HD OVERLOAD MASTERING THE HDTV REVOLUTION CAN BE DAUNTING TO UNINITIATED.

Byline: GREG HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

If you haven't shopped for a television set in more than a decade, a stroll through the audio visual aisle could make you wish you had taken a crash course in beginning electronics.

All but gone are the bulky, heavy analog sets with tubes and bunny ears.

In their place? Row upon row of supersleek, high-definition flat-panel screens, ranging in size from a modest 26 inches to a gargantuan 65 inches -- that's more than five feet!

``I'll get some older folks who walk in and literally say, `Oh, my God! What happened?' It's the first new TV they've bought in 20 years,'' says Fred Shahadi, a specialist at the Magnolia Home Theater section of the Best Buy store in West Los Angeles.

Prices for LCD (liquid crystal display) and plasma sets are 22 percent lower than they were a year ago -- according to Consumer Reports magazine. Prices are expected to drop even more in the coming months, with sales tied to the football season and the holidays.

While consumers are ready to pounce on the lower prices and big discounts offered at the major retailers, be prepared to ask a lot of questions before making a purchase.

So much to consider

Just selecting a brand can be a big chore. How do you choose between Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Sylvania, Panasonic, Hitachi, Polaroid or Phillips? Then there's the question of deciding between plasma and LCD or going with the less-expensive rear or front projection set.

``The people who walk into our stores are totally confused,'' says Steve Caldero, vice president of Ken Crane's Home Entertainment. ``People come in with very little understanding of the difference between plasma and LCD. It's very confusing.''

So, you can either run out of the store vowing to keep your bunny ears another year -- or possibly forever -- or you can march into the technology of the 21st century, alone or with the help of a salesperson.

Canoga Park resident Albert Williams did his homework and recently took the next-generation television plunge. He walked into the Best Buy store in Woodland Hills this month looking to buy a 58-inch high definition Panasonic set with plasma screen.

The price tag? Just under $4,000.

``Anything with higher resolution and better clarity, I'm all for,'' says the 41-year-old bill collector. ``I'm trying to keep up to speed. These sets are so sleek and of much better quality.''

But Williams is going for one of the Cadillacs of HDTVs. One of the most popular models has been the 32-inch LCD HDTV. Sony sells its well-reviewed model for $1,500 while less well-reviewed models from Westinghouse and Magnavox go for $1,000.

Better picture, more room

Williams and other customers say the flat-screens not only provide much clearer picture, they also free up space -- making giant entertainment centers somewhat obsolete.

``The beauty of the flat panel, in this day and age when space is at such a premium, is that you gain three feet in your living room,'' says Shahadi. ``And the potential picture and sound is better than anything they've ever had.''

At least 25 million U.S. households are expected to have at least one high-definition television set by the end of this year, with the Best Buy and Circuit City chains leading the way in helping to get the sets to mass market. These stores' Sunday circulars don't even bother to advertise analog sets anymore.

But bargain hunters who want to stay away from the bigger chains should look at lesser-known brands and for special promotions in the newspaper or online. Some stores are also having clearance sales on older sets.

So if you settle on a price and a model, what other things do you need to consider? Here's a key checklist:

1. How far do you sit from the television?

2. How much light do you have in the viewing room?

3. Will the set be used primarily for TV shows and movies or will the kids be playing a lot of video games on it?

New set means new cable box, satellite dish 

And once the set arrives at home, it's not just a matter of plug in and play. If you had cable with your analog set, you'll need a new cable box for your digital set or a new dish if you have satellite.

Good advice from the salesperson at the store and from your cable company is crucial in order for customers to get the best high-definition picture that their new set is capable of.

``There is significant confusion among HD owners who are unsure of what displays they have and what resolution they have,'' says Amy Jo Smith, executive director of the Digital Entertainment Group, an industry trade organization. ``Consumers need to learn more about HDTV. They need guidance to get the most out of their TV.''

The major chains have put a lot of energy into training their sales teams to be as up-to-date as possible.

``Training is vital now, especially now, because the quality of the picture that people can get is better than they think they can get and the sound is better than they think they can get,'' Shahadi says. ``It's about helping them get what they want and what they need. We're really trying to simplify it for folks and try and connect them with what they need based on their lifestyle.''

While the most expensive set, the Pioneer Elite, sells for $8,000, Shahadi points out that the prices of the newer model televisions have steadily gone down.

``It's great for people to realize that this is not a toy of the rich. This is something they can have, too.''

Best Buy is selling a 42-inch Toshiba Plasma for just under $2,000 for example, but also has a 32-inch Insignia LCD for around $700 and several others in between. At Circuit City, a Samsung 56-inch DLP Projection TV is going for about $3,000 but on the other end of the spectrum is a 15-inch flat panel Sylvania LCD TV for just under $190.

Both chains also offer no-interest for a year payment plans. Buyers should also look for deals for upgrades on their receivers or for extra savings when adding HD programming and installation.

Some stores will install the sets in your home for a fee. This is strongly recommended if the set is going to be installed into a wall.

Says Caldero: ``These new sets really give you the opportunity to get rid of a lot of the spaghetti (cords) from behind the TV.''

Some resources

The Digital Entertainment Group offers a special consumer HDTV Guide that provides information on HDTV in an easy-to-read format. The guide is available through the link below or by calling the DEG Office at [phone] or through participating retailers nationwide.

http://www.dvdinformation.com/HDTV/index.cfm

The November 2007 ``Annual Electronics Issue'' of Consumer Reports magazine is also full of tips on what to look for when going to buy a new television set. It suggests that consumers buy as big a screen as their room size and budget allows.

If an antenna is needed, a useful site recommended by Caldero is anntennaweb.org. By entering your address and ZIP code, a map is printed out specifying what is needed for your area.

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com

[phone]

CAPTION(S):

9 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Direct view CRT 

(3 -- 4 -- color) Flat Panel

(5 -- 6 -- color) Rear projection

(7 -- 8 -- color) Front projection

(9 -- color) no caption (man)

Box:

An HDTV primer