How to Use Standard TV on a High Definition TV

You don't need to receive high-definition (HD) service to watch television on a high-definition TV (HDTV). You can watch standard programs on your HDTV, but you may notice that the picture appears distorted or fuzzy. You won't get these standard programs to look as good as HD programs, but there are steps you can take to improve your television viewing experience.

Instructions

1. Connect your cable or satellite box to your HDTV as you would if you were using a standard TV. You can use the cables or cords that came with the unit. An HDMI cable is not necessary.

2. Power on both your cable or satellite box and your HDTV. You should see a picture on the screen.

3. Set the audio and video settings on the TV. Most HDTVs have a Setup program that can be run by pressing Menu on the remote. This is recommended to display the right color tone and brightness when watching standard TV programs.

4. Set the video mode on the cable or satellite box to 480i. This will make standard TV programs appear less blurry. The directions for doing this will vary based on the model of your TV and cable or satellite box.

5. Change the picture format of your HDTV to 4:3. This is done by pressing either Menu or Format on your TV remote. This keeps the picture from stretching out too much and looking distorted.