So, you want to get into the HD scene and don't know where to start? First, you'll need to make sure you have an "HD-ready" television set to go with the service, that way you'll actually be able to see the beautiful views and awesome sounds that HDTV will provide you with. You'll most likely have to check your TV's manual to find out if it supports 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, 720p and 1080i are the same, but most TV makers put 1080i to attempt to fool you, so watch out for that.

Now, you'll need to decide which TV service you would like, Direct TV, Dish TV, or cable. With cable, you'll get about 55 HD channels depending on which cable provider, with satellite TV, you'll get 73 HD channels, and with Direct TV, you'll receive 92 of your favorite HD channels, whereas with cable and Dish TV, nearly half of the HD channels you'll be getting will be ones you've probably never heard of and if you have they are ones that you want and feel you need for the total HD experience.

For example, have you ever heard of Treasure HD, or Equator HD? No, no one has, and no one watches those channels either, so in fact, many people are paying extra for tons of channels that they have never heard of and will never watch. With Direct TV, you'll be getting all the HD movies you could ever want with channels like Universal HD, Sony, Warner Brothers, and the traditional movie channels in HD, such as HBO and Starz. Direct TV also offers local High-Def channels, unlike what the cable companies would like to tell you on their commercials and DirecTV adds more HD programs all the time so there is little worry of tiring of these movie stations. Direct TV offers as many local HD channels as cable does, such as ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. Of course, like cable, the availability depends on the region.

As with cable, you will also have to get a separate receiver for your HD channels with HDTV Direct TV. The basic HD Receiver for Direct TV will give you 1080i (720p) picture, while the Plus version will give you the full 1080p picture that is truly worth showing off on your new flatscreen. You'll only pay a one-time fee, though, for most Direct TV boxes, while with Cable ones, you have to pay so much per month.