I got an email from a visitor to my website, asking my opinion on a claim made on a PC TV product website. The site in question promises surfers 'HD quality video TV over an internet connection'. Wow!

If you're wondering what HD quality video is, it's High Definition. At the time of writing this, HDTV is just rolling out here in the UK. It's basically a higher quality picture that requires an HD compatible TV. There's not many channels broadcast in that format here yet.

Getting back to the web, the claim my curious friend was inquiring about is, I'm sorry to say, totally impossible with current technology. The problem is that HD TV over the web would require a very high quality broadcast, or 'stream', and for viewers to have exceptionally high broadband connections to the web.

In short, this is just a ploy to sell as many subscriptions to their service as possible. I can only imagine the amount of angry emails they receive each day from disappointed customers. If you read bold claims like these at a PC TV service, don't reach for your credit card.

In reality, in 2007, most web videos are broadcast in a decent quality video, but not that of HD standard. (Not too many years ago, video had to be the size of a postage stamp to be broadcast on the web!) If you're looking for full screen HD quality video, you're not going to get that yet with PC satellite TV products.

Take a look at some of the videos on YouTube if you're wondering exactly what the quality of video is like.

Happy viewing!