Once you've seen high-definition TV you want high-definition TV— it's really that simple. The picture on an HDTV set is five times as sharp as a standard TV screen, revealing the glistening beads of sweat on the pitcher's furrowed brow and every strand of flowing hair on your favorite Desperate Housewife.
HD is broadcast in wide-screen format, eliminating the cropping and pan-and-scan travesties that befoul films viewed on traditional TV screens and showing far more of the football field, hockey rink or basketball court at a glance. And while the picture is the most obvious benefit, most HDTV programs include 5.1-channel surround sound, providing the total audio immersion you get with a DVD, but with a much better picture.
What can you watch in high definition? The major networks now broadcast most of their primetime schedule in HD, plus key sporting events and late-night shows, and it's available free with the right antenna (to find out what kind of antenna you'll need to receive over-the-air HD reception in your neighborhood visit antennaweb.org).
Cable and satellite also deliver extensive high-def lineups, with movies, sports (ESPN-HD rocks!), nature shows (Discovery Channel in high def is nothing short of amazing) and more.
There are many different types of high-def sets on the market today, and none of them is exactly cheap, but consider the fact that you'll probably be watching the HDTV you buy today for the next 10 years. We'll explore each display option, but there are a few points to keep in mind whichever technology you choose:
• You want HD, not ED. Some sets sold today offer what's called ED, or Enhanced Definition, which is great for DVD playback but can't handle true HD resolution. Just say no.
• You want one or more DVI or HDMI connectors (more is better). As high-definition disc recorders start to arrive, they won't work with the older component connectors, so DVI or HDMI is a must.
• Tuners and CableCARD. Some sets have built-in tuners for receiving broadcast HD programs (they're called ATSC tuners), others don't. If you're going to use a cable or satellite system for your signal you don't need the ATSC tuner (though it won't hurt anything to have one).
As for CableCARD, this is a slot that lets you insert an electronic card provided by your cable company and decode their scrambled signal without a separate set-top box. Pretty cool feature, with a few limitations: if you like pay-per-view or on-demand services, you'll still need a set-top box. And there's no CableCARD for satellite TV.
• 720p, 1080i and 1080p. There's plenty of potential confusion awaiting in these three different high-definition display resolutions. If you want to understand the underlying tech, there's a wonderful HDTV backgrounder at HowStuffWorks.com.
In a nutshell, though, high-definition TV is broadcast in either 720p or 1080i, and sets with either resolution spec can display both. 1080p is the latest-and-greatest videophile feature, but there's no sign that any programming will take advantage of this enhancement in the foreseeable future. What's more important than the numbers game is how the set actually looks, which brings us to our next point. . . .
• Look before you buy. This can be tricky, since your local electronics superstore is likely to pump up the brightness and color saturation on the sets they're promoting this week, and all too often you'll find high-def sets on the showroom floor displaying DVDs instead of a true high-definition signal.
Take your time, ask what's actually being shown and play with the remote control to see if you can adjust the picture settings to your liking. Look at the screen from a variety of angles — often the picture will darken or colors distort when viewed from the side. Visit more than one store, since the same model may look radically different depending on the programming being shown, the settings and the store lighting. And finally . . .
• Read reviews. Nothing is more intimidating than a video review in a hardcore "buff book," but there are trustworthy sources that won't bury you in bafflegab. Our favorites include Consumer Reports (sometimes out of date, but good brand and technology recommendations nonetheless) and CNET.com.