Obviously the first thing you need to do is to have a television that supports HDTV. You basically have three options. First of all, you can go and get yourself an HDTV-ready set which comes with a built-in tuner that will help your new TV to receive the HDTV signals and decode it for you to receive the images. You also have the option to get an HDTV-capable set which doesn't come with the tuner built-in and you have to install it separately. The final option you have is to attach a converter to your old set which will convert HDTV to analog. This would make it possible for you to view the HDTV programming but you wouldn't get the same quality of images and pictures.
On choosing the set you will also have to decide among a plasma set, an LCD and a rear projection set. Your choice should depend on the budget you have, the amount of space you have to place your TV, and your viewing preferences. Don't just jump to your conclusion, take your time and shop around. You have to decide on the size of the set also since the size of the screen should be proportional to the distance from where you watch the screen. While most of the sets available in market are pretty big, it is expected smaller sized sets will arrive by 2007. They will also bring down the prices which now is a bit on the higher side.
Once you have decided on the set the next thing you need to make a decision on how you are going to receive your signal. Again you have three options - over-the-air antenna, cable service or satellite service. For the local channels you might need the antenna as they wouldn't be available with most cable and satellite service providers. You can have a satellite or cable connection in addition to your antenna. For that you will need to install a separate set-top box. You can either rent it or buy it. Before selecting your cable or satellite provider, do some research to find out exactly which provider suits you the best.
Roger Krukshank is a featured writer for our HDTVcategory found on www.tip-jarz.com