The networks are on the high definition TV bandwagon, according to MultichannelNews. The problem is that sometimes the definition of HDTV picture quality isn’t so clear.

The nominal broadcast standard for HDTV is 19.2 megabits per second (Mbps), which must also include the audio. That drives an MPEG-2 picture 1920 x 1080p/60. Unfortunately, for technical and cost reasons operators compress the signal to varying degrees to save on bandwidth.

Worse, a lot of TV is shot in SD, then upconverted to HD resulting in a less than pristine HD picture. "Once you start watching for a while and you see a difference between sources, it’s obvious when they trim the resolution down," said Ken Holsgrove, moderator of the HDTV list on the AVS Forum.

Some networks will take an SD feed and stretch it. Customers, seeing a 16:9 image incorrectly assume they’re seeing high definition TV. Only a few networks provide 1080i all of the time, including HDNet, Universal HD, and Mojo. All the others have a mixture of upconverted content.

"There is nothing wrong with the new HDTV that you just spent a fortune on," said HDNet’s Mark Cuban in his Blog. "It’s not yours or the TV’s fault that the picture quality you are seeing ... looks like crap compared to what you saw in the store.... TV networks are misleading consumers into thinking they are getting HD versions of their networks."

While there technical standards for ATSC broadcasting, "there are no federal guidelines for HD quality," Mr. Holsgrove added.

For now, it’s up to consumers to complain when they see poor quality HDTV, mostly evidenced by pixelation. Competition in the industry should also help to maintain high standards that fully exploit those expensive HDTVs consumers have been snapping up.