Buying Guide: Televisions

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Televisions Buying Guide

Buying a new flat screen TV can be a daunting task, especially with all the talk of High Definition, LCD, LED, plasma and 1080p. We look at important factors to consider when buying a digital television and explained them in simple terms.

What Size Television Should I Get?

The first thing to consider is the space where your television will sit: is it an entertainment unit or will it be wall-mounted?

Measure the space to see which TV sizes will fit, remembering that televisions are measured diagonally across the screen.Larger screens have more visual impact. It's important to match screen size with the distance between the flat screen and the viewer (viewing distance).

 

What Will My New Television Connect To?

Most gaming consoles and Blu-ray players require HDMI ports. Other connections include:

  • Ethernet ports: Internet – YouTube and msn
  • USB ports: Digital cameras and video cameras
  • VGA: Computers

 

How Do I Ensure Good Picture Quality?

Choosing an integrated HD tuner delivers High Definition content and the screen quality determines how well that content will be displayed; full HD is the best quality.

Resolution

Horizontal Pixels

Vertical Pixels

Total Pixels

1080p

1,920

1,080

2,073,600

1080i

1,920

1,080

2,073,600

720p

1,280

720

921,600

576p

852

576

490,752

  • Screen resolution is the number of horizontal and vertical pixels. The more pixels per square inch, the higher the resolution.

 

What's The Difference Between 1080i And 1080p?

The "p" in 1080p stands for "progressive" scan, while the "i" in 1080i stands for "interlaced" scan. Progressive scan displays an image by scanning each horizontal row of pixels, where interlaced scan displays an image by scanning only every second line of pixels. This "progressive" scan of 1080p from an HDTV results in a better picture.

 

What Is Smooth Picture Motion?

Smooth picture motion (transition) relies on a television's ability to refresh the screen quickly, which is measured in hertz (Hz) – frames per second. This reduces ghosting effects often seen when watching fast-moving images, such as sports and action movies.

  • A 200Hz LCD television will produce four times the picture frames of a 50Hz television.
  • Plasma TVs show lots of sub-frames (fractions of the whole image) to create an image; 600Hz will produce the smoothest image transition.

 

What Are The Differences Between Plasma, LCD And LCD-LED?

Plasma: Plasma TVs create an image by using electrodes to charge gas, which is contained within tiny cells that are sandwiched between two glass plates. The benefits of plasma include:

  • Higher contrast levels than an equivalent LCD TV, which means more vibrant, true-to-life colours.
  • A range of sizes, from 42-inch to 100-inch.
  • Wider viewing angles – better picture quality when sitting to the side of the TV.

LCD: LCD (liquid crystal display) screens are made up of electrically-charged liquid crystals that refract light from fluorescent tubes behind them. Colours are created by varying the electrical current to each of these crystals. The benefits of LCD include:

  • Generally weigh less than plasmas, making them more portable.
  • More energy efficient than plasmas.
  • Higher "native resolution" — more pixels on a screen.
  • A range of sizes between 15-inch and 55-inch.
  • Generally have lower contrast levels

LED-LCD: The latest generation of LCD screens uses LEDs to light the image, instead of fluorescent tubes. The benefits of LED-LCD include:

  • Slim-line design – less than 3cm thick.
  • Lighter than both plasma and LCD.
  • Images are comparable to plasma in both contrast and brightness.
  • The most energy efficient TVs available.

 

Which TV Best Suits Me? 

Movies and Sport: A big screen with brilliant images will increase the viewing experience:

  • Size: Aim for the largest screen that fits your space, to increase visual impact.
  • Picture: 1080p resolution for the best Blu-ray playback, 200Hz (or 600Hz in plasma) for fast moving scenes.
  • Surround sound: 5.1 channel Dolby Surround Sound for cinema-quality sound.

For the Bedroom: Mount the TV on the wall to save space:

  • Size: An LED LCD is thinner, perfect for wall mounting.
  • Picture: Choose 1080p, to make the most of Blu-ray.
  • Connections: Look for an HDMI port, for Blu-ray players.

Gaming: Gamers should make sure their new television produces fast, flowing images:

  • Size: An LED-LCD will be lighter and more portable.
  • Picture: 1080p resolution and 200Hz LED-LCD is best.
  • Connections: Make sure the TV has enough of the right ports for all of your consoles and other devices, like laptops and digital cameras.