HDTV World > Optimize your HDTV > Must-have HDTV add-ons

Buying an HDTV solves only part of the high-definition equation; you'll also need some HD source material to watch on your new TV, as well as a smattering of accessories. We've assembled an assortment of products that will ensure your HDTV achieves its true potential. Note that you don't need everything listed here--in many cases, it'll be an either/or proposition--but you'll definitely want at least some of the items listed here to fully enjoy your HDTV viewing experience.

1. HD DVRs

Standard-def TV shows just won't cut it once you've made the jump to high-def. But don't settle for just a high-def cable or satellite box--you really want an HD DVR (digital video recorder). Unlike VCRs and DVD recorders--which can't record high-def--an HD DVR will let you record your favorite shows on standard and HD channels, as well as rewind and pause live TV. Virtually all of the cable and satellite models listed here have at least two tuners, so they can record two channels simultaneously, while playing back a third already-recorded video stream. Just be sure to get a DVR that's compatible with your TV provider--be it cable, satellite, or over-the-air antenna.

Cable: An HD DVR is almost certainly available for the asking from your cable provider. The hardware is usually provided for just a bit more than a standard digital cable box, though at least some or all of the high-def channels may be "premiums" that will require an additional charge. The caviar alternative is TiVo's new Series3 DVR, which works with any digital cable system, but entails a huge up-front cost ($800) and a $13 monthly TiVo fee--in addition to the price of your cable bill.

Satellite: Both national satellite providers offer high-def DVRs. Dish Network's excellent ViP622 has three tuners (two satellite, one over-the-air antenna), and it receives all of Dish's HD broadcasts, including its ever-expanding list of local HD channels throughout the country. DirecTV users should check out the company's newest high-def DVR offering, the HR20. Unlike the aging DirecTV HD TiVo, the HR20 can access DirecTV's entire channel lineup (including local channels broadcast utilizing MPEG-4 compression) straight from the dish, without the need to utilize an external over-the-air antenna.

Antenna: The TiVo Series3 (cable), Dish ViP622, and DirecTV HD TiVo each have connections for receiving over-the-air HD signals to supplement the choices available via cable or satellite. (The DirecTV HR20's antenna connection should be activated via a software upgrade in the near future.) But if an antenna is your only source of HD programming, your DVR choices are more limited: there's the Sony DHG-HDD250, the LG LST-3410A, or--for certain TVs--a variety of add-on FireWire DVRs, which are little more than external hard drives. Most Media Center PCs should also be able to record over-the-air HD signals as well.

High-def DVRs compared
Three ways to get HDTV programming

2. HD game consoles

Like TV and home video content, game consoles have been making a slow but steady conversion to high-def. The previous generation of game consoles began offering a DVD level of resolution on certain titles: original versions of the GameCube offered 480p output (it was dropped from later iterations of the console), and the current "slim" PlayStation 2 delivers 480p wide-screen from many games and doubles as a progressive-scan DVD player. The original Xbox offered 480p as the baseline for its library of titles, and a handful of games even delivered 720p and 1080i resolutions. (That compares to only two PS2 racing games, Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy, that can be played at 1080i.)

The latest generation of game consoles is even more HD-friendly. All of the Xbox 360 game titles run at 720p or 1080i, and it can stream HD video from a Media Center or Vista PC elsewhere on a home network. The PlayStation 3, meanwhile, supports HD games as well as double as a Blu-ray movie player (see below). Only the Nintendo Wii lacks native high-def support, but it does offer 480p wide-screen output, meaning it can look just as good as a standard DVD.

480p gaming consoles compared
HD gaming consoles compared

3. Upscaling DVD players and recorders

Once the premium DVD upgrade, so-called upscaling (or upconverting) DVD players are now practically the industry standard, with prices starting as low as $150. These players take your DVDs and output the video at 720p or 1080i resolution via their HDMI jack. That shouldn't be confused with native high-definition content--it's still starting with the maximum DVD resolution of 720x480. But if you find that your DVDs aren't looking so hot on your new HDTV, an upscaling DVD player may help.

Most of the latest DVD recorders also offer upscaling options. But if you're shopping for VHS/DVD recorders, make sure to get a model that upconverts the DVD and VHS outputs via HDMI (not all do). The VHS video won't look particularly good in high-def, but from a convenience factor, it's preferable to use a single output.

A final word of advice: if you are in the market for an HD-DVD or a Blu-ray player (see below), note that each of those players should double as an upscaling player for standard DVDs.

Upscaling DVD players compared
Upscaling DVD recorders compared

4. HD disc players: HD-DVD and Blu-ray

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: we're neutral in this high-def format war. With just a few dozen movies available on the HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats and few players from which to choose, there's no real rush. On the other hand, players such as the Toshiba HD-A2 and the Sony PlayStation 3 (which doubles as a Blu-ray movie player) can be had for less than $500. Even better, Xbox 360 owners can add the external Xbox 360 HD-DVD Player for just $200. For an early adopter who absolutely must have the latest and greatest video quality available, those aren't bad prices. And since you can get the movies on Netflix, you can enjoy the high-def content without actually having to buy it.

Blu-ray players compared
First-generation HD-DVD players compared
Second-generation HD-DVD players compared
CNET's quick guide: HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray
DVD 2.0: See all of CNET's HD-DVD and Blu-ray coverage

5. HDMI A/V receivers

With those features in hand, you should be able to run a single HDMI cable from the receiver to your HDTV and use the receiver to toggle between all of your high-def video sources (DVR or satellite/cable box, game console, disc player) and any of your legacy standard-def sources as well (VCR, GameCube, Series2 TiVo, and the like). If you're not in a rush, though, you might want to wait until 2007. That's when we should see the first receivers equipped with HDMI 1.3, which should allow built-in decoding of next-gen audio formats, such as Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD.

HDMI A/V receivers compared

6. HD-capable antennas

It may seem like a throwback to the old days, but viewers in many parts of the country can get at least some of their high-def channels the old-fashioned way: over the air. All you need is an indoor or (preferably) outdoor antenna, an HDTV with a built-in tuner, or an HD monitor paired with an external tuner. Even if you already have cable or satellite, some viewers like to have an antenna as a third option so that they can (for instance) record two programs on a cable or satellite DVR and watch a third live stream as well. To that end, the Dish ViP622, the DirecTV HD TiVo, and the TiVo Series3 (cable) boxes each offer built-in over-the-air tuners to supplement their satellite and cable programs--you just need to attach an antenna line to utilize it.

HD-capable antennas compared
HD over-the-air tuners compared
CNET video: How to hook up an antenna
AntennaWeb.org: See which HD stations are available in your area

7. Universal remotes

It has nothing to do with high-def per se, but now that you've built a formidable high-def home theater, you'll need a top-notch universal remote to control it all. Look for a remote that will control all your existing devices, but with room to grow as your system does (for example, if you have 8 devices, get a 12-device remote). The remote should be a learning model so that it can be programmed with IR codes from any future device; multistep macros are also a must. Likewise, one of the many PC-programmable models now available can severely cut down on the setup time--we've had great luck with Logitech's Harmony line and Universal Remote's Home Theater Master series, just to name a few.

Editors' top universal remotes

8. Cables, dongles, and adapters

Of course, you need a way to connect all these new high-def products. Some people argue that you should budget hundreds of dollars to pay for high-end premium cables in your home theater. We disagree. For 99 percent of the uses out there, inexpensive video cables perform just as well as high-end versions, for a fraction of the price. The lone exception is for long cable runs--anything longer than 6 feet or 2 meters--where a name brand often offers greater dependability. No matter how much you spend, though, you'll likely want to have most of these on hand to make your HD connection odyssey as smooth as possible:

HDMI cable: If you have a state-of-the-art A/V system that uses HDMI jacks all around, you'll need to have plenty of cables on hand to connect each of your components (HDTV monitor, HD cable/satellite box, upscaling DVD player, and A/V receiver) to one another. HDMI cables are available in multiple lengths.

See all HDMI cables

HDMI-to-DVI cable: The latest set-top boxes, upscaling DVD players, and HDTVs use an all-digital HDMI connection for video hookups. Slightly older models are equipped with DVI jacks--HDMI's bigger, older brother. These cables have an HDMI plug on one end and one for DVI on the other--which bridges the divide, allowing you to connect an HDMI source to a DVI display or vice versa.

See all HDMI-to-DVI cables

HDMI-to-DVI adapter: Your cable company set you up with a bleeding-edge set-top box equipped with an HDMI port, and it even included a matching cable. But your HDTV--only a couple of years old--sports an older DVI connector. Don't fret: you can easily convert your DVI jack to an HDMI version by affixing this handy dongle.

See all HDMI-to-DVI adapters

HDMI switcher: Let's say you have multiple HDMI sources but only a single input on your HDTV. Or you have an older A/V receiver that lacks HDMI connections. Or you have an HDMI receiver, but you simply need more HDMI inputs. For each of these problems, an HDMI switcher is a suitable solution. A switcher (or just "switch") lets you toggle among as many as four HDMI inputs at the touch of a button.

HDMI switchers compared

9. Calibration DVDs

Last, but not least: you want to optimize your set to offer the best possible contrast ratios, colors, and picture settings. If you've scrimped and saved just to afford a "budget" HDTV, chances are you're not going to be spending upward of $500 for a professional calibration. At the very least, though, you can do a little home-brew tweaking on your new set to improve upon the often blown-out, oversaturated, out-of-the-box picture quality. Several do-it-yourself calibration DVDs are available, but Digital Video Essentials offers the best combination of reliable test patterns and in-depth information for aspiring videophiles. We'll soon see Blu-ray and HD-DVD calibration discs that are truly optimized for high-def; in the meantime, Blu-ray owners can punch in 7 > 6 > 6 > 9 > Enter while on the main menu of any Sony Pictures disc to get a series of HD test patterns.

Digital Video Essentials DVD
HDTV tune-up tips