What to Look for When Purchasing an HD TV
Plasma or LCD? Resolution or Refresh rate?
Technology has skyrocketed for these replacements for the standard analog TV, making trying to keep up with the Joneses comparable to the mid-1990s computer craze.
Shopping for an HDTV: Screens and Size
You’ll definitely want a flat screen panel TV. Those are the ones you can hang above your fireplace like a high tech, high def painting. Next decide if you want a LCD or Plasma. According to HD experts, LCD technically has a longer lifespan and is less affected by ambient light than a plasma screen, though a plasma TV displays colors slightly better. LCD TVs outsell plasma by a large margin.
Pitfalls When Buying HD
It is important to know whether the HD TV you have your eyes on has an integrated digital tuner or if it is simply HD ready or HD compatible. TVs with digital tuners included are ready to take advantage of the uber pixelage and clarity of HD signals right away while HD-ready TVs will need to be upgraded with a tuner at a later point.
Best Resolution for Your Preferences
Next decide on what kind of resolution you want. If you are going to watch mainly movies with awesome special effects like the new Transformers, then get 1080i. If you are a sports fan who religiously watches Monday Football and the NBA playoffs, you are better off with 720p. The two resolutions are comparable but 720p displays motion better while 1080i has slightly better clarity.
1080p and 120Hz: Latest and Greatest
The latest must-have features for HDTV buyers is 1080p. Better than both 1080i and 720p, this resolution promises crystal clear pictures. Only problem? Not much is broadcast in 1080p yet. A more practical hot feature is the 120Hz refresh rate. Until recently most HD TV s had a 60Hz refresh rate, but making sure to include 120Hz in your new HD TV will ensure that your friend’s eyes bulge extra wide when they see the picture.
Analog on HD
Lastly, yes, sometimes watching TV on your new HD television will actually look worse than on your old cathode ray set. This is due to low quality signal being literally blown up to magnify the defects. It’s as if you enlarged a blurry photograph on your TV. To avoid this pitfall, purchase your cable provider’s HD package and buy/rent only HD and blu-ray DVDs to feed to your new HD baby. Once the analog signal goes quiet for good in February of 2009, this won’t even be an issue.
Best Reviewed HDTV s in 2008
According to CNET.com, Panasonic and Samsung take the Hi Def cake for 2008. Here are their top 5 rated High Definition Televisions for 2008:
- Panasonic TH-50PZ800U
- Samsung LN52A650
- Samsung PN50A550
- Panasonic TH-46PZ85U
- Samsung LN46A750
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