TVMeasure where you will be watching.
It is important that the set you buy will fit into the space where you want to say it, and that it is visible from where you will sit. So it makes sense to measure the space where it will take. You should measure the width, height and depth of spa
ce, so you can choose a set that will sit comfortably in this room, with adequate ventilation and edge space for installation and cleaning. You should also measure the distance to your cable socket if you have an external antenna, making sure to allow sufficient space for rear panel audio and video cable connections so they can be easily connected and disconnected.
Getting the right size screen is a balance between the dimensions of space and your viewing habits, and your choice of technology. A conventional television has a screen aspect ration of 4:3, (that is, the dimensions are four units wide by three units high), and its size is given as a diagonal measure across the screen. The most comfortable viewing area for a regular TV is to be a distance from the screen, there are three to six times a given size. For example, a 48cm regular tv is best viewed further away than 116 cm and closer than 232 cm.
Watching high-definition DVD and digital TV on a widescreen display, however, contains much sharper pictures than regular sets, and it means you can sit closer and experience a more immersive, theater-like picture. With a widescreen TV, you can sit as close as 1.5 times the screen diagonal measurement and not notice any loss in quality. Sitting farther away than three times the screen however, mean that you will miss the rousing 'theater' feel, although image-wise, the sharper pictures will be clearer from a greater distance. Conversely, what this means is that for the same given room space, you can install a significantly larger TV if it is widescreen. So in today's market you are faced with a major determining factor:
Regular TV or widescreen display
While the ordinary TV dimensions are 4:3 (see above), a wide-screen that has an aspect ratio of 16:9 (16 units wide, 9 units high) and it is the same shape as many cinema screens and movies. Wide-screen sets are more expensive per square cm screen than standard TVs, and more regular TV is monitored than DVDs and movies, so 4:3 sets continue to be a popular choice. However standards a re changing rapidly and almost all digital, flat front and rear projection TVs are widescreen. While TV stations often send many movies in digital / wide screen, a large proportion of station-produced content is in regular format, but this is changing. So it makes some sense to seriously consider widescreen.
Regardless, there is some compromise to consider because one rectangle does not fit exactly into one another. Wide-screen program shown on a standard TV have black bars, known as letterbox bars above and below the wide-screen image. The alternative to this is to sacrifice some of the image on each edge of the screen and get the full depth of the image. When you see a program formatted for regular tv on a widescreen TV, black bars, known as windowbox bars are shown on each side of the picture. An alternative to this is to lose some image top and bottom of the screen.
But one of the features of a widescreen TV, is the ability to stretch, crop or zoom the regular 4:3 image so it fills the entire screen, ultimately distorting the image or losing some of its content.
Picture quality, sound quality, connectivity
Using an online shopping comparison such Myshopping.com.au not give you the personal feel of looking at the television in the showroom floor. But once you have narrowed your selection by size and manufacturer's specification, it is worthwhile looking at some sets so you can judge picture quality for yourself.
So what makes a good picture? One of the first considerations is contrast: In order to have clear sharp and clear images, the screen itself must be dark. Screens, there are two "green" or "gray" will not produce high definition. Do this with any surrounding televisions turned off and an even light in the room.
Another consideration is the flatness of the picture tube. If you're looking at an LCD or plasma display, this is already flat, but with tube technology, flatter tubes result in less glare from windows and lamps, and less shape distortion. A flat tube screen will give you a better experience.
If a TV has a comb filter, the decision will be limited to about half of the full potential of a DVD. While comb filters affect only composite-video or RF connections, sets with a comb filter can usually provide all of the resolution of DVD and will not have distracting 'Rainbow' images where highly contrasting colors are coincident. Comb filters include glass, digital, and 3DY, and different types provide different levels of quality, but ultimately, it is better to have one than not.
Digital and High Definition TV means that the possibility of a TV to display a progressive scan image are also factors that affect image quality. A progressive scan image is a function of digital broadcasting and DVD imaging with a more film-like it looks than normal video.
For optimal television programs, you should consider the quality of the sound also. It is now quite common for people to integrate television and hi-fi equipment to a more complete home entertainment system which provides a more dynamic home theater experience. Digital and High Definition TV and DVD, the sound quality similar to CDs, so it makes sense that the audio connection lets you connect to surround sound or other hi quality sound systems. It is worth checking to see that TV has at least one set of stereo audio inputs and a set of stereo audio output and video input and output jacks. On the input side, check for RCA-composite, S-video and component video inputs. You can often find an extra set of audio and video inputs and / or outputs on the front or side of the TV with a good location for more temporary connections, such as game consoles, Web TV or video camera equipment. It can be very annoying if you restricted to only connections on the back of the appliance, or only one set of inputs and outputs, which can often mean unplugging and reconnecting permanently installed equipment.
If you wish to use a set-top digital receiver, make sure the TV has the right connections and that they are compatible with the receiver equipment. Ideally such connections should be made with Fire Wire, DVI-D with HDCP or HDMI connection.
Plasma or LCD
While there are still quality CRT televisions (tube style) being manufactured, the current TV technology is being pursued by manufacturers is Plasma High Definition or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The main advantages these two technologies offer includes the smaller space taken up (mostly in depth) for a bigger picture, less heat (and therefore less consumption of power) generated for a larger image and appearance of compactness through digital technology. But what's the difference?
In Plasma TV over one million small glass cells are charged with a mixture of neon and xenon, behind which are colored phosphor that emits light when energized. Each cell has a red, blue and green phosphor. When Plasma cells are charged, they emit invisible UV light. which creates a red, green and blue phosphor on the back of the screen, which creates the pixels that form the image you see on screen. LCD is a suspended liquid between two transparent panels that, when activated by voltage, re-position themselves so they either allowing light to pass through the panel and or block the light, a similar process to turn on and off millions of light bulbs. The light source is provided by fluorescent tubes behind the panels. Both on and off crystals create visible pixels composing the image on the screen.
Many independent reviewers believe that the manufacturer's specifications of Plasma tv is not accurately portrayed. LCD seems to be both brighter and offer more contrast, whereas Plasma appears to have higher color definition, superior angles and faster response time for crisper screen movement. Plasma uses more power than LCD, but may give a more theater-like experience.
Remote Controllers and Accessories
All TV sets come with remote controls. Some come with what is called Universal Remote Control, a remote that can control all your media hardware. The remote control should be easy to use and it will deal with all the TV's features. Many appliances are not functioning controls on the TV itself, which can cause problems if the remote control is lost. Also, not every universal remote can control everything. Most are preprogrammed with a set list of codes, and if the codes do not match your older or off-brand gear, then you're out of luck. A few are learning models that can accept the IR codes from your other remotes, and thus verify any tools.
A number of other functions may be taken into account when considering your tv purchase. These may include picture-in-picture (PIP) or picture-outside-picture (POP), commercial skip timers, channel blocking (called V-chip), and tuner extras to make channel selection and switching easier. Optional accessories you might need to include extra cables, a good surge protector and a tripod. The service may also be a consideration, and in some cases, an extended warranty or service package may be a good investment.
