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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Let’s make it clear


Consumers can purchase the Sylvania 42-inch HD Built-in Plasma TV for under $945 at BJ's Wholesale Club with a coupon they can get at the door the day after Thanksgiving. 
 (PR Newswire / The Spokesman-Review)
Randy A. Salas McClatchy

The pre-Christmas sales might be tempting you finally to buy an HDTV set – or maybe you already have one or some other high-definition display. Either way, these Web sites will come in handy for your high-def needs.

www.allthingshidef.com

This new Web site, launched at the recent High-Def 101 conference in Los Angeles, caters to those considering going high-def with a Getting Started section that explains HDTV displays, high-definition DVD players and more. If you already have a high-def setup, you can see what HD programming is available in your area by entering your ZIP code. You also can read news and reviews and find a professional installer when you become overwhelmed with setting it all up. All Things Hi-Def also has a forum for users to interact and ask questions, but it’s a virtual ghost town because of the newness of the site.

www.highdefdigest.com

The move to high-def is being driven not just by displays and TV programming, but by two new DVD formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. With a high-def DVD player and the right set-up, movies look more filmlike than ever in home theaters. High-Def Digest offers news and reviews for the two next-generation DVD formats, as well as a thriving forum. But it’s not alone on the software side. Also check out DVD Review ( www.dvdreview.com), the Home Theater Forum ( www.hometheaterforum.com), the AVS Forum ( www.avsforum.com) and DVD Talk ( www.dvdtalk.com).

www.projectorcentral.com

You can buy a big-screen HDTV set – whether it’s LCD, plasma or rear-projection – or you can create a real home theater by using a high-def projector that can create an image up to 200 inches wide. Projector Central has everything you need to know to decide if a high-def projector, which connects to a video source and projects the image on a wall or screen, is best for you. Reviews, commentaries and buyers guides abound. There’s even a flat-screen section if you want to go the traditional route.

www.crutchfieldadvisor.com

Crutchfield is a leading online retailer for consumer electronics and offers unparalleled customer service. Its Crutchfield Advisor is among the reasons why. Yes, the guide’s ultimate goal is to steer you toward products that Crutchfield sells, but it truly is educational no matter where you end up buying your gear. Recent high-def guides show you how to choose and install an HDTV antenna and provide an overview of HD radio. Some tutorials, such as one showing home-theater basics, come in the form of a video presentation. Best Buy and CNET’s Home Theater Resource Center (bestbuy-cnet.com.com) offers similar help. Use both to get the big picture.