The blu ray disc player is twice as good in video quality as with the dvd and also they one source for 7.1 audio in True HD. Panasonic is the most reliable player in the market today. The model BD-75 is selling for $79 at Best Buy and if you want the best then go for the OPPO 93. It is also a universal player, it sell for $499. Go online to Home Theater magazine and read the reviews on tvs, along with the pro and con of each technology. Keep in mind, you get whata you pay for. Hope this will help you out.
I wondered about that too Sis, and my niece told me that they are designed for HD [high definition] t.v.'s
I guess it's something new to make more money. *sigh*
Hope this helped.
p.s, I still have 2 televisions that are over 20 yrs old, and they work fine without the hd. lol