So there you are drowning in the lights, sounds, and bells and whistles of your favorite super giant electronics store. Your mission: To find a great digital or High-Definition (HDTV)  for a less than extraordinary price. There's only one problem, the sales person keeps talking but you don't understand a word he’s saying. Here’s some information and a few buying tips to help you purchase the digital television that’s right for you.

What you need

Signal: Terrestrial, Sattelite, or Cable

Receiver

Monitor

There are three major components necessary to receive digital television programming: A signal, a receiver, and a monitor.

Contrary to what the salesperson may tell you in the store, an expensive satellite service or cable contract is not necessary to receive digital or high-definition television. The truth is that if you can receive a good quality analog signal ( (the traditional television signal) using an antenna, all you may need to buy is a  digital receiver to begin watching a digital programming on your old television.

This isn’t to say that satellite or cable services don’t have their benefits. Many cable and satellite providers offer a digital tier of their service that includes both digital and high-definition programming; these packages often include more than 100 digital channels. These services are also much more reliable than an antenna and are available in areas that cannot receive a quality signal “over-the-air”. The biggest downfalls are that these services include a monthly fee and often involve a lengthy contract.

	Terrestrial (Antenna)	Satellite	Digital Cable
General Attributes:
Initial Expense	Low	High	Moderate
Monthly Fees	None	Moderate	High
# of Channels	Low	High	High
Dependability	Moderate	High	High
Range	Low	High	High
Ability to receive WNED and Local Services:
WNED SD	Yes	Yes	Yes
WNED HD	Yes	No	Yes
ThinkBright TV	Yes	No	No
Local SD	Yes	Varies	Varies
Local HD	Yes	No	Yes

What should I ask my digital cable / satellite service provider?

A digital receiver is simply a unit that translates information received over-the-air or from your cable/satellite provider to your television. Many larger televisions today are required by federal law to include digital receivers right inside the TV.

If you choose to receive a digital signal over-the-air with your existing television, you may only be required to purchase a digital receiver available at most electronics stores, similar to the boxes needed to receive cable on a non-cable-ready TV. This unit does not require a service contract or a monthly fee.

For cable or satellite service, the digital receiver is often included by your service provider. Often times, the service provider will give you a receiver free of charge when you sign up for one year of the service.

Now this is often the most complicated and expensive piece when planning to install a digital television system for your home. There are just a few things you need to remember when selecting a monitor:

High Definition vs. Standard Definition – The quality of a digital picture is described in two ways “High-Definition (HD)” or “Standard Definition (SD)”. Although manufacturers have come up with some clever terminology for the latter
(like “enhanced”, “integrated”, or “interlaced” which is the alternate to "progressive"), a specific set of criteria must be met by a manufacturer to call a picture “High-Definition”. Don’t assume that just because its  digital, that it’s High-Definition.

What is important to you – When you get to the store, you will be told by the salesman about all the latest and greatest technologies available. Just like purchasing a car, why pay more for options that you never plan on using. Before heading out to the store, decide what is important to you. Here are some things to consider before heading out:

• The type of service you plan to receive (Antenna, Satellite, or Cable)
  
• Size of the viewing area, or screen size, you would like
  
• Distance you usually sit away from the television
  
• Approximately what angle viewers normally sit in relation to the television (straight on, 45 degrees, etc.)
  
• Size of the space you plan to put your television
  
• How deep the space you plan to put the television in

Direct View Monitors – This group of monitors produce an image directly on the viewable screen. The traditional analog television falls in this category. Be cautious in purchasing this type because the technology is rapidly being replaced and may not be available in five years.

Types of Direct View Monitors:
Direct View CRT::

Flat Screen Monitors – As the name implies, these monitors produce an image on a flat viewing surface built into the unit. Keep in mind that although the screens look the same, there are some big differences in the way the image is produced and the quality of the image.

Types of Flat Screen Monitors:
Plasma:: Flat Panel LCD:: Flat Screen CRT::

Rear Projection Monitors – The way the images are created in the monitor are the same as the direct view and flat screen monitors, but instead of being created directly on the viewing area, the image is enlarged and then projected onto the viewing area from behind.

Types of Rear Projection Monitors:
Rear-Projection CRT:: Rear Projection Digital Light Processing (DLP)::
Rear Projection LCD:: Rear Projection LCoS::

Front Projection Systems – If you are looking for a movie theater feel or just a really big screen, a front project system is the way to go. The unit works similar to a projector in a theater, it casts the image onto a wall or screen. These units can be awkward for everyday viewing because you need between 6-12 feet of space between the projector and the screen or wall.

Types of Rear Projection Systems:
Front Projection CRT:: Front Projection DLP:: Front Projection LCD::