bought a box that can decode the signals for an HD-ready television.A full Freeview service of HD broadcasts is not possible at present because there is not enough bandwidth space in the transmission spectrum. Only when all analogue channels are turned off between 2008 and 2012 will there be enough space to accommodate HDTV channels.
How does HDTV work?
High-definition screens are higher resolution - they have more picture elements or pixels per square inch - giving clearer pictures that contain about four times as much detail than existing television images. They do this by packing in more horizontal lines on the screen. Existing standard definition TVs have 576 horizontal lines but HDTVs have between 720 and 1,080 lines. Most HDTV sets being sold now in Britain are of the 720 format.This results in a significantly improved picture quality, clarity and colour definition. HD also uses millions more colours than SD TV, increasing the richness and intensity of everything you watch. Most HD programmes and movies are also created with cinema-style surround sound, that you can experience in full with a compatible surround sound system although a few can screen the 1.080 format.
Is HDTV Best on A Big Screen?
In a word, yes. Don't expect to see a dramatic difference if you go for a HDTV with a screen smaller than 32 inches (TV screens are measured along the diagonal). One study of people watching television at various resolutions concluded that at normal viewing distances and normal-sized screens, people did not easily discriminate better resolutions than those currently used. To get any benefit from high-definition TV you need a bigger screen (or to sit much closer to it!)Is Now the Time to Buy HD TV?
If you need a new TV now, be sure to get one that is marked "HDTV ready"!
World Cup 2010 in HD
If you already have a Sky or Virgin media HD package then you will know that picture quality is clearly more vibrant and the 5 times sharper picture really does deliver incredible detail. You can get all Premiership games in HD on Sky Sports HD and ESPN HD (see package details below) but what about the World Cup?
All World Cup games will be shown Live on BBC HD and ITV HD channles and you get both these HD channles as standard with either Virgin or Sky HD, but there is another way to watch the World Cup in High Definition. Freesat is the free, no monthly fee, digital satalite offering from BBC and ITV which includes both their HD channels.
To get it you will need to buy a new TV with Freesat built in or a receiver, these vary in price from £99 up to £300 so if you want to see the cheapest authorised stockist click here. You will also need a satalite dish, if you have one already you will be able to use that if not installation starts at around £80. Once you are set up there are no other costs or subscription charges. You will now have BBC HD and ITV HD and will be able to enjoy the World Cup in all it's high definiation glory.
If, like me, you are thinking of getting a new TV to watch the World Cup on then make sure you get one with Freesat built in. I have done my research and found this 42" Panasonic plasma on sale with £100 off and currently only £749.