In just a few years, HDMI has become the standard audio and video connection for high-definition home theater gear. Every new HDTV has at least two HDMI inputs, and gadgets such as DVRs, DVD players, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and computers feature HDMI outputs to deliver audio and video. Having a single cable handling both images and sound has the potential to make home theaters much simpler, but that's not always the case. Faced with complex standards (HDMI 1.2 vs. 1.3), confusing buzzwords (Deep Color), and exorbitantly priced cables (Monster), many buyers may be tempted to throw up their hands and stick with the analog cables they know.

Don't panic--what seems bewildering on the showroom floor is really pretty simple. And if you get nothing else from reading this guide, you should remember one simple fact: There's no reason to pay extra for HDMI cables. Intrigued? Let's get started.

What is HDMI?

HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, and that's a pretty good description of what it is. In layman's terms, HDMI is a type of digital connection that's capable of transmitting HD video and high-resolution audio over a single cable. To do the same thing with analog cables, you'd need to connect three component-video cables plus six analog audio cables--that's a whole lot of cable clutter.

HDMI is typically used to connect a high-definition device--such as an HD DVR--to an HDTV. To make the connection, you simply put one end of the cable into the HDTV's HDMI input slot and the other end into the device's HDMI output slot. And that's it--just one cable and you're all set for the HD experience. If you have an A/V receiver, just put it in the middle of the signal chain. The output of the A/V receiver goes to the HDTV and you connect your high-definition device(s) to the A/V receiver's input.

This article originally appeared on CNET's quick quide.