What are you really watching?

Are you aware that even today, when HD is being promoted everywhere, most content is still being broadcast in standard definition? This is caused by several valid reasons and can impact the quality of programming you have access to as well as how much you are truly getting out of your new HD set.

Since it is not yet mandatory to broadcast in HD, most of the older shows are still shot edited and broadcast in SD. However, most prime time content as well as new material is transiting to the high definition era. The change is slow due to the enormous costs involved in the production equipment required to create a show. The main piece of the puzzle is obviously an HD camera.

Since most studios have perfectly functional SD equipment and they are not yet obliged to change to HD, most do so gradually. For example you may fid that current episodes of a given sit com or soap are shot and broadcast in HD, but that older reruns are still in SD. Also, depending on their popularity, certain shows tend to lag behind when it comes to changes. After all, it is the demand that dictates the course of action for most big networks and film studios.