haus After many years of waiting, we finally went completely digital this weekend. We purchased a Sony 50 inch LCD HDTV and it is wonderful. Note that I have been reciveing digital signals for many years through my satellite receiver but playing them on a standard definition TV (and I will tell you - that was not so bad!). But now I have a HDTV and playing HD content on this thing looks fantastic. I am not sure what technology issues you are referring to - I think the digital TV technology is pretty stable now. There is still the looming issue of High Def content - but if you get satellite or cable, the number of HD channels is growing by the month. Right now I can get all the major networks who broadcast most of their programs in High Def, ESPN, Discover, etc - quite a few. Expect to pay more for these channels - I pay an additional 20 bucks per month to get the HD channels with Dishnet. Here are some tips from my experience: 1) The time is good to buy a digital High Def TV right now. I recommend doing searches for the various HDTV products on Amazon.com and reading all the reviews. I learned a lot and decided on a Sony after reading the many posts. Sony is in the process of eliminating it's rear projection lines (The Bravia SXRD and the Bravia LCD lines) so the prices at Circuit City and Best Buy are quite good. I think this is not because the technology is bad but because the prices have come down so far, the margins aren't good. I wanted a Bravia 50" SXRD but wound up buying the Bravia LCD and got it for 1399 at best Buy - that is pretty darn good for a 50 inch TV. The pitcture is fanstastic. \ 1a) Do your homework before you buy so you can get the best deal. Also - you probably should buy the extended warranty for the TV. I think ours cost $249 at Best Buy and it is a 4 year plan. Research this - most people recommend the extended warranty for a HDTV. 2) You need to think about the HD content source - either cable or satellite. If you buy a HDTV - then you will want to see your favorite programs broadcast in the HD format. Watching standard def broadcasts on a HDTV is not that great - a lot of people are dissapointred when they buy the suped up TV and the picture looks grainy. I vouch for the experience that a plain old analog TV hooked up to a satellite or cable receiver looks a lot better (crisper picture) than a stadard definition broadcast played on a HDTV. The HDTV is designed for digital HD broadcasts - feed it HD content and you will be happy. The standard broadcasts look OK on my Sony - but once you get the taste of a HD picture, standard def is hard to look at. 3) It may be possible to get over air digital broadcast of the major networks (CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX). Check out this site http://www.antennaweb.org. If you enter in your address - it will tell you where the digital broadcasts sites are, how far away they are from your house, and what type of antenna you will need to receive them. Currently there are a relatively small number of stations broadcasting digital content - expect more this year and next since the conversion from analog to digital broadcasts will occur early in 2009. You can see from my post above yours that I am having trouble receiving the major networks through the over air antenna. This isn't an issue since I get the local channels in High Def through my satellite receiver - but it means that when the satellite goes out - I cannot see the local stations broadcast in digital format. I hope to resolve this issue someday. 4) As far as sound - the internal speakers that came with my Sony are fantastic. So you can buy the TV first and then add the sound system later. I already had a old surround system hooked up and am using it with the Sony - but it isn't too much better than what came inside the TV! Good luck with your purchase. I wanted mine before the Masters tournament which I love to watch every year - can't wait to see it on high def.

Now that you will have the big TV, be sure to get a Sony Playstation 3 to go with it. I don't have the 1st game for mine...use it for it's Blue-Ray player, the wireless Internet capability (if you have a wireless router in your home), the ability to use the PS3 to display my photos onscreen and produce an instant print of one (you need one of several Epson printers it supports to do this), play my mp3 collection, and just having a cool-looking device next to the TV,.

We bought a large flat screen for our 2nd home. I found a black 3piece entertainment unit at a store in our area called The Dump. I paid only $700 for the whole unit and it looks very similar to the Pottery Barn "full media suite". I even found baskets to fit some of the openings. It's worked out very nicely. Also, there are case goods (buffets, credenzas) that can be retrofitted for "pop up" flat screens. I've seen them in Southern Living, however, the tvs were smaller than 60" and i'm not sure a 60" could pop up safely!

Well that's all a matter of opinion in my opinion. What does the console look like and how much smaller is it than the width of the TV? What else will be around it if anything? Pictures of the console would be great if you have them.