Setup
You can find everything you need to know to get your new high-def set hooked up right and looking great in our "Back to Basics" article How to Set Up Your New HDTV.

Connections
Perplexed by mysterious jacks on your A/V gear? Our comprehensive guide will help you hook it all up.

Getting High-Def Shows
Something to think about while you’re shopping is where you’ll get those gorgeous high-def images. Depending on where you live, you might have several options:

• Off-Air
  If you’re near a large city, you can probably get at least some HDTV programming through an off-air antenna (provided you have a digital tuner either built into the TV or as an outboard box). Yes, this giant step forward in technology can be yours by using an old-fashioned antenna. This is definitely the cheapest way to get high-def shows, since off-air HDTV is free — just like regular TV. (See HDTV Over the Air.)
• Cable
  If there aren’t any stations nearby, or you don’t want to bother with an antenna, call your cable company and see if it offers high-def programming. You can get HDTV via cable in most major cities, and it’s quickly becoming available elsewhere in the U.S. For a monthly fee — typically less than $10 — your cable company will provide you with a box that can receive high-def shows. (Many current cable boxes have analog component-video outputs, but ones with DVI or HDMI digital outputs are becoming more common. Also, a technology called CableCARD, similar to the smart cards used in digital satellite receivers, is available for TVs with CableCARD slots. The card lets you receive premium channels without a cable box, but you can’t use video on demand or the cable company’s electronic program guide (see Wild Card).
• Satellite
  Getting high-def signals via satellite is another option. Service is available nationwide — DirecTV and Dish Network both provide high-def programming.

Back to HDTV Overview | Back to Resource Center Home