HDTV / FCC, website for recent developments?


Im looking at buying a HTDV here soon, i know the cable companys, DTV makers, and FCC have been duking it out for a while know trying to come to an agreement.

Im looking at getting a panasonic 47xw53 HDTV, it comes with a DVI-HDCP input, but im hearing something about HDMI inputs as well which this does not have.

I know alot of HDTV's that have been sold and not all that compatible with the regulations that are being agreed upon, I was curious if anyone had a good link to a website that might be following this and keeping updates.

The last thing i want to do is shell out 1,500 for a HDTV that wont be compatible in the next few years, so im hoping to get up to date with the current agreements and see what they are still hashing out.

Websites?

Anyone know of this HDMI will replace the DVI-HDCP? are they to co-exist?

Im half tempted to shell out another 600 bucks to get Panasonic's HDTV with built in tuner and Cablecard slot, but that would be a waste if they change thier minds about the whole card thing.

any info, Website, or whatever will be appreciated!

ThAnKs!!!!!!

-Slap
slappy
Go to http://www.avsforum.com and you will learn more than you ever wanted to know ;~). Be prepared for a whole new jargon from some hardcore techn-geeks!
My suggestion is to wait untill this all gets ironed out. 2006 is the year planned for HDTV to become the de jure standard. Ha! It will probably be delayed again. I suspect by 2006 at least standards might be resolved, if not in place. By that time some of the newer technologies might have matured to the point that they are reliable and compatable. Heck, we might even have HI DEF DVD, HI DEF DVR's or who knows what other form of media. Early adopters pay a premimum to be beta guinea pigs.
My understanding is that HDMI is DVI+audio. There are some finer nuances relative to transmission distance that the avsforum folks can tell you about, but there are HDMI to DVI dongles that you can buy that make HDMI DVI input capable. I'm not sure I'd count on resolution by 2006--that is just the date that the b/casters are supposed to turn in their analog allotments, but there are a lot of caveats on that--principally that 85% of homes in a market have to be capable of receiving an HDTV transmission. That is probably right up there with penetration rates for flush toilets.