HDTV sets are here to stay. With prices anywhere from a couple hundred dollars up into the tens of thousands, it’s important to do your research and find an unbiased review. Even though the salesman at your local best buy store is probably a good guy, you can often find some great HDTV deals online as well if you know what to look for. You want to know things like the type of HDTV you need, which resolution you want, what inputs the TV has, the right viewing angle, and the best contrast ratio to get. If all that confuses you don’t let it. I’m here to help make sense of all the tech jargon and find the right TV for you.
Most likely you’re a digital cable TV or satellite subscriber. Either way, the first thing you want to do is find out what kind of HD channel lineup your provider offers. Most major digital cable service providers like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, and Cox have great high definition channel packages with some great specials and discounts for new customers. Dish Network and DirecTV have the satellite picture covered with equally strong HD tiers. Your cable and satellite provider should have nearly every HD channel currently broadcast available, but make sure just in case before you purchase a new HDTV.
When you finally have your high definition channels lined out from your satellite or cable TV provider you will want to decide on whether you want an LED, LCD, Plasma or projection screen television. The rear projection type television is the oldest technology available that also has high definition. As a rule, you will probably want to stay away from rear projection as the resolution, contrast ratio and viewing angle is below current technology standards. However if you are working on a very strict budget, a rear projection is an easy way to experience high def to some degree. For those who have a little more leeway in the finance department the LCD is a good option in HDTV sets. The range of LCD HDTV’s is wide but if you want a very good picture, you will want to go with 1080p, or true HD television, and avoid 720p. This designation refers directly to your screen resolution and therefore picture quality. You will find some sets that support 1080i and though it is better than 720p, it is still not the best. The “i” refers to interlaced resolution and the problem is it is not as clear or smooth as the 1080p progressive scan units are. Again, this can come down to a financial determination; if the money is right, a 1080i is not a bad idea. Plasma was the crme de le crme of the HDTV market for some time. They were the first televisions that made people sit up and pay attention to the idea of high def. When these sets were first released they were priced quite high, however over time and thanks to competition, the prices have come way down. The LCD and plasma both have their supporters and for the most part, it will come down to personal choice. The latest technology on the block when it comes to HDTV is LED. An LED television actually uses the LCD platform but uses LED lighting. This reduces energy consumption and boosts color range and contrast ratio. These televisions are still quite expensive and are targeted at those who are interested in keeping up with all the latest gadgets. To date an LED offers the best picture quality and slimmest design you can purchase.
After you’ve decided which HDTV format is right for you it’s time to look at the small features and make sure the television you’re thinking about purchasing has what you need. Make sure the HDTV’s you’re looking at has all the connections you want. These include audio and video input/outputs and PC connections. Next, read the fine print for the maximum view angle. This is how far you can stand to the side of a TV and still see a clear picture. The bigger the viewing angle the better the HDTV and the more places in your living room you can enjoy the picture besides directly in front of it. Last but not least, take a look at the HDTV’s contrast ratio. This is a measure of how dark the dark colors are and how bright the light colors are. Ideally you want a high contrast ratio, but because each manufacturer may use a different method for calculating the ratio you usually have to decide for yourself by looking at the picture. Stay away from screens that produce blacks that appear gray or whites that are dull and lack “pop”.
Even with all the confusing marketing hype the bottom line is HDTV is amazing. Prices have come down greatly over the past couple of years and today you can get a huge TV and easily stay under the $1500 mark. But if you don’t know what to look for you can get burned with a low resolution picture with washed out colors. I hope my article has helped you know exactly what to look for when you head online or to the electronics store for a new TV. When you get the right HDTV it will revolutionize how you watch television forever.
Anna Sussman presents consumers with Time Warner Cable TV reviews and deals. If you’re thinking about purchasing digital cable services check out Anna’s articles first.
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