From Issue #2 , Page #14 | By Jon Boroshok

It took decades for color TV to totally overtake black and white. A similar evolution is taking place with high-definition TV. Will 2004 be the year when HDTV will finally be ready for prime time?

"The good news is that more HDTV content is being developed and made available," says Brian Dietz, senior director of communications for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA). He says that there are between eight and nine million HDTV sets in use today—still a small percentage of the total market.

Most networks offer their prime-time shows in HD, along with premium specialty channels such as Discovery HD Theater, sports and movie channels.

Mark Greenberg, executive VP for Showtime Networks, says that HDTV has attracted the early adopters so far, and is just beginning to reach a price point that makes it a mass-appeal product. There is increasing pressure on programmers to deliver HD, and some, such as Showtime, have responded by offering far more content in HD.

The bad news is that the content might not be available through your cable operator or satellite company. It's a matter of technology and capacity. Delivering HD takes up four to eight times more bandwidth than the same channel would require with standard definition (SD—what we've been watching for decades).

A garden hose can hold only so much water—that's bandwidth (or capacity). Each HDTV channel requires more "water" than an SD channel does. A satellite or cable company "hose" doesn't have enough bandwidth for all the channels available, so each provider has to decide what goes in the hose (channels you can receive), and what doesn't.

In addition to their HDTV sets, consumers will also need to replace their hardware, including a new satellite dish and a digital set-top box from their cable or satellite provider. Most cable and satellite companies offer conversion deals for their existing customers.

"The technology is getting more affordable," says Greenberg. Also expect more HDTV sets available that don't require a separate set-top box. "The market will excel in the next 24 to 36 months," he added.

There has been significant growth in the past 15 months, but consumers are annoyed by the inconsistency. A single cable company might offer more channels in one town, or even one neighborhood, than it does in another.

While still offering somewhat limited choices, a satellite provider's offerings are consistent nationwide rather than by locale. Satellite companies also face the expensive and daunting task of increasing their capacity to accommodate all the new HD channels. "In order to deliver HD programming, satellite providers need to cut regular channels or launch more satellites," says Bill Casamo, EVP of sales and marketing at VOOM. Unlike most satellite systems, which deliver about nine HD channels, VOOM offers 39, 21 of which are exclusive ones that may not appeal to mainstream users. Check with local providers to see what programming you can receive before purchasing that new HDTV.