HDTV: Part II - Digital audio

Don't you hate it when you're all ready to hook up your new HDTV and you see that you can't connect it to your stereo? I found myself in just this predicament a few days ago.

My TV features digital optical audio output, but my stereo only has a digital coaxial audio input. Needless to say, my world was shaken...I didn't come all this way to be stuck with analog audio, and there simply wasn't a way to connect the two.

So, in addition to being the proud owner of a new TV, I am now also the proud owner of a Samsung HT-X40 DVD Home Theater System. It's a cheap all-in-one unit that does everything I need, so I'm cool with that. Also, since the TV and the stereo are both made by Samsung, the remotes overlap to a good degree and I don't need to keep both of them around.

(Editor's note: I have since been informed that there is some adapter that will connect an optical output to a coaxial input, and my opinion of the employees at Fry's has been adjusted accordingly. Be that as it may, the new stereo provides a few other nice pluses, like an upconverting DVD player and HDMI output.)

Now it's time to sit back and enjoy high def content in all its glory.