Yes you will enjoy HDTV and welcome aboard to the HDTV crown. Also CBS shows the 3:30 college football game in HDTV and I have to say that CBS has the edge when it comes to picture quality but all the others are great. Also all you have to do to find out which NFL games are being shown in HDTV in your area on Sunday afternoons is look at DirecTVs NFL ST page for the list of HD games and compare that list with what your local channels are showing. For example if my local Fox station is showing my home team the Bucs in HDTV on DirecTVs site than my local Fox would show it in HDTV even on cable. To put it simple if the games shown on your local stations are on the list of games broadcast in HDTV on the NFL ST package you will get them in HDTV.
Also the 4x3 AR with the black bars is normal and just rest assured when you see your first game in HDTV you can tell that its HDTV in a split second even if you have digital cable. Also all true HDTV will fill your screen but some of the movie channels will show movies in what they call original aspect ratio or OAR for short and those might have black bars on the top and bottom only.
Now all primetime shows broadcast in HDTV from NBC, Fox, CBS, ABC, UPN and WB will fill your entire widescreen TV set.
Also ABC broadcasts most if not all pricetime shows and Monday Night Football in HDTV and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. CBS doesn't show much primetime shows in Dolby Digital 5.1 but they do show their football games both college and NFL in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. Fox has been broadcasting most if not all primetime and sports games in Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.
But that is one benefit of HDTV is surround sound. Just so you know the plans as far as football and sports in general for the short term I will tell ya.
MLB world series coverage will be shown in HDTV and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound for all games needed.
Fox will be showing 6 regular season NFL games in HDTV and DD5.1 sound every week until playoffs. CBS is showing three games every week in HDTV and DD5.1 sound. Also ABC will show all MNF games in HDTV and DD5.1 sound. ESPN HD will show all SNF games in HDTV but they don't broadcast in DD5.1 sound but use their SRS CircleSurround II crap format.
Also all post season NFL games will be shown in HDTV from both Fox and CBS and I said all games. Also the Superbowl will also be shown in HDTV from Fox this year.
I just remember just one year ago or last NFL season Fox didn't do HDTV at all and CBS did one game in HDTV every week plus all post season coverage and the SB.
When you count every single NFL game shown including he playoffs and SB it looks like over 70% of games were in HDTV and that is shocking to me just from one year ago. Never thought that would happen.
