Ok Mel,

First if you have Direct TV there is nothing you need to concern yourself about with the switch from analog to digital. No converter box needed.

P.S. I hate cable too...direct tv is heaven.

Yes you can walk in and buy a flat panel and probably hook it up the same way. Just ask the guy at the store if you need to hook up any differently if the connection have changed.

And yes if its and HD TV and you dont have HD service everything wil be the same. HD service just means you would get even more channels and have multiples of thinsg like you would have an ABC regular channel and an ABC HD channel. Without HD services those HD channels will just show up blank.

We have HD on one TV and not the other in our house.

Although Mel I am not sure how you live without a DVR. They are fab!