KGUN-TV HDTV Information

KGUN-TV’S HDTV channel assignment is channel 35.1, and is mapped to channel 9.1 for ease of tuning on your HDTV set top box.  KGUN-TV provides HDTV in 720p format, which is a great HDTV format for live sports events. 

The KGUN-TV HDTV signal is in the UHF frequency band.  Many viewers will have success receiving the signal with a conventional VHF/UHF roof antenna oriented towards Mt. Lemmon.   Just as we currently broadcast our analog programming on ch.9, with a ch.16 translator to feed the Northwest side of town, we will eventually have an HDTV translator to feed the Northwest side of town.  A good website to choose an antenna for HDTV is www.antennaweb.org. Enter a residential address and the website provides information regarding what channels you may be able to receive, and the size/type of antenna needed to receive the local HDTV/DTV programming.

KGUN HDTV is also available in the Tucson area on DirecTV, Cox and ComCast cable systems.  Please contact those providers for tuning information.

ABC currently broadcasts the majority of its primetime schedule, including all of its scripted dramas, comedies and theatrical movies, in HDTV.   During these times, KGUN-TV passes these shows through in HD 720p. http://abc.go.com/shows/index.html has daily program listings and provides details on which shows are being broadcast in HDTV.

During times that HDTV is not available from ABC, the KGUN-TV analog signal is up-converted to the 480p standard definition (SD) DTV format, and is of greater quality than your current analog Ch.9 signal.  A HDTV set top box is still required to tune in the DTV signal.

A website with many HDTV resources is: http://www.myfreehdtv.org/.

The following information is taken from the http://abc.go.com  website, listed under the HDTV FAQ, and may answer some common HDTV questions:

High-Definition Television (HDTV) is the view of the future and ABC is proud to offer most of its prime time programming in this exciting new format. Here's a primer on the basics of HDTV.

What is HDTV?
High-definition television is a new format for broadcasting TV programming. The existing format is called NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) and is analog. By contrast, the signals in HDTV are digital.

Do I need a new television set to watch HDTV?
Yes. You must have a high-definition tuner and monitor to properly decode HDTV signals and display them accurately. ABC's programs are also broadcast in standard format, so today no programs are ONLY for HDTV users. Your regular television set simply ignores HDTV signals that are being broadcast. When you want to step up to watching HDTV, you'll need to get a new high-def TV set.

What's different about HDTV versus the existing signals?
The HDTV signal is digital resulting in crystal clear, noise-free pictures and CD quality sound. For the technophile, there are about 20 megabits per second of information per broadcast channel. HDTV has many viewer benefits.

Benefit: Aspect Ratio
Most televisions today are manufactured in a 4 by 3 aspect ratio, which means the screen is 4 units wide by 3 units high. But theatrically released movies are usually in a much wider aspect, taking advantage of the human field of vision (which is wider across horizontally). HDTV signals are sent in a 16 by 9 aspect ratio, mimicking the wide scope of movies. HDTV's aspect ratio makes for a more immersive and intense viewing experience.

Benefit: Picture Resolution
Resolution is a measure of picture sharpness. Current analog television contains about 480 active scanning lines resulting in a picture resolution of about 330 lines of resolution. By comparison today's VHS VCR's have about 240 lines of resolution which is why VHS recordings don't look as sharp as the original picture. DVD's offer higher resolution typically on the order of 400-480 lines of resolution. (Note the number of scanning lines does not equal resolution. For example, both the VHS and DVD formats have 480 active scanning lines but have different resolutions.) HDTV offers resolution that is at least twice that of analog television. You can expect razor sharp images from HDTV.

I have heard that there are two HDTV formats — 720p and 1080i. Is there a difference between these formats and can my television receive both these formats?
Regardless of the HDTV format being broadcast, all new HDTV receivers can receive both formats. New HDTV televisions will convert any received signal to a format that is compatible with your new display. The 720p format uses progressive scanning, which is just like your computer monitor. Progressive scan offers a crystal clear image that virtually eliminates those scanning lines that are visible on most large screen televisions.

The 1080i format uses interlace scanning just like today's analog televisions. Scanning lines are less visible on big screens due to the number of lines. Older projection HDTV's use 1080i.

Benefit: Digital Sound
Just as your CDs sound better than your old audiocassette tapes, HDTV's digital audio signal sounds better than standard television's analog sound. Also, some HDTV programs include Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Properly decoded, each audio track can be sent to a different speaker, creating a three-dimensional sound field in your living room. Many of ABC's prime time programs contain Dolby Digital surround sound for your listening pleasure.

What do I need to receive HDTV?
In some areas, HDTV is only available as an over-the-air broadcast signal. This requires the use, in most cases, of an outdoor antenna pointed in the direction of the broadcaster's tower. You will also need a new HDTV receiver that can decode the digital signals. HDTV channels are typically different than your cable or over-the-air channel.

Please see the attached list of those cities where ABC HDTV programs are available.

Is HDTV replacing standard television?
Not immediately. ABC and other broadcasters will continue to offer programs in the standard format for at least the next several years. However, the federal government hopes broadcasters and consumers adopt the new format by 2009. Thus, the next few years will be a transition, as television networks add more digital broadcasting to their offerings.