Getting the Most from Your HDTV! - Check Out the Gotta Have Gadgets

OK, so you got a new HDTV for Christmas or you are going to get one for the Super Bowl. Now you have to make sure you are getting the most out of your cable or satellite service. Actually, if you are near a major TV market, you can pick up HDTV signals with a simple indoor antenna. It's just 100% easier to call your cable or satellite service and tell them you want to upgrade to high definition. First things first, make sure you have a high definition receiver. This will take a call to your cable or satellite service provider. Just because you have an HDTV, doesn't mean you are receiving the broadcast in HD. Of course the kids at Best Buy or Circuit City won't tell you this, because all they want to do is make the sale. If you are a Directv or Dish subscriber, you may need a new satellite dish installed so you can pick up the HD signals. Cable subscribers just need a new "hd cable box". I can't tell you the number of times I have walked into a friend's house just after they bought an HDTV and it's set-up wrong. Heck, my sister had a Directv installer set-up her system wrong, so if they can't get it right, how would the average person know what to do? Hopefully, this column will help.

Now, since you have your new HD receiver, you want to make sure it's connected properly. Make sure the installer (which could be you) uses the component video cables or HDMI cable that came with the receiver. The component video cables are the cables with the red, green, blue connectors. Please note here, the RGB (red, green, blue) connectors are just for the video signal. You will need to hook up the red and white cables for audio separately. You will obviously know this once you hook up the RGB cables and have a picture but no sound. Since they are color coded, it's pretty damn easy to hook up. If you need help with this, you may not be qualified to watch HD. Take the red connector and insert it into the red video out of the receiver and the red component video in on your new tv. Repeat this step with the green and blue connector. Then take your red & white audio cable and do the same from the audio out of the receiver to the audio in on the tv.

The HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) cable is a funky looking cable. It almost looks like a cable that would hook up to your computer instead of your TV. However, the HDMI cable transmits the HD signal as well as the digital audio signal. It maybe an easier set-up, but I have heard a lot of stories about problems with the HDMI cables. Typically an HDMI cable will not be included with your HD receiver. I have yet to be convinced that an HDMI cable is worth the price. Personally, I use the component RGB cables.

OK, now that you have the HDTV and the HD receiver and it is set-up right there is another twist. You have to make sure you look at the channel list. The HD and/or digital channels are different than the channels you are used to watching. For example if you want to watch channel 5 in Boston, to get the HD broadcast it could be channel 5-1 or even in the 700's on some cable systems. So make sure you have a full station listing so you watch all the digital channels and HD channels. They should be clearly marked to help you out. After all you did to hook this up, they owe you something that is easy.

So now that you have your HD picture, you HAVE to add surround sound. Watching HDTV without surround sound is like having an I-pod with no headphones. However there is good news, most HD receivers will have a digital audio output. It's just one optical cable from your receiver to your surround sound receiver. Sure you will have to shell out some more dough, but once everything is up and running you may actually prefer to stay home and rent DVDs than to go to a movie theatre. When you finally get to that HD signal, and digital surround sound it will be the best picture you have ever seen and heard. You will see more details watching any sporting event, and will be the envy of all your neighbors. Of course, if you have a new HDTV and surround sound, it is "man law" that YOU have to have the Super Bowl party!

So when it comes to HDTV, an HD receiver and surround sound are "gotta have gadgets!"