Can an SDTV work with HDTV Broadcasts?

Absolutely. SDTVs were specifically created to receive HDTV broadcasts, but what they do is reduce the resolution for 480i which is basically what a standard DVD movie produces. (Done so that anyone can afford a digital television). You have a tuner built into the TV that receives HD broadcasts, but downconverts them to "analog" so that it can be displayed on the SDTV. Another thing a lot of people aren't familiar with is that you can get HD Satellite or Cable boxes and connect them to any TV through a composite video cable (yellow). Say you had an HD in one room and an older analog set in another, or an SDTV in another room you can have an HD Satellite box in the main room, and have the same box in the other room, but just connect a coaxial or composite cable to the TV and still watch the HD channels, just not in HD resolution.

How do I connect my Television to my Surround Sound System?

Hopefully this isn't as complicated as you feared. This depends on your TV and what else you will be connecting to the system. Here's a few options for what you are trying to do.1) Direct TV Connection Option: If your television offers an audio output this will be the easiest of the connections, all you do is connect an audio cable from the TV's audio output (white and red jacks), to the input of your choice on your receiver (TV/SAT, Video 1, AUX, etc). When you want to watch your TV through surround, you turn on your receiver to the correct input and trun on your TV, and you're good to go. There may be an option in your TV menu as well to leave the audio output as fixed - choose this option if available, this means that as you adjust the volume on your TV, it won't mess with the sound through the receiver.2) Using a Cable or Satellite Box: If you have a cable or satellite box connected to the TV, the sound quality will be better than coming directly from the TV. For this you will utilize the audio outputs on the back of the boxes, either Analog Audio (red and white), or a digital output (optical or digital coax). From the back of the box, connect one of the cables from the audio out (analog or digital) to your receiver to whichever input you choose, and now when you watch your cable or satellite, you will have sound from your receiver and/or your TV. (This is my preferred choice).3) Using a VCR: If your TV doesn't have an audio output, and you're not using a cable or satellite box this is pretty much the only other option (if you have a VCR that is). If you have a stereo VCR and your TV signal (basic cable/antenna) is running through the VCR, you will connect an Audio cable from the Audio output on the back of the VCR to whatever jack you prefer on your receiver. All you do is leave your VCR on when you want to listen to the stereo, and whatever channel the VCR is on, that sound will come through the Stereo as well.

I hope this helps in your quest, I know its a lot of information, but I like being thorough.

I'm looking to get a 5.1 receiver, but my source isn't digital, what can I do for the best sound?

If you're looking at a new receiver, all you need to do is make sure that the unit offers Dolby Pro Logic II (or IIx if its a 7.1 receiver), or DTS Neo surround capabilities. These features are specifically for listening to non digital sources and recreate a 5.1 - 7.1 experience for VHS, Cable, Satellite, whatever you connect to it. If the source is in Dolby Pro-Logic then the sound will be very good in Pro-Logic II mode. If its just a stereo signal it will still sound pretty good and give you more of an experience than a standard Dolby Pro Logic receiver, because more signal is sent to the rear speakers.

I Hope this helps.

How do I connect Wireless Headphones to a TV if there is no Headphone Jack in front?

If the TV has an audio output that is where the transmitter for the wireless headphones will be connected. If your TV doesn't have an audio output then your other options will be to use either a stereo VCR, Cable Box, or Satellite box. Depending on what is connected to the TV, one of the listed components will have an audio output. If you use cable or satellite and have a box, they have an audio output. Basically just connect the headphones to the output on the back of the box and you'll be good. If you don't have either, but happen to have a VCR connected to it, then just connect the transmitter to the audio output on the VCR and when you want to use the headphones just turn on the VCR, sound will come through it and you'll be good there too.

Hope this helps.

I've got a Pioneer 816 7.1 receiver, but I'm not getting surround sound from my Digital Cable Box.

The one drawback to digital cable boxes is that the digital coax out is normally just set to stereo output. They don't broadcast much in 5.1 except for through a fiber optic output, its actually rare to find a digital cable box with a digital coax out. My old box did and I had the same problem, when I contacted the cable company about it (Comcast) they told me that was all it provided and the Dolby Digital logo was on the box but not supported by them. But if I went to an HD Box it was. I have since switched to DirecTV, but that's another story. Off of a digital cable box, you're best best is fiber optic if available because most of the digital coax outputs are only set for stereo. You can put your 816 in Dolby Pro Logic II or IIx mode and it will simulate surround sound, but not true surround. You may want to contact your cable company about getting a box with a fiber optic output on it, that could alleviate everything.

Hope that helps.

I've got an HDTV, but don't know how to get HD Broadcasts.

If you have an HD Built in TV you need a High Def signal either from Cable, Satellite or Antenna. If you have cable, but don't have an HD Cable box you can contact your cable company and they will come out with a new box for you and your monthly fee will go up $10 or so. For Satellite you will need to upgrade your box to HD if it is not, and possibly your Satellite Dish (contact your provider). My personal favorite way of doing it is through an antenna. The reason for this is that depending on where you live you will be able to receive all the local broadcasts for free. Some of the cable companies offer local high definition channels, but not all of the channels are available through all providers, and with Satellite they haven't launched full coverage of local channels. If you live in/near a major city you can be guaranteed to have 5 - 15 HD channels available to you via an Antenna. To find out what's available go to http://www.antennaweb.org/ and follow the directions on finding the right antenna for you. This site will help you to find the right antenna for HD - its for outdoor or attic mounted antennas. If you don't want to mess with an outdoor or attic mounted antenna, take a look at the Terk TV5 amplified antenna, available at Best Buy and Circuit City for about $50. Its constantly rated as the number one antenna for HD use (non attic/roof mount). I hope this helped.

How can I improve my cable signal on my HD Ready TV?

If your TV is an HD Capable set and your cable is not HD that is the problem. We have a lot of people complain about Digital Cable on HD Sets because the "Digital Cable" name is pretty much a joke. The signal is not truly digital because it is going through THREE digital to analog conversions before it reaches your Television. If you're watching through Channel 3 that's a big problem too, but if you're using Composite, or S-Video this will help a little. The biggest problem with Cable and HD capable TVs is the Progressive Scan Line Doubler built into all TVs, they take an incoming signal and basically fill in the missing information, but because Digital Cable goes through the Digital To Analog Conversion so many times the signal is poor when it gets there, so the poor signal is doubled in a sense. If you're paying $50 now for Cable, I'd look into DirecTV because it doesn't go through the same conversions, it comes into your box Digital and out Digital based on how you connect it to your TV. And for $63 you can get 200 channels in digital and another 20 or so in HD.This is one of the points that we've been having to do a lot of training on over the last two years for our retailer trainings, we've heard this complaint alot. Digital cable is very pixelated, so when it goes through the line doubler in the TV it becomes twice as bad.