How to Setup HDTV

An HDTV can greatly enhance your television viewing experience, providing high resolution video, high quality sound and a widescreen image. Lower prices have now made HDTV affordable. Once you've found the HDTV model that suits your requirements and brought it home, the next thing to worry about is HDTV setup. Several steps need to be taken before your new HDTV is ready to use.

Things You'll Need

• HDTV
• HDMI cables
• surge protector
• HD receiver

Instructions

1. The first step in HDTV setup is deciding where the HDTV will be placed. Do you have a home theater center or will it be wall mounted? Where will you sit while you watch it? You should purchase the furniture or wall mount for your HDTV before continuing with HDTV setup.

2. 

   A surge protector is a good idea for all the components you'll be connecting to your HDTV. Next, you'll need HDMI cables for HDTV setup. These cables transmit high-definition video and audio. First check whether your HDTV came with an HDMI cable. Then find out which of your other components will need cables (DVD, Blu-ray, TiVo, etc.). You can buy HDMI cables at any electronics store. The cables come in varying lengths, so measure the distance from your devices to your HDTV before shopping for cables.

3. HDMI cables aren't cheap, so you may decide not to get them for all your devices right away and to use composite cables instead. You can also shop on the internet for lower-priced HDMI cables. According to CNET.com, cheaper cables work just as well as the expensive ones. (See the Resources section below for a link to the CNET guide to HDMI cables.)

4. Assuming that your content will be coming from cable or satellite, you'll need to contact your provider and let them know you have an HDTV. Some companies have stores where you can go pick up a new HD receiver, others will require you to make an appointment and wait for a technician to install your HD receiver.

5. Many people are more comfortable having a technician complete the setup of their HDTV. There are benefits to this approach since a technician can provide help with setup and calibration of an HDTV.

   If you're a determined do-it-yourselfer and would rather do the job on your own, consult your HDTV guide on how to complete HDTV setup and connect all of your components. HDTV setup is a moderately difficult task that can be accomplished by anyone who's technically inclined.

Resources

• CNET's Quick Guide: What HDMI Cable Should I Buy?