Buying The Right HDTV For You

High definition televisions are definitely here to stay. When you consider that the price of a new HDTV set can run you anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand it is important to have good research available. You want an unbiased review of the product on which to base your decision. The local best buy store probably has friendly staff and all around good people, however if you know what to look for you can get an awesome deal online. Choosing an HDTV is not as simple as purchasing the one that looks nice and is the right size for your home – the number and type of inputs is important as well as other things. Some of the information you want will include contrast ratio, viewing angles, resolution and what type of television it is. If this sounds Greek to you, do not worry that is what this article is for, to educate you on the jargon so that you can choose the perfect HDTV set.

In most areas of the country, people will have digital cable or a satellite television provider. As a general rule both of these offer HD channel lineups, and you will want to check with them about the programming. There are several major digital cable companies including Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable and Charter that carry most if not all of the HD programming channels. From the satellite side you have a choice of Dish Network or DirecTV and they offer several high definition options. Generally speaking, your cable or satellite television provider will offer you most if not all of the HD channels currently on the market; however it is a good idea to check with your company just to be certain, particularly if you are considering an HDTV purchase.

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.

When you have gone through the options in HDTV sets above it is time to look at the features that make the television perfect for your home. The first feature you will want to look at is the connections. Be sure the set you are considering has the connection types you want and need. These will likely include PC connections, HDMI, audio and video ins/outs and perhaps an S video connection. Next is the viewing angles, you may have to look closely at the description for this information. This refers to how well you can see the set at specific side angles while maintaining clear picture. Basically, more is better, the further you can sit or stand to the side and still see the better. This gives you more options on living room arrangements. Finally, look into the HDTV sets contrast ratio. This is a measurement of the difference between the blackest black and the whitest white, again this is a time when you want bigger numbers, some sets have contrast ratios that are a million to one, which is awesome. The problem is each manufacturer may use a different technique for arriving at these numbers so you will also want to see the sets side by side before making a final decision. If the screen produces dull or lackluster whites and grayed out blacks, steer clear.

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 delves into the complicated world of cable providers to find the offers that deliver the biggest savings for consumers. Anna looks for the lowest Time Warner digital cable rates and discounts on Time Warner bundled services.