What do I need to do to switch to digital TV?

Ready to go hi-def without cable. Help!?

• I am probably the last person on my block to even still have a CRT TV with regular cable. I am thinking about switching to a digital TV with an indoor antenna so that I can get rid of the cable bill. But what I don't understand are all the other things I will have to change along with that. For example, I can still record shows on the VCR right now from the regular cable signal. With an indoor antenna, digital TV, and without the cable service, will I need to switch to TIVO or DVR? I noticed that many OTA channels are broadcasting in HD. I wonder how people are saving their shows in hi-def. Also, would I need to switch to blue-ray DVDs because the resolution of the conventional DVDs would look really bad on a large TV? Also, I know that the new TVs come with wireless capability. Does that mean I can use streaming video from another room and play it on the TV? Or does it mean that I can connect with streaming video straight from the TV? Finally, how long do people expect to use their TVs nowadays? In the old days, the CRT TVs could last 10-20 years even with heavy use. It seems that the modern digital TVs would generally burn out or become obsolete in 3-5 years. It's easy to imagine that if 3D becomes wave of the future, I might need to upgrade again. I just need to know what to expect once I take the plunge and enter the digital TV age. Thanks. I am sure a lot of people have been dealing with it. I am just a few years late.

• Answer:

  you can hook up a digital off air box much as you would to cable . And record from it just as now. and still use your CRT tv. only when you want to view HD or blu ray will you need to upgrade. The one problem is that an indoor antenna/aerial may not be good enough . Depends how close you are to the tv tower /transmitter.