Until recently, lack of programming made it difficult to justify jumping on the HDTV bandwagon. Now there’s plenty to keep your channel-flipping finger from atrophying. To watch TV in all its digital glory, you need a display, a tuner and a signal. That’s all there is to it. The display should be HD-capable, which means that the unit will accept and display high-definition quality signals. By the same token, the tuner has
to receive the type of digital signals that you have available to you, which might be over-the-air (OTA, also known as
terrestrial), satellite, cable or some combination thereof. The tuner must also connect to the TV, which might sound easier than it is. To find a display and tuner that fit your needs, see our buyer’s guide starting on page 46 in this issue. But before you do, realize that the programs you want to watch have to be available both in high-definition format and in your area, some or all of which may or may not be the case. To help you figure out if your programs meet these criteria and, if so, how to get them, we offer the following step-by-step guide.
Tools needed:
•
A computer with Internet connection.
•
A competent installer’s telephone
number (or a ladder and an adjustable Crescent wrench).
•
A beverage of choice (preferably of the alcoholic variety).
• Project difficulty: medium.
•
Estimated time of completion: 2 hours (spent mostly on hold with the cable company).
• Reward: high.
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