Basic Components:

Display system - Big screen display system that is capable of display vertical resolution of at least either 720p (progressive - 1,280x720) or 1080i (interlace - 1,920x1,080). The available display technologies are: CRT, rear projection, LCD, Plasma, front projector, and future 'paper' LCD display technologies.

DD5.1 Sound System - Surround sound system with a minimum of 5 separate sound channels (1 center speaker, 2 L/R front speakers, 2 rear speakers, and 1 sub woofer). Look for DD6.1 or DD7.1 sound system upgrades.

What is HD?
HD is the new standard of television viewing. HD stands for High Definition. The hallmark of a true HDTV is the rectangular "Wide" screen and the high resolution of display. From the consumer's perspective, High Definition translates to better visual and acoustic enjoyment to TV viewing. Wide screen is defined as 16:9 aspect ratio of width to height. An analog TV has a 4:3 viewing aspect ratio.

HD-Ready vs HDTV - an HDTV has a built in ATSC HD decoder, an HD-Ready TV requires an external decoder to display HD images.

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC, a consortium of companies, research labs, and standards organizations) has defined eighteen different transmission formats within the scope of what it broadly calls the "Digital Television Standard." DTV is the umbrella term for all 18 new formats. Six of these formats are considered "High Definition" because they constitute a significant improvement over the resolution quality of current TV, referred to as NTSC (the acronym for the organization that created the current standard almost 50 years ago!). Most consumers will see a huge improvement in image quality even with the other twelve formats because of digital transmission. Consumers will also benefit from DTV improvements such as wide-screen theater-like displays, enhanced audio quality, and new data services.

What about the 1080p display standard that some equipment manufacturers are boasting? Don't hold your breath waiting for broadcasting companies to adopt and broadcast using this standard. This standard will require more bandwidth and more funding for new equipment from the broadcasting companies, therefore, it is unlikely that the 1080p will be universally adopted as the broadcasting standard in the near future. However, independent technologies like DVD/DVD players have adopted this standard. You can now play 1080p-formatted DVDs using a high-end computer with MS window media player installed.

HD inputs - RGB component jacks, Digital Visual Interface/High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (DVI with HDCP), High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). When looking to purchase a HD display system, look for a system with multiple HD input jacks to accomodate your lifestyle (1 DVD, 1 cable box and 1 satellite box, and gaming systems).