A perfect storm of the slow economy and seasonal affect of new televisions coming in while old models still sit unsold is making right now the time to buy, according to the L.A. Times. It's the answer to the question many of us are constantly asked "when can I get the best deal?" and there's plenty of answers, Black Friday, Super Bowl, or right now during the slow period, but strictly on a dollar sense, from now through the next several months is generally easy picking for bargain hunters, with clearances driving prices low if you can manage to resist the pull of brand new models with their slick features sitting right next to the ones on sale. Any tips on where to look, or at least self control before we pass our own stimulus package?

We had a lively Ask Engadget HD this week, so figured we'd point our dear readers in the direction of Engadget Classic for another HD-related inquiry. This week's question is about HTPCs, particularly ones that won't absolutely shatter the bank. We know you've got some creative thoughts as to how to get a robust system without blowing north of three large, so head on over and chime in, won't you?

You just have to love the mixed messages, don't you? On one hand, you've got research asserting that Blu-ray simply isn't gaining the desired amount of traction since the demise of HD DVD; on the other, you've got numbers showing that BD adoption actually is on the up and up. So, which is it? According to a hot-out-of-the-oven study by ABI Research, consumers in America are still procrastinating when it comes to buying into Blu-ray. Over half of the 1,000 respondents noted that they had "no plans to purchase one," with 23% suggesting that they might take the plunge in 2009. Principal analyst Steve Wilson, in our estimation, nails the reason right on the head: consumers can't see why Blu-ray is worth the extra coin over DVD. Let's face it -- VHS to DVD was entirely more dramatic than DVD to Blu-ray, and for folks still watching an SDTV, Blu-ray isn't even a consideration. Slow and steady, BD, slow and steady.

[Image courtesy of WikInvest]

As if it wasn't apparent enough from our breakdown of HD carriers earlier this year, the two satcasters here in the US have a dominant lead in HD offerings. Still, the abundance of high-def material comes at a cost, and it's a price many are hesitant to pay for fear of stepping too far out of their comfort zone. According to Sam:

"Now that DirecTV is almost at 100 national HD channels, I'm this close to cutting my cable off and making the switch. However, I'm terrified of hidden installation costs (fishing cables, etc.), punching all sorts of new holes in my home, locking myself into a contract and having to pay a non-discounted rate to keep my cable internet around without bundled HD service. There seems to be so many drawbacks to getting a dish -- is it really worth it?"

We have no doubts that many of you have indeed pulled the trigger in a similar situation, and we're equally sure that a large chunk of you have decided to play it safe and stick with fewer HD channels (and fewer battle scars on your siding). We can definitely see this one getting heated, but make sure you speak your mind on the matter in comments below.

[Image courtesy of Flickr]

Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.

If HD DVD and Blu-ray aren't your style, don't forget that there is plenty of red-laser high definition DVD loving to be had. VMD, which claims to be able to use up to 20 layers and hold as much as 100GB of data is still on it's way. NME has announced that more than 100 titles will be released this year for the format, however no information on what those titles are is currently available other than that they will include several Broadway shows.

They also say the price of the players and the media will be comparable to current DVDs. That all sounds well and great, but with all the studios supporting copy protected blue-laser formats we'll see if VMD is the little disc that could.