We Are Pissed-Off! We Have Liftoff!

As of this morning, the new TV works on all broadcast channels, and, every bit as important, our old DVD‑VCR works and plays through the TV. This was our minimum goal; we can live without the two missing features for a while: a working connection to the wireless headphones (though they work fine plugged into a stereo we already had) and the ability to record video from the air. I am greatly relieved, and as suggested in the post subject, I believe our frames of mind will be greatly improved.

Samsung 39" DTV

Regarding the optical digital adapter for the wireless headphones: Best Buy, where we bought the headphones, does not carry it; BB online carries it but has been out of stock for a long time, Radio Shack carries one like it but is out of stock, and even the manufacturer cannot sell one to us. I consider it fraud on BB's part to have sold us those headphones for use with that TV, never even mentioning the need for an adapter, but IANAL, and I am in too good a mood to fret about it.