What to Watch

Your HDTV content can come from several sources. The main ones are:

• Over the air
• Cable
• Satellite
• DVD

Over the Air
Yes, you can watch HDTV for free, through an antenna, just like in the old days! ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox all have lots of HD content, and are broadcasting more all the time. Getting HDTV over the air is a little different than using the old "rabbit ears", though:

To make the whole thing work you need three parts: TV, tuner, and antenna. Some HDTVs come with a built-in ATSC tuner, and some do not. If they do, you just plug the antenna in, and if not, you will have to buy one separately for about $150 or $200.

If you already have an antenna, even a "rabbit ears" type, you might as well try it first to see if you can receive any HD stations. Any antenna capable of receiving a UHF signal ought to work, since HDTV broadcasts are in the UHF band. If you have trouble, consult AntennaWeb.org to get help choosing the best model for your location. Indoor antennas are available, but rooftop ones usually work better. Antennas tend to cost between $30 and $150.

Cable
Cable TV offers a lot of programming, and is pretty simple to hook up. You will need an HDTV or HD monitor and the cable company will provide you with a cable box, CableCard, or a DVR to hook up to the set.

The availability of HD channels varies depending on where you live, but is easy to check through the providers' websites. Some of the most popular providers are Comcast, Cox, Charter, and TimeWarnerCable.

Satellite
Satellite has the capability to offer even more channels than cable. Dish Network offers 31 HD channels, and DirecTV will soon be able to offer over 150 channels with HD content.

DVD
Your trusty old DVD player will do an adequate job with your new HDTV, and movies will look better than they did on your old TV. But, as with everything else HD, it would be a shame not to get the full potential out of your set. There are two ways to do it: an upscaling DVD player, or a true high definition DVD player.

Upscaling or upconverting DVD players take regular DVDs, which have a native resolution of 720 x 480 pixels, and convert the video to a 720p or 1080i format for your HDTV. This gives you the best possible picture from a regular DVD. Nearly all of the latest DVD players offer upscaling, and they are no more expensive than older ones.