Digital confusion frustrates TV buyers

Paul Davidson writes:  "Consumers snapped up millions of high-definition TV sets this holiday season. Now if they can only figure out how to use the darn things. More than half of HDTV owners lack the knowledge or gear to actually watch digital high-definition on their new sets, recent surveys show. ...¶... But up to 56% of HD-equipped homes haven't obtained extra gear needed to watch in HD: a special set-top box from their cable or satellite service, a cable card or an over-the-air digital tuner, surveys by Leichtman and gear maker Scientific-Atlanta say.  ¶  Why? About 28% say the picture already is better on an HD set; 23% think the logo labeling broadcasts "available in HD" means they're watching HD. 'It's like buying a sports car and never driving more than 50 miles an hour,' Leichtman President Bruce Leichtman says. ..."  Link:  USA Today.