With prices on high-definition television (HDTV) sets down sharply from last year, this may be a great time to buy. Here are some strategies to help you get the best deal:

¢ Use shopping bots. Many Internet shopping sites are one-stop shops where you can check prices for specific TVs at hundreds of retailers. Some sites to consider include BizRate (and its affiliate, Shopzilla), Buy.com, Froogle, MySimon, PriceGrabber, Shopping.com (and affiliate DealTime) and Yahoo.

¢ Set price alerts. Indicate your target price or range for a model, and the bot will e-mail you when it finds a store selling at that price.

¢ Try negotiating. You might be able to talk your way to a better price, especially for higher-priced TVs. Try to get a break on installation or delivery costs, or ask for free component-video or HDMI (bundled video and audio) cables.

¢ Shop where you’ll get a price guarantee. Many retailers will match or beat a lower price from a local competitor, so go to the store with those prices in hand. Even after the sale, some stores promise a refund if they reduce the price of your TV within 30 days or if you find the set selling elsewhere for less.

¢ Skip the warranty. It’s not worth the money to buy an extended warranty for an LCD or plasma TV. Both types have had a very low rate of repairs for the first two years of use, and most repairs cost less than $200. A warranty often costs just as much, if not more. You might want to consider a warranty for a rear-projection microdisplay, though. Those have needed repairs about three times as often as flat-panel TVs. Some incidents have been related to replacing bulbs. A bulb costs about $200 to $350 and is fairly easy to replace on your own.