Let's face it, October has become the new December. Labor Day had barely ended before the stores started rolling out their holiday wares. This season is going to be particularly interesting for anyone interested in an HDTV. With HD-set prices dropping like a rock, and more high-definition discs flooding the market, now is the best time to go high-def. Why not wait until next year? If you're looking for reasons to convince your significant other to make the switch, read on.

In less than 480 days, television as we know it will finally make the leap to all-digital, bringing movie-quality picture and sound, and high-definition television to those with HD television sets. By the end of the year, cable operators will expand their high-def offerings, and satellite providers, like DirecTV, will offer more than 100 HD Channels to subscribers. HDTV programming is flooding the market with nearly every network and station dedicating some portion of the broadcast day to high definition.

If you've never seen a high-def broadcast, then I feel a little pain in my heart for you. While shows like Battlestar Galactica and Lost look stunning, the real selling point for any high-definition broadcast is sports and movies. Take a moment this Sunday and visit your local electronics store and check out an NFL game in high-def and then compare it to a regular, standard-definition signal. The HD picture quality makes everything pop, you can see more detail, and in the case of my four-month-old son, he is more enthralled with a nature show in high-def than any cartoon in boring old standard-def.

How big of a screen do you need? It really depends on the size of your media room and budget. For maximum performance, a 50-inch HD screen requires the viewer to sit between 10 and 12 feet from the screen. I would guess the distance for most homes fall somewhere between 8 and 15 feet, which means HD screens between 43 and 60 inches are going to work best. Anything over 60 inches might be overkill unless of course you have a massive home theater you're trying to deck out, in which case you might consider going with a HD projector. They are slightly more expensive but nowhere near the $10,000 they were a few years ago.

A quick tally of prices shows 1080p sets at the 50-inch range currently run around $1,800. That may seem like a lot, but remember: The holidays are going to cause the prices to drop, and with mail-in rebates, you can find a good quality set for around $1,000 or less. You might even want to avoid the big chain stores and talk with the mom-and-pop shops as it never hurts to ask for a lower price for already-overpriced items. This past summer I picked up a 43-inch LG screen for $900 that works great for everyday viewing in the home.

In my last column, I wrote about the technology curve and how products, like HD television sets, make a transition from bleeding edge to outdated over time. Beyond an increase in screen size, offering more inputs, or adding yet another channel of audio, HDTVs have pretty much reached the peak of the curve, meaning over the next five years HD televisions in the home are going to be about as common as the average toaster. When was the last time you went to a friend's house and he dragged you into the kitchen to show off the new toaster he just bought?

Interestingly, every person that has paid a visit to Casa del Schleicher has ended up purchasing an HD set within a few weeks of seeing what HD has to offer. From co-workers, to in-laws, to cable installers, everyone says seeing HD in action, in a home, convinced them to buy. Yes, the "keeping up with the Joneses" mentality still rules today, and wouldn't you rather be the Joneses than the guy playing catch-up?

HD today is similar to the explosion in popularity television had in the 1950s when neighbors would flock to a home with a television just to catch a glimpse of Jackie Gleason or Milton Berle waiting until the day when they could afford a set of their own. Times have changed — with the federal switch to digital in 2009, falling prices, and quality programming, it's a no brainer as to what you should be putting on your holiday shopping list this year. Next year at this time, HD will be old news, and you'll be one of those people on the backend of the technology curve. — Stephen Schleicher

Stephen Schleicher has crossed the country several times over the last couple of years working as an editor, graphic designer, videographer, director and producer. He currently shares his knowledge with students of media and Web development at Fort Hays State University. Stephen is the man behind the Coolness Roundup podcast, and loves reading comic books in his spare time.