One day, our 15 year old 27" TV stopped working. It wouldn't turn on. I quickly assumed that it was the work of my technologically curious children who never hesitate to try various combinations of buttons on the complicated assortment of remote controls that command our entertainment setup. After trying everything that I knew to turn on the TV, it simply wouldn't work. Shucks and darn it - this meant we had to get a new TV, and well what the heck - might as well just get a fancy new flat panel HD set, right? Oh, the disappointment! I thought briefly about taking the 27" lunker to a repair shop, but roughly 10 minutes later I put that thought out of my mind and headed to the nearest suburban electronic retailer.

Have you seen this HDTV stuff? Let me tell you, it is truly incredible. Not so much a mere TV as it is a window to the world. I have never been a complete TV freak. I have a handful of shows that I must watch, but until recently, my viewing habits consisted of Baby Einstein, Winnie The Pooh, and the favorite du jour on PBS Kids. I can't tell you the last time I watched an entire Bronco game or a thrilling Avalanche third period. But that has changed. The kids are in for a battle if they intend to usurp my High Definition viewing pleasure. "No Sesame Street now kids! Daddy's watching a crystal clear shot of this guy sinking a putt!! I know, I know - I have never even played golf, but look at that picture!!"

I am addicted to High Def and I now watch things I don't care about simply because they are High Def. Women's golf? I'm all over it. You can almost smell the grass. Baseball? Can't stand it really, but look at the whiskers on the pitcher's face and the beads of sweat running down his cheek! Even the news is more magical. The graphics leading into the 9 News broadcast are absolutely thrilling. I can see Adele Arakawa's freckles, Kathy Sabine's sparkling eyes, and Bob Kendrick's pearly whites in all their glory.

My favorite HD shows of all, though, are the ones that simply show nature. Nestled between programs, there are occasional 'video vacations' that focus on a scene that is far removed from our every day surroundings. A camera fixed on a Pacific beach; grasses and wildflowers twitching in the sea breeze while the ocean curls toward the shore; the sshh of the waves is accompanied by warbling of various winged creatures. Ah yes. This is why I pay an extra $6 per month for the special shows that make my new TV worth every penny. Why, last weekend I even took a trip to the Everglades to watch Manatee without leaving my family room. Moments later, I watched the sun rise over a verdant Kentucky horse farm. It was indeed just like being there and it was very, very relaxing.

As I marvel at this new technology and yearn for more and more HD content, I can't help but imagine the thrill my dad experienced when he plugged in his first Hi-Fi stereo and played a Stan Kenton album. What a marvel it must have been to hear distinct sounds coming from the left of the room, then sweeping to the right. High Def is Hi-Fi for the eyes and while I refuse to become planted on the couch like some kind of glazed-over vidiot, it has definitely injected some new life into simply watching TV. The only downfall? Broadcasts that are not in High Def are very disappointing to watch.

So if anyone wants a 15 year-old TV that won't turn on, it's yours and it's waiting for you in my garage.