HD TV Channel Specs
In 2009, broadcast television stations in the United States converted to digital broadcasting, which allowed the introduction of high-definition (HD) programming. Channel characteristics and allocations are slightly different for digital broadcasting than for its analog predecessor.
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Channels
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Digital television uses most of the same channels as analog television. In the VHF band, they are channels 2 through 6 occupying the frequency range of 54 to 88 MHz, and channels 7 through 13 at 174 to 216 MHz. The UHF band that once consisted of channels 14 through 69 and occupied 470 to 806 MHz now stops at channel 51 with a top frequency of 698 MHz. Channels 52 to 69 are no longer used for television broadcasting.
Channel Width
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Each channel in standard definition analog television in the U.S. was six MHz wide. Digital broadcasts that are mostly high-definition require considerably more data, but they occupy the same channel width. The digital format of the signal allows DTV to carry the additional information within the same channel.
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Subchannels
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Not only does the DTV signal enable high-definition broadcasting but it also allows the multiplexing of several programs into a single channel. Multiple high- and standard-definition programs can reside in separate subchannels within each channel.
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References
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