The television system in the United States is undergoing a radical change.  This change is the first since the electronic standards for current television system were set up over fifty years ago.  The new system is a digital system, and marries computer technology with television.  Visual images are captured in a digital format, processed digitally, broadcast digitally, and received and projected in the home, all via digital technology.  “Great,” you say. “But what is ‘digital technology?’”  Simply put, digital refers to a system of ones and zeros, or on and off switches.  Everything – every image, every line, and every picture element – is turned into binary (or a string of ones and zeros).  In the current analogue system, there is some image degradation each time an image is manipulated.  So between the time of image capture, and it arriving at the home receiver, there can be substantial image loss in detail.  But the new system alters that process.  The results of this are the ability to faithfully reproduce images all along the line in the broadcast process, so that the image on your television set is identical to the one that was captured by the camera at the original scene. 

An additional advantage is the fact that there are twice as many scan lines in the new system – 1,080 vs. 525 in the present system.  The result is stunning detail and clarity, in a screen that is wider than the current screen.  The new high definition TV sets are in an aspect ratio of 16x9, or roughly one and a third wider than current screens. 

All television stations in the United States will be turning off their analogue broadcast signals, and switching exclusively to the new digital format on February 17th, 2009.

Will you need a new TV set to see Tracks Ahead?  No, as we will release a version in the current format. But it will be “letter boxed,” meaning that you will see the wide aspect ratio, but with black bars at the top and bottom of your current set.  You will notice some difference in enhanced clarity, but you will not get the full impact of the high definition signal unless you have an HD TV set.

Along with the picture (or video) is new digital sound.  The sixth season was released of surround sound, sometimes referred to as 5.1.  This means that there are six channels: Left front and rear, right front and rear, and center + a channel for the bass or sub-woofer signal.  So the sound you hear puts you right in the center of the action.  It's dramatic, and adds a whole new dimension to the viewing experience.

Tracks Ahead is pleased to be able to provide seasons 5, 6 (and soon 7) in the new format.  The results are truly amazing.