When you want to watch a DVD movie and you're looking at your HDTV's Input menu, would you be more inclined to select something labeled 'AV 4', or an option labeled 'DVD Player'?

Modern HDTVs have a lot of inputs--up to four HDMI connections, two or more component-video ports, two composite-video connections, and another one for a PC. And let's not forget the TV's own built-in tuner. When you press the remote control's button to change inputs, you get a long list of not very helpful names. But many HDTVs let you change the generic 'AV 4' type of label to something more specific and descriptive.

Search the television's on-screen menus for an option called Input Label or something similar. What submenu will you find it in? I've seen it in Settings, TV, and Input.

When you select this option, you usually get a list of choices: DVD, Blu-ray, DVR, and so on. On some sets you can select a blank field, into which you can enter a name manually.

Some HDTVs include a choice called Skip. That's a good option for an input that you know you're not using, as it removes the item from the list of inputs you toggle through as you search for your desired input.