[keithwalton]

Xbox does indeed support hdtv, though the games need to as well and not many of them are. As for connections you need the high definition pack for it. Which has 3 extra video cables for hdtv Y, Cb and Cr.
I think the idea is that everyone will adopt the hdtv standard which would mean we could use everyone elses tech that already exists with power adapters.

As for non hdtv standards pal digital is 760x576, and ntsc digital is 640x480.
As long as data rates are kept high pal digtal tv (pdtv) is good. Though sky seems to be heavily skrimping on data rate and those images you've posted clearly show what happens if you dont supply enough data.
pdtv works best at ~5mbit/s where as hdtv needs ~20mbit/s when using mpeg-2. i've heard that one hdtv channel takes up the space of 7ntsc channels which would mean ntsc rates are rather low at ~3mbit/s

Though this brings up another issue, why stick with mpeg-2, the derivatives of mpeg-4 are far superior when it comes down to quality at reduced data rate. HDTV will require completly new standalone hardware (bout a p4 2.4Ghz and recent video card) is needid to be able to play it on a computer) it is quite feasible in that shift to higer resolution to make the shift to different compression as well.

That way a hdtv chan could take up as little as 10mbit/s or twice the space of a good pal one.

I can see why the gov wanted them todo it at the same time as analogue switch off as that free's up massive amounts of terrestrial bandwidth.
We can but hope

K