Buying a TV involves many choices, some of which may be new to you. This TV buying guide organizes the process into clear, logical steps that will help you make a smart decision.
The most exciting part of helping my friends and associates with an investment in a new TV is that increasingly it is hard to go wrong. Before I can dole out any advice, I always need to ask some questions (like any good salesman should do) about their use, their rooms and their budgets. I always want people to go the route of a video projector when possible, but those arent always the best solution. While you will always get the biggest (and many times the best) picture, video projectors require dark rooms, often complicated installations, calibration and the additional cost of a screen. I do say video projectors are the gateway drug to a more serious home theater addiction. Once you hang even a modest projector, you will be jonesing for better electronics, cooler speakers and a bitchin new touch screen remote.
Plasma Versus LCD?
TV type
LCD, LED, and plasma TV sets look very similar on the outside, but they use different technologies, and the pictures have different characteristics. So-called LED sets are actually LCD TVs that use LEDs instead of fluorescent bulbs for backlighting the screen. When we refer to LCD TVs, that includes models using LED backlights. LCDs outsell plasmas by a wide margin, in part because plasma sets are available only in screen sizes 42 inches and larger. But don't automatically assume that LCDs are the way to go. It's worth considering plasmas as well, because each has different strengths, as we'll explain shortly. Many new LCD and plasma TVs can display 3D images as well as regular HD. Front projectors are a great choice for home theaters--the best choice for a truly big-screen at-home experience--but they're less practical for everyday use. Flat panels have largely pushed rear-projection and picture-tube TVs to the sidelines; few of those sets are now being introduced or stocked by retailers, so we no longer cover those categories.
Screen size
Small TVs Everywhere?
Budget and room size permitting, we believe most consumers would be best served by at least a 40- to 42-inch screen for a primary TV. A 46- or 50-inch set is often preferable in rooms where you'll be sitting 8 to 10 feet or so from the screen. Consider an even bigger set for spacious family rooms. You want the screen to be large enough that you can enjoy the impact of a large image and see the detail that makes HD look so lifelike. Just don't buy a jumbo screen and sit right on top of it: If you sit too close to a TV screen you might notice the picture elements (pixels) that make up the images, which can be distracting, especially with lower-quality content like you might get when streaming video. Screens of about 26 to 32 inches are good for casual viewing in bedrooms, and even smaller screen sizes suit kitchens and home offices.
What About All of the Numbers?
Resolution means the number of pixels, or picture elements, a screen contains. The first number indicates the number of pixels going across the screen from left to right; the second, the number of pixels from the top of the screen to the bottom. A 720p set displays 1024x768, 1280x720, or 1366x768 pixels. A set with 1080p resolution, sometimes advertised as "full HD," displays 1920x1080 pixels. The newest development: The first ultra-high-definition (UHD) models (all LCDs with LED backlighting) recently came on the market. These TVs display 3840x2160 pixels, which is usually described as "4K." That's four times as many pixels as 1080p displays, enabling UHD sets to present even finer detail. 3D-capable UHD sets, which use passive technology, can present full 1080p resolution to each eye, rather than reducing the vertical resolution by half, as 1080p passive-3D sets do. Most new LCD and plasma TVs with screens 40 inches and up have 1080p resolution. The first UHD models have very large screens, 84 inches, and cost $15,000 or more. Sets with 55- to 65-inch screens and lower prices are expected soon.
The larger the TV screen, the more you can appreciate fine detail. That's one reason the first UHD sets have such big screens. The fine detail of a 1080p screen is more noticeable on a 50-inch or larger TV, though you might see subtle improvements on a 40- to 47-inch screen, especially when viewed up close. In smaller sizes, the benefits of 1080p are less obvious. One exception: If you plan to use your TV as a computer display, 1080p resolution is a plus even on smaller screens. The higher resolution will let you see more text and graphics onscreen with greater clarity and finer detail than you would on a 720p set. (You might have to connect your computer to the TV with an HDMI input to take full advantage of the 1080p resolution and to avoid cutting off outer edges of the image--otherwise known as overscan.)
However, resolution alone doesn't determine picture quality. Factors such as brightness, contrast, and color also come into play. What you're watching matters too. To fully exploit the potential of a 1080p TV, you need top-quality high-def content. You can get that from a Blu-ray disc, which contains true 1080p content. A 1080p set will convert HD signal formats (720p and 1080i signals from your cable box, for instance) to match its native screen resolution. If the video quality of the programming is good and the TV does the job well, the picture can be outstanding. In fact, most 1080p HD sets can derive true 1080p performance from most film-based movies, even when the cable box outputs 1080i. But the quality of HD content varies considerably (especially from cable and streaming video), so it might not take full advantage of a 1080p display's resolution. The situation is a bit more complicated with UHD. Right now, there is no commercially available 4K content, either on disc or from broadcasters, though we expect that to change in the near future. The TVs will upconvert regular HD to UHD, with impressive results, especially from Blu-ray discs.
Other issues
HDMI is a new cable format that allows you to use one encrypted cable to connect your sources to your receiver (or AV preamp). HDMI eliminates several cables needed for HDTV like the feared component cable and replaces it with one that is far simpler and, many argue, more high-performance, since your HDTV signal stays digital the entire way from your sources to your TV set.
Once you're in a store or shopping online, you'll have to decide whether to buy an extended warranty, how much to spend on cables, how to get the best price, and more. Our shopping tips will make you a savvy consumer and help you to save money and avoid hassles. What you'll watch on your new TV is an issue that will affect your enjoyment of your set, so you might be thinking of upgrading your TV service or switching to a new provider. See what cable, satellite, and phone companies have to offer before making a decision.
About the Author
 |
Patrick Crawford For more information about which tv to buy please visit the website. |