So you're interested in taking the big leap into HDTV...  Congratulations! HD is the best thing to happen to TV since color. You will not be disappointed! However, you might come to find out that the world of HDTV is a bit confusing. Back in the "old days" of buying TVs, all someone had to do was figure out what screen size they wanted and figure out a budget from there. Not any more. The average "big box" store has dozens of HDTVs for sale, each with its good points and bad points. Very, very few of these HDTVs are CRT-based - that is, the standard "picture tube" TV we all grew up with. TVs comes in all flavors these days: front-projection, rear- projection, LCD, LCDoS and plasma are the most common types of TVs sold in the US. And they all come with a dizzying array of features and capabilities. This article is a primer for someone interested in buying an HDTV. It is *not* exhaustive, nor will this article recommend any particular brand or type. If you already know the difference between 720p and 1080i, this article is not for you. If what I just said sounds like Greek... welcome home!

Current TVs and How They Work

I can hear you groaning already. Most of the "background" sections of my articles *are* usually long, drawn-out and have little relevance to the point I'm eventually trying to make. This time it's different. I'm not going into the entire history of television and broadcasting. In fact, I'm only going to touch on two points, both of which are extremely relevant to what we're talking about here.

First of all, current NTSC TVs (that is, TV sets in North America and Japan) display a total of 480 lines of resolution. This means that - on any American TV, regardless of size - there are 480 rows of pixels (the individual "dots" that make up the picture) on every TV.

Secondly, everything displayed on current NTSC TVs is interlaced. This means that each frame (that is, the individual "pictures" that make up the video) is divided into odd and even rows and that one of those odd or even rows is displayed every 1/60th of a second, which results in an overall framerate of 30 complete frames per second. Imagine a movie, which you probably know is made up of 24 individual frames (pictures) per second. Now take a single frame and divide it into numbered rows. The odd rows are displayed on your TV screen first then the even rows, then the next frame is divided up and displayed in the same way. And so on and so on. Because this odd\even display is happening 60 times a second, it's really hard to notice that the picture is being divided up (interlaced). That is, until you get HDTV. 

HDTV

Standard definition TV is constructed of 480 lines of interlaced frames. In geek shorthand, this is called 480i. There are two important differences that make HDTV better. 

First of all, HDTV pictures can be composed of 480, 720 or 1080 lines of resolution. As you can imagine, a TV show broadcast with 1080 lines of resolution looks far sharper than one with the current standard of 480 lines. Not only can you pick out tiny details in the foreground that you couldn't see before - like scratches on the news anchor's desk or one of Terri Hatcher's eyelashes out of place - you can also see background details that you couldn't see before either. People in the stands at sporting events are no longer faceless blobs on the screen - they're actual people!

Secondly, many types of HDTV broadcasts are progressive instead of interlaced. This means that each frame is displayed in its entirety, with none of that "odd\even" mess that comes from interlacing. Instead of 60 odd\even half-frames per second, you get 60 full frames every second. This means that any type of movement is much smoother, and it gives the program a much more "life-like" appearance. It has an almost hypnotic effect, as if you're watching a window into someone else's life instead of just a TV screen.

So now we can finally bring it all full-circle. If standard TV is 480i, then the new forms of TV are:

480p (displays the same number of lines as current TV, but is progressive, not interlaced.  Called "Enhanced Definition TV")
720p (720 lines, progressive. HDTV.)
1080i (1080 lines, interlaced. HDTV.)
1080p (1080 lines, progressive. HDTV. Used for high definition DVDs and gaming, but not broadcast.)

There are other types of digital broadcasting but these four are the ones you're most likely to run into. You might wonder why so many standards are needed. After all, why not just broadcast everything in 1080i if it has the best resolution? Because it has to do with movement. You'll notice that most sporting events are broadcast in 720p. This is because the 60 frames per second of 720p lends itself to things with lots of fast movement. If Peyton Manning hurls a bullet downfield, 60 frames per second capture the ball's movement much better than 60 half-frames - where the ball could actually be in a different position on the screen between odd and even frames! On the other hand, 1080i is good for movies because of its rich detail. And the 30 frames per second that the interlaced 1080i picture provides are more than enough to cover film's 24 frames per second.

Plan It All Out

For many years, hooking up a TV was simple. You just took the coax cable from your cable jack and screwed it directly in to the "IN" jack on the back of your TV. If you had a VCR, you first ran the cable to the "IN" on your VCR and then ran an extra cable from the "OUT" of your VCR to the "IN' on your TV. It was that simple. But times have changed. Most people have plenty of devices - VCRs, DVD players, video game consoles, video cameras, etc. - that require connecting to your TV set. So planning for all of these inputs is a *must* if you want to make sure that your new TV set can handle all your peripherals. Most of the websites for big box stores like Circuit City and Best Buy will list how many connectors of each type each TV has, so get ready to do some homework.

Here's a brief rundown on all the types of connection schemas and the plusses or minus of each. Here they are - in ascending order:

Composite inputs: these are very well-known. In fact you probably have them on the front of your TV or VCR right now. In a composite setup, the red cable is for right-channel audio and the white cable is for left-channel audio (although, like jumper cables, it really doesn't make a difference which goes to which, as long as they're the same on both ends). The yellow is strictly for video. Composite inputs provide the lowest-quality picture and should be avoided at all costs, if possible. Your DVD player might have one of the other input types below, and you should use those if you have the inputs for it; on the other hand, an older analog video camera or video game system might only hook up to your TV with composite cables. If it's your only option, use it. If the product in question - especially a DVD player - only has composite outputs, you might want to think about upgrading! NOTE: this connection type cannot be used to get HDTV programming.

S-Video inputs: Originally developed for "Super VHS" VCRs, s-video provides a much better picture than composite inputs. It does this by sending the color and brightness signals separately down the cable. S-video is used for connecting DVD players, some brands of cable boxes and some video game consoles. From personal experience, I can tell you that there is a noticeable improvement in graphics quality when connecting my Xbox to my older Sony Wega TV with s-video instead of the standard composite input cable. S-video does not carry any audio signal, so you will need to use a standard RCA audio cable (which looks the same as the composite cable pictured above, minus the yellow video cable) to get sound from your device to the TV\receiver. NOTE: this connection type cannot be used to get HDTV programming.

Component inputs: One of the best ways to connect a peripheral to a television set. Component cables provide an excellent quality picture, due to sending three separate color component signals (either red/green/blue (RGB) or chroma/color difference (YCbCr, YPbPr, YUV)) in analog or digital form from the device to the TV. Component is the preferred way to connect a DVD player to a TV (provided that your player does not have one of the two remaining connector types) and is also the "default" way to connect satellite and HD cable boxes or DVRs. Like s-video, component cables do not carry any audio signal, so you will need to use a standard RCA audio cable to get sound from your device to the TV\receiver. This connection type can get HDTV programming.

DVI input: stands for "Digital Video Interface" and provides even better quality than component inputs and has the benefit of providing digital video to a TV using a single cable. It's used for connecting HD cable boxes, satellite receivers, PCs and high-end DVD players to your TV. DVI is also used in the computer industry to connect video cards to LCDs and other types of digital displays. Like s-video and component video cables, DVI cables do not carry any audio signal, so you will need to use a standard RCA audio cable to get sound from your device to the TV\receiver. Most TVs will only have one DVI input. This connection type can get HDTV programming.

HDMI input: This is the newest (and best) kid on the HDTV block. It looks something like a USB or Firewire cable and - unlike the previous three input methods - an HDMI cable can also carry multi-channel audio along with high definition TV signals. Buying HDMI now ensures that you're "future-proofing" your TV against any competitors in the next few years, although you will need to call your cable or satellite provider to make sure that HDMI is supported by your equipment. It's also common to find DVI > HDMI cables, so if your cable or satellite box only has a DVI output you can use one of these cables to connect the DVI box to the HDMI input your TV. Most newer TVs will have multiple HDMI inputs, while most old HD sets will only have one (or none). This connection type can get HDTV programming.

I'm glad you asked! 

If you already have digital cable, you only need an HD-compatible converter box or DVR to get HDTV programming. If this is you, all you need to do is swap out your current equipment for HD-compatible hardware at the local cable company office and hook it up yourself. This saves you a "service call" charge to have a cable technician come out to your house on do it, but your cable company will be more than happy to schedule an appointment if you'd prefer to have someone else do it. Your monthly bill should not change, but this is dependent on your local cable company.

On most cable systems, "basic HDTV" will be included with digital cable at no extra cost. This includes all the broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, along with a few cable channels like Discovery HD Theatre and TNT-HD. Several cable providers (Time Warner for one) offer an optional "HDTV Tier" that includes channels like HDNet and INHD and ESPN-HD for an extra charge per month. If your cable company offers basic HDTV service with digital cable, then you do not need to pay extra for the "HDTV Tier", unless you want HDNet and INHD and ESPN-HD.

Most cable providers provide standard definition programming from local network affiliates on very low channel numbers on their systems (typically channels 2-12). However, be advised that HD versions of these stations are probably located elsewhere on the dial. For example, NBC-SD is channel 6 on my cable system but NBC-HD is channel 220. So don't be disappointed if hook up your cable and aren't getting HD on your "normal" channels - they're usually elsewhere. Just so we're 100% clear though: channel 6 is standard definition and channel 220 is high definition. If you have an HDTV and are watching NBC on channel 6, you're not watching HDTV - you're watching standard definition TV on an HDTV screen. Please turn to channel 220 to watch in HD.

If you currently have analog cable (that is, cable without any kind of "converter box") you will need either go to the cable company's office to pick up an HD-compatible converter box or DVR *or* schedule a digital cable installation with your cable company. In this instance, I actually recommend that you schedule an install by a technician, as there are many potential problems (such as your home's internal wiring or the signal strength from the street to your home) that only a cable company technician will be able to diagnose properly. Just make sure that your cable company is absolutely clear that this install is for HDTV and you should be aces. To get HDTV, you will need to subscribe to digital cable, so expect an increase in your cable bill next month.  

If you have satellite TV, contact your service provider for more details.

If you only get your TV by way of an antenna, you haven't been left out... sort of. Currently, FCC rules say that your local stations can broadcast in HDTV but are not required to do so (yet). If you buy an "HD Ready" TV (see the next section), you will be able to pull HDTV out of the air with an antenna, depending on your local market. Contact your local TV stations for more information about this.

Buying an HDTV

I'm not going to tell you which HDTV to buy. Everyone has their own individual budget, their own history of preferring one name brand over another and their own perception of what set looks better than another. My advice to you is to leave your credit cards and checkbook at home one Saturday and spend an hour or two at a local store. Look at the TVs. Ask questions. Play around with them. It's the best way to tell which TV you'll like. Then go home and sleep on it for 24 hours. If you still want that 50" Samsung - go get it.

Having said that, I will give you a few general tips on deciding which TV to buy:

Plasma TVs still have a short life. The rumors are true. Plasma TVs still have a much shorter life than CRTs, LCDs and most other types of TVs. Feel free to buy a plasma monitor, but realize that it will probably die - as in, "needs repairs that cost in excess of what you paid for it" - in three or four years. Also, plasma TVs are susceptible to burn-in, where images get permanently burned into the screen. You've probably seen burn-in on ATM screens before - it's not pretty, and it's endemic to plasma screens - buying even the most expensive plasma model won't help you avoid this.

Pay close attention to the TV's specs. Sure, flat-panel TVs are sexy. But most low-end flat-panels can only display EDTV (480p) broadcasts. Any true HDTV broadcasts that an EDTV receives are down-sampled to 480p instead of showing it in its full 720p or 1080i glory. Sure, EDTV looks far better than regular TV, but no EDTV can compare to the full HDTV experience. Consider buying a rear-projection LCD TV or upping your budget if you want the true flat-panel HDTV experience.

Know the difference between "HDTV Ready" and "HDTV Compatible". Most of the HDTVs sold today do not have any kind of tuner included. They are simply "monitors" - that is, a TV set with no tuner included. This is a lot like a CCTV security monitor - yes it's a "TV", but no it doesn't have a tuner so you can watch American Idol. An "HDTV Compatible" TV is just that - a monitor that can decode HDTV signals - if you have an external tuner like a cable or satellite receiver attached. Without that external source, however, you can watch nothing but DVDs or static. An "HDTV Ready" TV has a tuner included, so that you can watch HDTV signals with an external antenna if the situation dictates it. If you are absolutely, positively sure that you will only watch your TV while connected to a cable box or satellite receiver, go ahead and buy an "HDTV Compatible" set. If you're not sure, or if the price difference between an "HDTV Compatible" and an "HDTV Ready" set is only $100 or so, get the "HDTV Ready" one.

Consider ALL your hardware when it comes to budgeting. A stand-alone projection TV needs a TV stand, which can cost between $200 and $1000, depending on the size of your TV. When it comes to flat-panel TVs the situation gets even murkier. A wall-mount for a flat-panel TV runs around $200, plus you might still need a stand for your DVD player and\or cable or satellite receiver. With a wall-mounted TV you also need to budget for a handyman to come to your house and drill holes into your wall to run cables to an electrical outlet and cable box - unless you enjoy seeing bare cables hanging down from your flat panel. No matter which type of TV you pick, you will probably need to buy some cables. An HDMI cable runs around $75 or more at retail while component cables cost $20 - $80, depending on where you buy them. All in all, expect to spend at least $500 in addition to the TV for assorted hardware.

Buy local. Although you *might* be able to save a few bucks by buying online, for the most part you won't be able to save any money by buying online, as the shipping and handling costs usually cut heavily in to any savings you might get from buying online. Especially when it comes to buying related hardware like wall-mounts. I've seen wall-mounts for Sony HDTVs go for as much as $75 less online than retail, but when you factor in the cost of shipping the 75lb. wall-mount, you're not saving *any* money, plus if something goes wrong you have to mail it back to the Internet seller *and* you don't have any local avenues of support.

DO NOT buy a 4:3 HDTV. Almost every HDTV sold in America is in "widescreen" (16:9) format. Many of the large electronics manufacturers like Sony and Panasonic sell HDTVs in "standard" 4:3 ratio. DO NOT buy one of these. The official HDTV specification calls for widescreen broadcasts and many of the most popular shows on TV right now like 24, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Veronica Mars and American Idol are already broadcast in widescreen. Buying a 4:3 HDTV is buying instant obsolesce. In two or three years - when every network program is broadcast in widescreen - you'll look a bit of a fool, won't you?

Friends don't let friends buy Monster Cable. Many "big box" stores like Circuit City and Best Buy sell only "Monster Cable" brand cables. Monster Cables *are* quality cables, but the premium you pay for the "Monster" name is hardly worth the huge marginal increase in price. Is a "Monster brand" HDMI-HDMI cable ($149.99) actually worth the $50 premium you'd pay over the same $99.99 Radio Shack brand cable? No way. Is the $149.99 "Monster brand" cable actually worth the $130 premium you'd pay over a $20 "generic" HDMI-HDMI cable you can buy over the Internet? Maybe. Maybe. Probably not. I'll buy you a $150 Monster HDMI-HDMI cable if you can honestly tell the difference between a $20 generic HDMI cable and a Monster one. Of course, I know that you're you're going to be excited to get your HDTV up and running - Lord knows I was - but if you plan it in advance, you can buy a 6ft. HDMI-HDMI cable off the Internet for $20 and have it waiting for you when you pick up your new TV. The same reasoning goes for other cable types too. Best Buy and Circuit City don't make that much money off the sale of your TV set, but they make a killing off accessories like cables - don't fall into their trap!

Buy 1080P if you can. Back when I originally wrote this article, 1080p was only just being talked about. Nowadays, high definition DVD players and gaming consoles readily use 1080p. If you can afford to buy a 1080p HD set, do so. If not, don't sweat it too much: I can also guarantee you that 1080p will never be used for broadcast, or at least won't be used until it's time for you to buy a new HD set. It's true that the XBOX 360 , PS3 and both types of high-def DVD players are using 1080p, but if you don't care about that (and you might not - see below), then there's no need to have 1080p.

Having said that... Stay away from high-definition DVD players at the moment. You might know that back in the 1980s there was a so-called "format war" between VHS and Betamax video cassette recorders. You'd also think that the consumer electronics people would have learned from this debacle, but no: there are two formats for high-definition DVD: HD-DVD and Blu-ray. HD-DVD was developed mostly by Toshiba and is supported by NEC, Sanyo, Microsoft, RCA and Intel. Blu-ray was developed by Sony and is supported by Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Dell, and Panasonic. Which format will "win" this new "format war" is still up in the air. HD-DVD gained an early lead due to the lower prices and ready availability of the players themselves. Blu-ray has gotten some traction recently, perhaps because of Sony including a Blu-ray player with each new PS3 console. In any event, the war's not over yet, and many geeks (myself included) have chosen to simply sit out this war. Blu-ray players are still in the $1,000+ range (although a $599 model is scheduled to come out this summer), plus the actual movie discs tend to cost $29.95-$39.95, almost double their SD DVD counterparts. Perhaps I'll upgrade to high def DVD one day, but not until an affordable "multi-format" player comes out. If you simply must upgrade your DVD player for the new HDTV set, why not try a good "upscaling" player, which converts your existing DVDs to "near HD" quality?