Sylvia Shevloff, a legal secretary from Bournemouth, found the whole experience utterly infuriating. “You end up walking from shop to shop, getting different advice wherever you go,” she sighed. “It’s crazy.”

The reason for going digital? Ostensibly, improved picture quality. In reality, government diktat. The culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, has confirmed 2008 as the start date for switching off the traditional analogue signal, region by ITV region, starting with Border and ending with London. Three homes in five have already converted their main sets to digital, but with an average of 2 sets per household, Doors reckons 50m still need adapting in kitchens, studies and sheds. If, by the time the plug is pulled, you have neither Freeview, digital satellite, cable nor broadband, you will be staring at a blank screen.

Leaving analogue can induce a fear of the unknown, yet there are clear benefits, among them an electronic programme guide (EPG) for foolproof recording, and more channels. The biggest myth is that all it takes to go digital is a £30 box, because a decent box costs much more — or you buy a new television. Either way, you might need a new aerial. Alternatively, sign up for cable or satellite.

Recording finally becomes a doddle in the digital era, offering one-button convenience, and June Sarpong looks ever more ravishing once freed from cassette tape.

However, it is not necessarily a one-box decision. To watch one channel while recording another requires two digital tuners, whether one is built into your television and another sits inside a set-top box, or both reside in an external video recorder. Doors will discuss the complex issues raised by personal video recorders (PVRs) and DVD burners next week.

With innovations arriving by the season, a completely future-proofed television is as unlikely as winning The X Factor. Some viewers will prefer to remain adaptable, buying a basic television set and upgrading intermediary set-top boxes as technology evolves. For anyone impelled to upgrade now, Doors has simplified the digital maze down to four options:

1 All-in-one An integrated digital television (iDTV) has a built-in Freeview tuner, reduces clutter and duplicate controls, and delivers better pictures than a set-top box. You can also plug in a cable, satellite or other digital tuner.

2 Dumb screen A standalone flatscreen, or a display device such as a projector, that has neither speakers nor tuner. Simply plug in any digital source of your choice.

3 Media centre Computer that acts as the hub for all your home entertainment. It contains a Freeview tuner, but the screen also shows your photo album, DVDs and home video. It will come into its own once the BBC’s web-based interactive media player (iMP) comes online next year.

4 Analogue upgrade This could be your existing set, or a new purchase that contains only an analogue tuner, as opposed to a digital one. From classic, if bulky, cathode-ray tube (CRT) sets to state-of-the-art LCD panels, all can be upgraded by plugging in a digital source. It’s a cheaper purchase than an equivalent iDTV, and is especially suited to a viewer already committed to cable or satellite.

“Overall, conventional CRT televisions still beat flat panels for picture quality, and they’re cheaper,” claims Michael Briggs, a senior researcher with Which? magazine. However, desirable flat panels are now more affordable and compete head-on for quality. Pioneer is producing its sixth generation of plasma panel; Sharp is embarking on its eighth generation of LCD. This is why CRT market share has plunged from 74% to less than 50% since 2003.

Be aware that only the latest flatscreens will be able to show future high-definition broadcasts, or come with the necessary inputs. Briggs is sceptical about the importance of “HD-ready” labels being stuck on new televisions: “If you’re watching normal broadcasts, then I wouldn’t worry about HD at the moment.”

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