While the television industry has been gearing up for this transition for decades, the final deadline is Feb. 17, 2009, when federal law requires all broadcasters to end their analog transmissions and switch to the digital format.
Starting this Monday, the NewsHour will look different: the widescreen, rectangular format is 16 units wide by nine units high, which is noticeably wider and sharper compared to standard definition TV's four-by-three ratio.
That new panoramic HD ratio affects the way camera operators shoot, producers work in the field and editors layer together tape pieces.
Here to answer your questions about digital television and the NewsHour's transition to a high-definition broadcast are three members of the NewsHour staff.
Steve Howard is the director of the NewsHour.
Chris Dee is director of production operations for the NewsHour.
