RETRO FIND: The high cost of High Definition TVs

HD TV in 1998 promised theater-like clarity at home. The cost? A whopping $5,500.

HD TV in 1998 promised theater-like clarity at home. The cost? A whopping $5,500.

RETRO FIND: The high cost of High Definition TVs

HD TV in 1998 promised theater-like clarity at home. The cost? A whopping $5,500.

Major upgrades to television have sparked excitement and worry since its inception. The biggest since the advent of color broadcasts was the switchover from Standard Definition to High Definition. The new HD technology of 1998 promised to bring the clarity of the movie theater into your home. Stations were mandated to broadcast in HD by the end of 1999. It was a new era, but not one that came cheap. A new HD TV cost around $5,500. That’s about $10,600 in today’s money. To the vast relief of many, the costs of TV went down as the technology improved and became more readily available. Today you can buy 55-inch smart TVs for under $400!Do you remember the switch from SD to HD? Watch the video to see the amazing late-90s tech.If you enjoyed this video, here are a few more blasts from the past.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Major upgrades to television have sparked excitement and worry since its inception. The biggest since the advent of color broadcasts was the switchover from Standard Definition to High Definition.

The new HD technology of 1998 promised to bring the clarity of the movie theater into your home. Stations were mandated to broadcast in HD by the end of 1999. It was a new era, but not one that came cheap. A new HD TV cost around $5,500. That’s about $10,600 in today’s money.

To the vast relief of many, the costs of TV went down as the technology improved and became more readily available. Today you can buy 55-inch smart TVs for under $400!