Super Bowl Sunday: Are you ready for the "Big Game?"

With several national and regional consumer electronics chains promising “next-day” delivery of new HDTVs in time for Super Bowl Sunday, getting a new TV in time for the “Big Game” even at this late date isn't out of the question.

However, if this is your first HDTV, getting the TV in your living room is only part of having an enjoyable Super Bowl experience. You'll also need to make sure you're equipped to get high-def reception and that your TV is properly set up to maximize your enjoyment of the game.

Here's a checklist that covers these considerations and more, to ensure that any Big Game fumbling is confined to the football field:

Get the right TV. As we wrote in our previous post, getting the right HDTV for the Super Bowl is a great start.

In general, we advise getting the biggest HDTV that fits your room and budget. Further, consider a model with 1080p resolution, which can offer noticeably better picture detail in 50-plus-inch screen sizes. Each of the flat-panel technologies, LCD and plasma, have their advantages for sports and other content.

Get the right service. If you're a cable or satellite customer and you're upgrading from standard definition to HD, you may need to get a new HD receiver—or possibly an HD DVR, if you want a high-def recording of the game—to receive HD broadcasts. Also, satellite customers should check with their provider to make sure that the satellite dish that's currently installed can receive the newer MPEG-4 broadcasts offered by DirecTV and Dish. Typically there's no charge for the antenna and basic installation, but there could be a charge if your set-up is more complicated. Contact your cable or satellite company to make sure you'll be able to get any new equipment installed and operational by game time.

Since the Super Bowl is being broadcast on NBC, you don't need to subscribe to a cable or satellite TV service to enjoy the game. But you will need an antenna that's capable of pulling in sharp digital high-def broadcasts over-the-air. We suggest visiting the antennaweb.org website to make sure that you don't need a rooftop model; if you do, you'll need to arrange for its installation prior to the game if you're not up to the task yourself.

Get the right picture. Many TVs have pre-set picture modes that are already optimized for certain types of content, such as sorts or movies; other TVs require you to adjust each setting individually. Try using one of these settings first to see if you get an acceptable picture.

Often, though, you can get the best picture by manually adjusting the individual picture settings—brightness, contrast, color and tint, and sharpness. You can use regular program material, such as a familiar Blu-ray disc or DVD, or you can buy a special calibration DVD, such as Avia and Digital Video Essentials. Don't be afraid to play with the settings—if you're unhappy with the results, there's generally a “reset” button or “default” mode that lets you restore the factor settings. For more detailed information about calibrating your TV, see our online article, How to Fine-Tune Your HDTV.

Get the right connections. One last thing to consider: Make sure you have the right cables to connect your TV to your other gear, such as a cable or satellite box, Blu-ray or DVD player, or home-theater receiver. Most TVs are now connected to a settop box using an HDMI cable, which carries both digital video and audio on a single wire. Buy quality cables with sturdy connectors, but don't spurge for pricey ones that offer little, if any, performance benefits.

—James K. Willcox

Comments

[Jesse James]

I am definately ready to go - Big Screen HDTV with a comfortable couch.

Should be a great game.

[everett whitney]

TO: Christopher - "Panasonic 42" @ $700..?"

Sorry - there IS a substantial delay between your "posting" / acceptance / actual visibility here .... as soon as it was realized that production HAD ceased on 2008's - the sales went "CRAZY!" That pricing had stayed from "Black Friday" thru literally the weekend after New Year's ...

Most sites are (sold out) OR undesirable web sites with which one should NOT mess! Crutchfield was the lowest I could find, at substantially higher - you might also try "Cleveland Plasma" come-to-think-of-it! here's the other, $ 869, No Tax except NY + KY, free, guar del'y ................. http://www.crutchfield.com/p_13342PX80/Panasonic-TH-42PX80U.html?tp=161

[tommytx]

I've looked at several installations and here is what I generally found. 1)The tv is hooked up w/ an svga cable, wrong, use the HDMI. 2)The tv is hooked up to a cable box and the person didn't sign up to recieve a hi-def signal. 3)The tv is on the wrong station, cable boxes tend to only put hi-def on certain stations.
The last one I'm not certain about, for whatever reason my picture seems better than most. It's either because 1)I've heard that cable/dish people compress the signal before sending (I use OTA antenna). or 2)This Pioneer (5070) plasma is just a better unit.
PS. skip the 1080p unless your watching CD's on a blue-ray, otherwise you're probably not going to get a 1080p signal for a couple more years. Most recording and transmission equipment has not been upgraded yet.

[christopher]

i have been looking everwhere for that 42 inch panny w/free s/h ect.the one in the $600-$700 range and now my wife has her eye on some 37"lg for $599.EVERETT WHITNEY please help me!

[everett whitney]

TO; Eugene - " 46" Panasonic or Sharp ..?"

CERTAINLY NOT! These are two entirely different HDTVs!

You need to go to the "INTRO TO HDTV" herein & read about the Plasma vs LCD Data ... the plasma has essentially an unlimited side viewing {a.k.a. 'off-axis'} whereas the LCD falls off in HD qualities of Coloring, shadings, brightness, contrast , etc.. after dead center viewing.

Plasma does consume more power ... BUT ... all of $3 / monthly .... NOT those huge, silly sums.

NO, plasma set do NOT 'burn out' soon... rated at 60,000 to 100,000 viewing hours before even reaching the "half brightness levels."

No ... every HDTV has it's [strengths / weaknesses].

[Eugene]

Which is better
46inch Panasonic Plasma $1000 or
46inch Sharp Aquas $1000
Do I just flip a coin