Beyond the Hype: HDTV a Pretty Picture With Consumers; Consumer Reports Survey Shows Owner Satisfaction High; But, TV Fans Want More HD Programming; Annual Electronics Issue Offers New Advice on Extended Warranties for TVs.

(From AScribe)

YONKERS, N.Y. -- Experts are all but unanimous in their praise of high-definition television (HDTV). At its best, HDTV offers sharper, more detailed images than standard television and a better audio experience. But how noticeable and valuable are those distinctions to the viewer? A survey published in the Annual Electronics issue of Consumer Reports (http://www.ConsumerReports.org?source=CR24) indicates that HDTV is actually a hit with consumers. In a nationally representative survey of about 500 HDTV owners who receive HD signals by cable or satellite, 87 percent reported that HD indeed offers superior picture quality. But enthusiasm waned when Consumer Reports magazine asked about HD programming: 50 percent said they don't get enough HD channels on cable or satellite.

The positive feedback from HDTV viewers supports the recommendation that Consumer …