High-def TVs can take some smarts to set up

Dec. 29, 2007 — -- So you finally bought the big-screen TV you've been dreaming about — or perhaps Santa was exceptionally generous this year. You excitedly open the box and plug the new set into the wall.

But for some reason, the picture doesn't look as sharp as it did at the store, or as clear as your neighbor's high-definition television.

Don't worry. Chances are there's nothing wrong with your new HDTV. You just need a little help setting it up for optimum performance. Here are a few pointers:

• High-definition programming. You might be able to receive some free high-definition broadcasts if your television has a built-in ATSC tuner (for over-the-air broadcasts), or QAM tuner (a way to get HD channels over basic cable). Still, chances are you'll be subscribing to high-definition programming through your cable or satellite provider. This involves upgrading your receiver box and paying a few extra dollars per month for access to the HD channels. (Don't worry; it's well worth it.)

If a channel is available in "widescreen" (16:9 aspect ratio), the television will automatically display it in this presentation. But if it's a standard definition (4:3 aspect ratio) channel, your TV will either show vertical black bars on each side of the picture, or stretch it (you can choose). The onscreen TV guide through your television provider will usually write "HD" before or after the name of the show or network name. Example: "HD —Lost" or "NBC HD."

•Use the right cables. That's so you can connect your high-definition components to your television. High-definition programming requires either component cables (red, blue and green), a digital visual interface (DVI) cable, or a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable. This is in contrast with the red, yellow and white composite ("RCA") cords, or the round-ended S-Video cable.

An HDMI is the preferred pick for the ultimate in uncompressed digital audio and video quality. Look at the back of your TV and you'll see a few options; you might have to buy these cables separately.