'Tis the season I get to play with my toys and dream. I've been doing NBR's Gifts and Gadgets series for longer than I wish to remember and it leads to surprises every year. Of course, I want to own most of what I show to you, so there is a downside. I still haven't bought a large flat screen TV, but this year seems to be the year when prices are finally within the range of mere mortals like me and, I'll bet, most of you.

Still, it isn't easy. The consumer electronic industry never seems to make it easy. The broadcast TV industry is moving to high definition, and the code word for that is 1080p. But, 1080p is still more expensive than the 768p of many sets on the shelves of your favorite electronics store. Do you buy 1080p today or wait another year? Broadcast is 1080p, but not all cable HD channels are. And, DVD is less than 1080p.

The industry does have HD DVDs on the market, but there are two competing formats - Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Plus, with prices for players running from $500 (HD-DVD) to $1,000 (Blu-Ray), many people are waiting to buy.

Perhaps, the answer to to buy one of the less expensive HD TV models - the ones under $1,000 - and move it to the kitchen in a year or two. That's when the dust should settle, and you can pick up a real HD model at the same price!