The place that HD has really changed TV viewing is in sport. Most people can live with low definition TV. Seeing a higher definition version of EastEnders is not really that important. However, tuning into the football match on your sky HD box makes a world of difference.

Many television programmes were not even supposed to be viewed with definition. By it's very nature, TV was made to be on a smaller screen. In the past, the draw of TV has been it's close angles and intimate storytelling. It originally was contrasted to the movie theatre with it's vast screen giving a sense of space and grandeur.

However, sport has always been about being a spectator. People can listen to sport on the radio, they can read about it in the newspaper, they could watch it on TV in low definition - they could do all these. There is no question that sport is phenomenally better in HD.

It isn't only because the sport can be watched with greater detail on larger screens, although this is important. It is the fine detail of the game which starts to emerge. When watching a football match in HD, the colours and vibrancy draw the viewer in, and this is important.

There were attempts at HD for a long time, but what made it really catch on was sport. When they finally started getting sports channels in HD, the format took off. People can live without most TV in high definition; but for sport, why would you?