<P> High - definition television (HDTV) in the United States was introduced in 1998 and has since become increasingly popular and dominant in the television market . Hundreds of HD channels are available in millions of homes and businesses both terrestrially and via subscription services such as satellite, cable and IPTV . HDTV has quickly become the standard, with about 85% of all TVs used being HD as of 2017 . In the US, the 720p and 1080i formats are used for linear channels, while 1080p is available on a limited basis, mainly for pay - per - view and video on demand content . </P> <P> The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) began soliciting proposals for a new television standard for the U.S. in the late 1980s and later decided to ask companies competing to create the standard to pool their resources and work together, forming what was known as the Grand Alliance in 1993 . </P>

When did the first hd tv come out