It seems as though everyone and his dog is rushing to buy the latest plasma HDTV (High Definition Television). Probably what is feeding most of this craze is its “rock star status” appeal, where HDTV has become sort of a status symbol.

One of my clients spent a pretty penny (over $10,000) to purchase two beautiful plasma HDTVs, one for the master bedroom, and the other for the living room. After they were hooked up, he was confused as to why the picture was not as clear and crisp.

He discovered that his brand new building was not wired with the RG-6 wiring, which is required for the high-definition signal. Rather, it was wired with the older version of cable. For that space, spending that money for plasma HDTV was unnecessary, since watching live broadcast TV was important.

The next best option, in my opinion, is EDTV (Enhanced Definition Television), which helps get near-HDTV quality. Panasonic makes a plasma 42” EDTV that sells for under $2,000. Beats spending $5,000+ a comparable HDTV.

Tip: Whenever I purchase electronics, my first stop is to visit shopper.cnet.com, a comparison shopper site that shows best price (including shipping costs) and availability. Great site for comparing features and functions, as well as browsing the Editors’ Picks.

The bottom line: HDTVs, regardless of the cable feed, will produce an extraordinary picture for playing DVDs. EDTVs have an excellent picture for those who want a better picture for a third of the price of plasma HDTVs.