Tv Buying Guide – Which One to Choose?
If your seeing into buying a new Tv, chances are your tossing up in the middle of a estimate of separate options. There are a estimate of separate things to consider, and this buying guide is designed to help you wade straight through all the decisions that should be made. The following are the key questions that will be answered as you read on:
1. How big should I go?
Hdtv
2. Plasma, Lcd, Led… What type of Tv should I buy?
3. What do all these features and specifications positively mean?
4. What connections do I need to look for?
5. What is digital Tv and how will “Freeview” impact upon the Tv I buy?
It is leading to remember though that being a guide, many of the statements in here are based on understanding and do not necessarily laid out facts. At the end of the day, the decision is a personal one and preferences will very from man to person.
1. How Big Should I Go?
The first thing to consider is your budget. It goes without say that the larger the Tv, the more high-priced it is likely to be, at least when compared to a Tv of the same features and quality. Allocation will therefore have a large impact on the size of Tv that you can look to purchase. Having said that, there are other things to conider.
A major notice should be the size of the room in which you will be putting the Tv. Even more specifically, how far from the screen will you be when watching the Tv? As a general rule, the viewing length should be at least twice that of the diagonal size of the screen. For example, if you will be sitting 2 metres from the screen, a 40-46? Tv is the size for you. A Tv 50? and bigger would be standard for those sitting 2.5 metres from the screen.
2. Plasma, Lcd, Led… What Type of Tv Should I Consider?
We’ve broken this section into 3 easy to read and understand sections, with explanations as well as the pros and cons of each type of big screen Tv. We’ve little the descriptions to the 3 mainstream, beloved types of Tv. If you would like us to add a section about projectors, Crt or any other type pf screen, let us know and we’ll happily work on it for you.
A. Plasma
Plasma screens consist of a series of very small gaseous cells, called sub-pixels, which produce ultraviolet light when electricity is applied. These cells are bunded in groups of three, with each cell in a group being red, blue or green. These groups of three are called pixels. The separate coloured cells glow differently depending on the signal they receive. The large estimate of pixels, combined with the particularly small size, is what allows a plasma screen to produce such a clear picture.
For:
* ordinarily very good photograph quality
* considering their size, they are relatively very thin.
* They won’t distort at the edges due to the flat screen
* Assuming you take care of it, the screen’s radiance will remain consistent throughout it’s life.
* It is ordinarily inherent to wall mount them
* The 16:9 aspect ratio coarse to the format is well grand to both Dvds or Blurays and digital Tv broadcasts.
* A plasma screen is unaffected by strong magnetic fields, like those you can find in some grand speakers.
* The clarity of foresight is not adversely affected by large screen sizes.
* Plasma screens are known to have the sharpest display of the colour black, possibly the most leading color when viewing a Tv.
* They can accept a wide range of input signals, along with most Tv signals (Pal, Ntsc and Secam) and have a estimate of input types, such as standard Rca jacks, S-video, component video and increasingly Hdmi. Also, most will accept yield from a computer via Rgb inputs.
Against:
* Servicing them down the track can be problematic, and will ordinarily be high-priced if inherent at all. Extended warranties are recommended.
* Difficult to find in small-medium sizes. The majority of models start at 40? and growth from there.
* Plasma screens can be effected by “burn-in” which can happen when one constant image is left on the screen for a long time. This may happen, for example, if a Dvd menu is left on for too long.
* Some Plasma screens are only a display without any Tv tuner. In this instance you will need to buy a set-top box or Pvr in order to watch Tv.
* Compared to other types of Tvs in comparable sizes, Plasma screens are quite heavy. Be aware of this before setting one up or trying to move it. You may need a hand.
* Each pixel has to be lit individually so the screen as a whole uses far more power, production them more high-priced to run and worse for the environment.
* Due to their capacity to produce more heat than other screen types, Plasma’s will often have a fan in them to keep them from overheating. ordinarily they are very quiet, but they can be a little distracting without sound. This particularly so in older models.
Recommendation:
* Panasonic G10 Full Hd Plasma, available in three sizes; 42 inches, 46 inches and 50 inches. The top of the range plasma from the best plasma makers. Panasonic’s G10 plasma won the recently awarded Editor’s option Award from Cnet, which is a big deal in this industry. Sufficient said.
Value choice:
* Panasonic X10 Plasma range, available in 42 or 50 inches. Panasonic are the best at production plasmas and this one represents excellent value for your hard earned.
B. Lcd (Liquid Crystal Display)
Lcd Screens are effectively made up of two sheets of glass with an thin layer of liquefied crystal cells squeezed in the middle of them. These cells act as flaps which allow varying amounts of backlight straight through them when an galvanic current is applied. Backlight is provided by fluorescent light tubes. These cells are filtered with whether Red, Green or Blue colouring to allow the screen to display the literal, image as required. Lcd screens are the most widely produced Tvs on the shop today.
For:
* Lcd technology has industrialized a long way due to their wide range of applications. Lcds are common-place in Tvs, computer screens and transportable media players.
* Lcd Televisions are available in a great range of sizes, starting at 22 inches and going right up to 55 inches.
* The radiance of Lcd Tvs make them standard even in rooms that have a lot of light.
* The photograph capability is extremely good on an Lcd Tv, particularly on high definition units with the capacity to show higher resolutions.
* Lcds are very thin, allowing for relatively easy wall mounting.
* The Lcd Tv shop in Australia, and positively elsewhere, is extremely competitive. This means there are fullness of options available and ensures that prices continue to fall.
* economy to run and great for the environment as the consume less power.
Against:
* Blacks are not as sharp on Lcds as they are in other Tv types.
* Fast motion can leave a blurry trail on some Lcds. This question has largely been fixed now though and is more an issue in older model Lcds.
* Lcd pixels are known to get stuck on a given display from time to time. This is referred to as a “dead pixel”. Whilst a single dead pixel will not be visible from a quarterly viewing distance, a clump of them together in one area would be very annoying. This is generally covered by warranty. As such it is without fail worth considering an extended warranty when purchasing your Tv.
Recommendation:
Samsung Series 7 200Hz Lcd Tv, available in 40, 46 and 52 inch sizes. This is the most high-priced of the Samsung Lcd family, but the added price is worth it. Full network and Usb connectivity combined with astounding photograph capability and a remarkable develop makes it unbeatable. The only question is Samsung are discontinuing them in favour of their Led range, which is production them increasingly difficult to get ahold of.
Value Choice:
Anything branded Hisense is the best value choice. The capability of the photograph is very good for their price, and the build is solid. So much so in fact that Hisense throw their we
C. Led (Light Emitting Diode)
Led Screen Tvs control in much the same way as Lcd Screens. They have the same Liquid Crystal sandwiched in in the middle of two sheets of glass. The crystal behaves in the same way, allowing varying levels of light straight through each of the coloured sub-pixels. The divergence is that the backlighting used in an Led Tv comes from grand Light Emitting Diodes (Leds). This allows the lights to be more widely dispersed, enabling for the ultra slim designs coarse in most of the Led Tvs today.
For:
* Sharp photograph resolution, particularly in the higher end models.
* Ultra slim develop for easy wall mounting.
* Same levels of radiance as in Lcds, production them standard for high lighting situations.
* Top end models have astounding connectivity options, along with built in network streaming, internet connectivity and Usb ports.
Against:
* Still relatively expensive.
* Blacks are not as sharp as on other Tv types.
* As they control in the same way as Lcds, pixels are liable to get “stuck”, which will not impact viewing in isolated cases, but may do so if you have a few stuck pixels clumped together.
Recommendation:
Samsung Series 8 Full Hd Led, available in 46 and 55 inch models. Whilst the price is still quite prohibitive, the array of features set it apart from it’s competition. This is the top of the range model from Samsung, the leaders in Lcd and Led production. Honorary mention goes out to the Lg 90Qd Borderless Led range – purely for levels of cool. It’s frame has no borders!
Value Choice:
See Lcd advice above. Led and value don’t positively go hand in hand at this point in time.
3. What do all these features and specifications positively mean?
In order to understand all things there is to know about a Tvs features and specifications, you’d need some sort of diploma. The following pages are meant as an introduction. They will hopefully give you a uncostly appreciation of what is leading to look for when buying your new Tv.
Screen Size – ordinarily given in inches, and often converted over to centimetres, a television’s screen size is positively a diagonal estimation of the size of the actual screen. It is leading to remember that if you need your Tv to fit into a confined space, the screen size is separate to the size of the Tv along with the frame. The total dimensions of a unit are ordinarily listed in that model’s specifications.
Contrast Ratio – A divergence ratio is a portion of a screens capability to say levels of information in particularly interesting or dark parts of the screen. generally it is understood that Plasma screens have great divergence ratios than Lcd panels because plasmas can fully deactivate the light source in partiular areas of the screen, whilst Lcds just cover it up. This means that whole sections of the screen can be dark whilst other parts display interesting colours at the same time. In terms of what to look for – the higher the better. Many new model Tvs quote extremely high divergence ratios of 1,000,000:1 or more. These are mean that the divergence ratio is dynamic and should not always be taken at face value.
Colour Saturation – A determinant of how vibrant the colours are when they are displayed on screen. Good colour saturation will enable a Tv to accurately display even the most subtle changes in colour so that the human eye can distinguish in the middle of them.
Viewing Angle – The quoted angle on which the Tv can be viewed whilst still seeing a ‘perfect’ image. Once again, the higher the great for viewing angle as it means it can be viewed from more parts of the room. It is leading to note that most manufacturers quote overly high viewing angles, approaching a full 180 degrees. This is a theoretical portion only as it is impossible to see a excellent photograph at such angles. What you do see will be ‘perfect’, it’s just that you won’t see all of it. Leds generally have classic viewing angles as their backlighting is not centrally located in the Tv panel, but rather evenly distributed nearby the sides.
Response Time – This leading specification represents the estimate of time it takes for one pixel to go from ‘active’ (black) to ‘inactive’ (white) and back to black again. It’s quite similar to a camera’s shutter speed. What it positively measures is the speed at which an Lcd panel’s crystals ‘twist’ to block and/or allow light to pass. It is measured in milliseconds (ms) with a lower estimate meaning faster convert in the middle of active and inactive pixels and resulting in less image blur, particularly in faster interesting images. The lower the response time the better.
Smooth photograph motion – A portion of the screen’s capability to speedily refresh, measured in hertz (Hz) – frames per second. This reduces an ensue called ‘ghosting’, whereby an image seems to trail behind, ordinarily in fast motion pictures like sport and operation movies. Most newer model televsions avoid this ghosting issue. Top of the range Lcd screens are available up to 200Hz, whilst Plasmas are available up to 600Hz. This does not mean a Plasma is three times great in this area, rather it is because Plasma’s display ‘sub-frames’, which means more frames per second will be counted.
Resolution – Since the coming of Hdtv (High-def Tv), resolution has become all the rage. It is what controls the crispness and level of information which is displayed. Full high definition is a resolution of 1920 x 1080, with ‘1080i’ being the top level of digital Tv broadcast whereas ‘1080p’ is the top level of television output. The suspect is is good to get a 1080p capable Tv is because many digital media players and Bluray players display 1080p high definition.
4. What connections do I need to look for?
There are many separate types of connections in use in today’s televisions. Some of them are more leading than others. There is two types of screens available, display monitors and Tvs. The divergence is that televisions have inbuilt tuners whilst display monitors do not. Many of the inputs on both Tvs and quarterly display screens are the same. Some of the more coarse and leading connection points, as far as Tvs are concerned, are listed below, along with a brief report of what it is they are for.
Hdmi – Hdmi stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface. In terms of the widely used cables, an Hdmi is the most practical high capability cable available today. That is why it’s so popular. It is leading that you Tv has Hdmi inputs as most modern Dvd players, Bluray players, Digital Media Players, Gaming consoles and even computers and video cameras transmit both audio and video signals via this cable. It is a high definition input, capable of producing the best photograph capability on your Tv. The more Hdmi inputs a Tv has, the better, as it will allow for media player, bluray player, pay-tv and other video sources to be directly plugged in together. Of course, if your Tv only has 1 Hdmi input, that’s Ok too as it is easy to get an Hdmi splitter these days.
Composite – A partcularly old form of cabling, composite cables are analog signal tramsitters, made up of three separate heads, A Yellow one for video, and then Red and White ones for right and left audio respectively. Older Tv sets relied on these cables to relay signals from Vcrs, Dvd Players, Gaming consoles, Camcorders and other video sources to the screen. Most new Tvs still combine these inputs in recognition of the estimate of older products still relying on them to send their output. All modern Tvs however also have Hdmi inputs (see above), for higher capability signal transmission.
Component – Also known as YpbPr, component inputs allow for a higher resolution signal to be tramsitted compared to Composite cables. The video signal within Component cabling is transmitted via the Red, Green and Blue headed cables. Component is an analog form of video, which still allows for high definition viewing, generally up to 1080 interlaced resolution (1080i). Component audio is also still an analog signal, transmitted via the same audio inputs used in composite transmission.
S-Video – Yet another form of analog cabling, S-Video cables and their respective inputs are not widely used in modern home entertainment equipment, even though many of the major Tvs and external video sources still supply S-Video inputs. Like Composite and Component, Hdmi has largely usurped S-Video cabling, the inputs still being available for citizen wishing to associate older devices.
Usb Input – A Usb input will allow you to plug in just about any expedient which is Usb connected. This includes Hd Video Cameras, Digital Cameras, Usb Flash Keys and Usb Hard Drives. Such Tvs generally have some capability to play back multimedia directly straight through the Tv, without needing a computer nearby. For example, the Samsung Series 7 Lcd Tv, our recommended Lcd model, allows viewers to plug in a Usb expedient and playback a whole slide show of photos. This is a positively good feature to have and will only become more beneficial as time goes by and multimedia is integrated added into our living room.
Ethernet Port – Some of the higher end Tvs have an ethernet port which allows you to associate your Tv to a home (or other) network. This may seem unnecessary, but in actual fact it is quite a great feature to have on your Tv. It effectively turns your Tv into a fully functional Network Media Player, capable of streaming a range of multimedia article which may be stored on a computer elsewhere in the house. In addition, many of these newer, high-end Tvs have at least some capacity to associate to the internet. An example of this is the Series 8 Led from Samsung, which allows you to view Youtube article from the comfort of your living room.
5. What is digital Tv and how will “Freeview” impact upon the Tv I buy?
Without going into too much detail, digital Tv is quite naturally a new, improved means of delivering a television signal. Currently, Australian Tv is broadcast using both digital and analog signals. The benefit of digital Tv is that most viewers will enjoy greatly improved photograph and sound quality. The broadcast is also set to be more consistent, meaning less signal dropouts for the majority of people.
Over the next few years, starting in 2010 and to be completed by 2013, the analog signals will be gradually phased out over Australia. This phasing out will ensue separate regions at separate times while this period. To see the Governments official regional timeframe map for when analog broadcasts will be switched off in your area, click here.
With the new, higher quality, digital signals comes an increased estimate of channels. This improved channel container has been labelled “Freeview”. The term Freeview is positively a brand name given to the group of free-to-air channels, representing a group marketing exertion to compete with PayTv, and Foxtel in particular. Freeview will growth the freely available channels to 15, with each of the major networks controlling 3 isolate digital channels.
This digital switchover will require one of two courses of actions; buy a digital set-top box or Personal Video Recorder which can be added to your older analog Tv to pick up the digital signal, or buy a brand new Tv with a digital tuner already integrated into it. Naturally, the cost of this upgrade varies depending on your preferences. It is inherent to pick up an entry level digital set-top box for nearby 0. At the other end of the scale, a high-end digital ready television can cost as much as 00 or more. There is of procedure an array of options in in the middle of these two extremes, too many in fact to go straight through here. To examine these options more extensively, whether browse our stock range or feel one of our staff members who will be able to help you straight through any questions you may have.
Tv Buying Guide – Which One to Choose?
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