HDTV for Dummies

I found this book to be very helpful in hooking up my new HDTV, VCR, Cable box and Tivo. By doing it myself, it saved me quite a bit of money. In addition to hooking everything up, I feel much more informed and understanding of how the whole system works. I actually enjoyed the learning experience and would recommend this book to anyone who simply wants to know how the whole thing works, or who wants to save money by doing it yourself. I do kind of think that someone who has no interest in computers, or anything technical might find the book not to their liking.

I ordered HDTV for Dummies, expecting to learn a little bit about purchasing an HDTV and got a much better education than I expected. Thanks to the book I will now, 1) wait for a 1080P quality set, 2) make sure I use digital connections and 3) know how to connect a surround sound system. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about upgrading to HDTV.

This book brought me up to speed quickly so I can compare options in selecting HDTV gear. If I want to drill down on something, I at least know the background with which to do the nitty gritty work. HDTV for Dummies did a great job of dealing with a highly technical topic in help me with all the acronyms. I've since used what I learned by going to the on-line places recommended in the book and was far more adept at navigating and understanding the topic than I'd be otherwise. I'm spending a lot of money on my home theater, and I want to make sure I do it right. I don't trust the sales guys in the department stores because they want to sell me something right then and there; I likewise like to doublecheck what I learn in one place on the Internet in another place, because you need to double check your facts on the Web. It's clear these authors know what they are talking about, and I've got my sights on a nice 1080p DLP as a result of my reading this book, and also on a whole suite of other things to extend this around the house. The authors, also wrote Smart Homes for Dummies and Home Theater for Dummies -- neither of which I've read but I'm going to now clearly have the attitude that if you are going to spend a ton of money on this stuff, at least make it so you can use it around the house. That alone made the investment in money and time in this book worthwhile. I can easily give this book 5 stars!

I know that for me the price was a drop in the bucket compared to my equipment and I enjoy the confidence that I'm getting the most from my investment - I even understand what 1080i means! If you're even thinking of making the jump to HDTV this is the right guide for you. It'll take away the confusion of acronyms, interconnections, and formats to let you get the most out of whatever set you buy.

I can't stress enough what a great book this really is. If you're going to spend $$ on an HDTV, you owe it to yourself to buy this book first and make sure you're making the best choice for you. This book clears up all of the confusion you'll be faced with at the store-- unscrambles the acronymns, explains the difference between HDTV, EDTV, and SDTV and defines all of the confusing features. Also great for explaining how to set up your connections to all of your other home entertainment devices and your home network if you want to do that-- getting the right cables, configuring them optimally for your application. And the diagrams!-- so easy to understand! So much better than what you'll see in the manuals-- worth well over the price of the book on their own. Information in here on selecting the right DVR options for you, too-- and good stuff for the DIY'er if you already have broadband and don't want to purchase your DVR and service from the cable company. Anyone who sells HDTVs should read this book cover to cover and have it on hand as a recommendation to customers.