digital television: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical, Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “digital television” mean?
A system for broadcasting television programs using digital signals, as opposed to analog signals, which provides higher picture and sound quality and more channels.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A system for broadcasting television programs using digital signals, as opposed to analog signals, which provides higher picture and sound quality and more channels.
The industry, technology, and content associated with digitally broadcast TV; often used to refer to the physical television set capable of receiving digital signals or the transition from analog to digital broadcasting.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, the switchover from analogue to digital television was a major public initiative called the 'Digital Switchover'. In the US, the equivalent was the 'Digital TV transition'. The UK regulator is Ofcom; the US equivalent is the FCC.
Connotations
In the UK, 'Freeview' is a strongly associated brand name for free-to-air digital television. In the US, 'DTV' or 'Digital TV' is more generic, with 'over-the-air (OTA)' TV being a common descriptor.
Frequency
More frequent in UK media historically due to the prominent national switchover campaign. In the US, the term was highly frequent during the 2009 transition but is now largely replaced by more specific terms like 'HDTV', 'streaming', or 'smart TV'.
Grammar
How to Use “digital television” in a Sentence
the advent of digital televisionthe shift to digital televisiondigital television via aerialdigital television broadcastingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “digital television” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The nation was finally digitised in 2012.
- We need to digitalise our old VHS tapes.
American English
- The country was finally digitized in 2009.
- We need to digitize our old VHS tapes.
adverb
British English
- The signal is transmitted digitally.
- The programme was produced digitally.
American English
- The signal is transmitted digitally.
- The show was produced digitally.
adjective
British English
- We bought a new digital-ready television.
- The digital switchover was completed in 2012.
American English
- We bought a new digital-ready television.
- The digital TV transition happened in 2009.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to market sectors, regulatory frameworks, and advertising models: 'The digital television market is consolidating around a few major platforms.'
Academic
Discussed in media studies, communication theory, and engineering: 'The paper analyses the socio-economic impact of the digital television transition.'
Everyday
Used when discussing home entertainment setup or TV services: 'Do we get Channel 5 on our digital television?'
Technical
Specifies modulation standards, compression, and transmission protocols: 'DVB-T2 is a standard for digital terrestrial television broadcasting.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “digital television”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “digital television”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “digital television”
- Using 'digital television' to refer exclusively to smart TVs or internet streaming services.
- Confusing 'digital television' (the broadcast technology) with 'high-definition television (HDTV)' (a quality standard that digital TV enables).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Digital television refers to the method of signal encoding (digital vs. analogue). Satellite television is a method of signal delivery (via satellite). Satellite TV is almost always digital, but digital TV can also be delivered via terrestrial aerial, cable, or internet.
Most TVs sold after the mid-2000s have a built-in digital tuner (often called an 'integrated digital TV' or 'iDTV'). For older analogue TVs, you need a separate set-top box to decode the digital signal.
Most countries have completed an 'analogue switch-off', where analogue television signals were turned off to free up radio spectrum for other uses like mobile broadband. This process is called the digital switchover or transition.
No. A 'smart TV' is a television set with built-in internet connectivity and apps for streaming services. A digital television receives digital broadcast signals. Many modern TVs are both smart and digital, but the terms describe different functionalities.
A system for broadcasting television programs using digital signals, as opposed to analog signals, which provides higher picture and sound quality and more channels.
Digital television is usually formal, technical, journalistic in register.
Digital television: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɪdʒɪtəl ˈtɛlɪvɪʒən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɪdʒɪtəl ˈtɛləvɪʒən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly for this specific compound noun. It may appear in phrases like 'the dawn of the digital television age'.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of DIGITAL television as television that uses DIGITS (0s and 1s) instead of a wavy analogue signal. Digital = Discrete numbers.
Conceptual Metaphor
TELEVISION IS A PIPELINE (for signals); DIGITAL TELEVISION IS AN UPGRADED, HIGH-CAPACITY PIPELINE.
Practice
Quiz
What is a key technical advantage of digital television over analogue television?