High Definition?

Is HD cable available in your area? This might be a cheaper alternative. Comcast HD cable offers 8 regular channels and 2 premium in HD, but they don't always broadcast in HD.

If your asking if it's worth investing in an HDTV I would probably say yes. Not for the programing that's available but rather for the crisp picture when viewing movies through a progressive scan DVD player.

Yes.

Direct TV has four or five HD selections without buying into HBO, etc., or pay-per-view.

The picture is so good that you will wish you had a printer to preserve the picture.

Also, if is important to know if you live in an area that receives HD Television broadcasts using UHF signals. \

Go to www.antennaweb.org to see what you could get.

Even the audio is digital and, especially on PBS, the feed is worth running through your best DAC.

The truth is,, its so much better you will find yourself watching HD net just because it is so clear. I constantly find something i would have normally had no interest in with amazement and complete interest, not only is it a great picture its a great eye opener to many things you might not have been exposed to previously.

It really amazes me that hi definition hasn't caught on much more rapidly, its really the only way television should be watched.
Buy it and you will love it.

Sony HD-300? I have Sony HD-200 and I love it.

I would check with the local cable service provider to see if the HD is OR will soon be available in your area. Most TV cable providers offer more HD channels than satellite dish providers. Local cable providers often offer TV networks, such as CBS, NBC, and ABC, in HD whenever broadcasted. That was the primary reason why local cable services have more HD channels than satellite dish providers, and I am sure that your wife would love to watch her TV network programs in HD. Another advantage in getting service from the local cable provider is that you can lease the HD decoder for nominal fee rather than to plunge down $1K up front. These HD decoders from your cable company have component video outputs and digital outputs. Unlike purchasing from an electronic retail store, if there is any thing wrong with the HD decoder one year down the road, you should be able to obtain immediately a replacement without any trouble. Another reason to why you should lease is that rather than to throw $1K cash out there to upgrade to a new and better HD decoder every time it becomes available on the market, it is cheaper to upgrade your HD decoder through your local cable provider. By doing so, you don't have to lay out all the cash on the table and be committed to that unit, which depreciates rapidly and soon to be obsolete. If you plan to upgrade often and don't want to piss off your wife, lease. Just my 2-cent thought. Good luck.

Thanks for all the advice - it's either comcast or Directv which I already subscribe to. I live in a valley and OTA might not be an option. Does directv offer HD with the networks?

DirecTV doesn't offer local HD. That will require an antenna. Going to HDTV is the single biggest improvement you can do the the video system after getting an HDTV set.

Just got a new TV and a OTA HD receiver (Samsung 351). The OTA is working fine for me due to a clear shot to the broadcasting tower. Do have some ghosting however.

Definitely try out Attenaweb.com. Type in your address and out comes the results. Also try Avsforum for additional information.

For DirectTV, there is a OTA attena from Terk that clip to the dish. You might as well add that at the same time you add the 3rd dish to get HD. It might just surprice you. I could get lots of HD channels using a simple bow-tie hanging outside on the first floor of a 2-story house.

Trying to improve the multi-path on the other hand is a different story.