The HDTV Buying Frenzy Continues

FORGET THE SUPER BOWL: Sports fans will tell you high-definition TV was made for baseball. Unit sales of the hottest electronic device in America are expected to top 25 million in 2008, a 570 percent increase over 2003. And prices fell almost 50 percent in that time, to an average of about $900. A basic buying guide:

The 1080p dilemma

You've seen that sticker on all new sets, touting the TV as "1080p." But are screens with 1,080 lines of vertical resolution really that much better than their 720p predecessors? Pat Hurley, director of research at TeleChoice, a telecom strategy consultant, is among many experts who are dubious. Unless you're watching a Blu-ray disc, he says, "most people can't even tell the difference."

Getting hi-def sound

With sound, too, bigger numbers don't always mean better performance. According to Jack Buser, of Dolby, so-called 7.1 surround-sound systems are mainly for enthusiasts, and a 5.1 surround-sound system is going to be enough for most home theaters.

Get "free" HD

Thanks to the built-in digital tuners that come standard on all HDTVs, thrifty consumers can eschew some costly charges from their cable or satellite providers by using an antenna to pick up HD signals that are broadcast over the airwaves. Alfred Poor, editor of the online HDTV Almanac, says the over-the-air picture is actually better than what you'd get with cable or satellite.