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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

How to Choose an HDTV - Tips For Success

With all broadcasting switched over to digital, you might be wondering if it is time to replace your old TV. While I'm not one to tell you how to spend your money, I will say that now is a great time to buy since the technology is quite mature, and you can get a very good TV for your money. If you haven't been watching an HDTV so far, you might not realize what you are missing. However, once you get one in your house, you will be shocked at the color and the clarity.

So, what should you be looking for when shopping for a new TV? Well, the first thing you want to get straightened out is your budget. Figure out how much you want to spend before going to the store so you don't wind up making an impulse purchase that you really can't afford. With this budget in mind, you can start seeing what TVs you can afford. You will quickly notice that a certain price will often correspond to a certain size of TV. If this size seems big enough for your room, you can continue shopping. However, if you can only afford very small TVs, it might be best to keep saving.

Once you have the size issue sorted out, it's time to look at features. One big issue you may encounter quickly on the larger end of the price spectrum is whether you should get an LCD or a plasma TV. This issue could (and does) fill it's own article, but let me just breakdown the basic pros and cons of each here:

LCD Pros:

  • High resolution at small sizes
  • Energy efficient
  • Lightweight

LCD Cons:

  • Smaller for same cost as plasma
  • Response time can be an issue with some models

Plasma Pros:

  • Good response time
  • Larger size for money

Plasma Cons:

  • Fragile
  • Use lot of power
  • Burn in can be an issue

Be sure to research this issue more thoroughly and decide which technology is for you.

Once you have all that sorted out, it's down to smaller features. Rather than try to cover all of these, I'm going to go ahead and tell you to just go to the store and look at the TVs. Make sure they are running an HD signal. Compare the models in your price range, and see which one you like the look of best. Consider other issues like sound and interface, but focus primarily image quality.

Once you have made a decision, take you TV home, hook it up to the HD source of your choice, and enjoy!

If you're looking to learn more about buying HDTVs, you've come to the right place. Our site covers 32" LCD TVs, with articles, reviews, and more. Stop on by and find the TV of your dreams.

By David C Wilson


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