That's a loaded question. What you really need is a new HD Receiver, PS3 .

You should be ok with what you have as long as you can hook up your receiver to the new HDTV via Component Cable rather than Composite. Component is actually three video signals, which means you would have three phono (RCA) leads just for the video alone. With component, the first line 'Y' carries the luminance (brightness signal), the second line carries the blue level (BY) and the third carries the red level (RY). The receiver (TV, Projector, etc.) gets the green level when it combines the luminance level with the red & blue components. Composite Cable, on the other hand, is the combination of the video chrominance (colour) and luminance (brightness) all on a single cable. Composite is not used for HDTV and due to everything being combined on a single cable, the colour rendering is generally not even as good as SVHS. As you mention you are currently connected via composite cable, you won't get HD, even with an HDTV.

You can still use your Comcast Cable box but again, you won't get HD programming unless you have an HD Set Top Box.

Quoting CubbyUps:

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Is it better to have the audio from the BR player go to the TV and it's speakers or go through the A/V receiver?

To get the full force of HD audio (DTS-HD, Dolby TrueHD, PCM), you can't go wrong with an A/V receiver. If you currently have one, make sure it can handle it, though. Some older receivers can't (a few years ago and went ahead and upgraded mine).

Quoting CubbyUps:

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I really don't care that much about HDTV but I do want to see Blu-Rays in HD quality.

Hate to burst your bubble but guess what..?  Once you get HD TV  and Have the 16:9 HD TV to boot
(either LCD / plasma) ...  You'll eventually abandon your bluray and will watch nothing BUT  Highdef Tv ... it may only take as little as ....emmmmm  maybe 2 days ....  well except..,, for the occasional special evening .... i.e. new releases ..


edit.. I'm still surprised these days at the number of people who have their BlueRay's  hooked up to 7.1 dolby surround systems with DTS and Monster cables in and Out as well as Plush furniture and multiplex surround speaker set up all to view on a 32 inch tube TV .....

My brother has the same setup you suggest Max,, and I constantly tell him.. Why not just send the 7.1 sound thru hdmi to your receiver and use componant to the TV.. ? save a lot on wiring and a secondary set of wires to confuse, and make a jungle of wires either on the floor or behind the wall or the TV ....

Use the HDMI on the TV to recieve just the cable box only ... because MOST of your TV viewing does not have to be 5.1 / 7.1 to the receiver .. just dolby surround/ 5.1  for the News or the TV specials  or your favourite wednesday night TV lineup... all can readily be enjoyed without thundering woofers and 6 channel speaker volume for that part of your evening viewing venue ..

Quoting widescreenforever:

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My brother has the same setup you suggest Max,, and I constantly tell him.. Why not just send the 7.1 sound thru hdmi to your receiver and use componant to the TV.. ? save a lot on wiring and a secondary set of wires to confuse, and make a jungle of wires either on the floor or behind the wall or the TV ....

Use the HDMI on the TV to recieve just the cable box only ... because MOST of your TV viewing does not have to be 5.1 / 7.1 to the receiver .. just dolby surround/ 5.1  for the News or the TV specials  or your favourite wednesday night TV lineup... all can readily be enjoyed without thundering woofers and 6 channel speaker volume for that part of your evening viewing venue ..

I was just suggesting this for Cubby's benefit as none of his components are HMDI with the exception of his Blu-ray player .

Quoting Bad Father:

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As I said previously, if your receiver doesn't have Component outputs, you can't do HD Video.

Blu-ray players will not output hi-def through analog (i.e. component or composite) outputs, so you have to use HDMI from the BD player to the television (either directly or via an HDMI capable receiver.)

Link

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Quoting CubbyUps:

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Blu-Ray player and PS2 hooked up via RCA cables (What I think is now called Composite Cables)

Composite, also known as composhite  . I agree with others, tou should upgrade your receiver first.

Quoting scotthm:

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Quoting Bad Father:

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Quoting scotthm:

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Quoting Bad Father:

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As I said previously, if your receiver doesn't have Component outputs, you can't do HD Video.

Blu-ray players will not output hi-def through analog (i.e. component or composite) outputs, so you have to use HDMI from the BD player to the television (either directly or via an HDMI capable receiver.)

Link

That doesn't take effect until January 01, 2012. The OP's current Blu-ray player doesn't have that restriction.

From the article:

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For older players, studios can now use the ICT flag embedded onto Blu-ray discs to tell the players not to output HD over analog.

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Can doesn't mean they will .

Besides, we're talking about the here and now. With what he has currently, it's possible to get up to 1080i. The future is another story.

We've already suggested that he future-proof himself by investing in a HD Receiver. Afterall, once he gets a taste of Hi-Def...he'll want it all .