Today it is virtually impossible to find a new non-flat television in store, and that for several good reasons; old televisions are both bulky and technically crippled in comparison to todays sleek flat screen incarnation. But what do you need to think about before buying your first (or second, or third...) flat screen TV?
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Constantly changing technology, but don’t wait for the next model
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As the technology is constantly improving, the price of this week’s latest model is bound to fall shortly. If you pay £1200 today, expect the same model to be on sale in a few months for a lot less. If you can hold out for a while, you will usually be able to pick up the same product for a lower price; but on the other hand, there will always be newer models to replace the one you just bought followed by a price dump.
Our advice is to buy when you need it and not wait for the next model, otherwise you will have to wait forever. There is not such thing as future proof technology.
Take a look at our guide on LCD HDTVs
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The benefit of High Definition (HD) Television
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The latest in television technology is high definition. Whereas a traditional bulky television typically could produce a picture of 720x576 pixel (smallest object that makes up the picture), HD ready screens can deliver up to a massive 1920 x 1080 resolution, which gives you 5 times more screen detail. In addition to a drastically better detail, HD TV also provides for more vibrant colours.
Television Resolution Comparison Chart
In addition, the higher the resolution, the closer to the television you will need to sit to notice the higher detail. Technology expert Carlton Bale has produced a chart of HD TV screen size versus resolution versus viewing distance. If you for example have a 50-inch screen, 1080p versus 720p will become apparent first at closer than 9.8 feet, and fully apparent at 6.5 feet.
Television providers such as Sky offer high definition television services. The improved picture quality is especially notable for documentaries, sports and movies.
If you are planning on hooking up the latest game console such as Xbox 360 or upcoming Playstation 3, you will definitely want a high definition ready television to take full advantage of the consoles raw power. An especially important factor for HD gaming is the screens latency, how quickly it can update the picture, which is particular important in fast paced games. You should aim for at most 25ms (milliseconds) whereas lower is better.
HD Ready logo Keep an eye out for the label HD Ready which tells you that the television can produce at least 1280x720 pixel resolution. But be aware that this label in it self does not tell you whether or not it’s a good television; you also need to consider other factors such as brand and price.
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Make sure you have enough space
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If you are considering improving your home cinema with a huge 40+ inch flat screen TV, you should first make sure that you can actually fit it in your room. Even if the screen is small in depth, it still demands a lot of horizontal space on you wall or floor. In addition, make sure that you can view the screen from a comfortable distance so you don’t have to turn your head back and forth while watching the tennis.
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Big and cheap TV is like a lottery ticket
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Some retailers are riding the wave of big screen TV sales by pushing low priced 30+ inch screens with relatively unknown brand names (or one’s that sounds awful familiar to better known brands). In most cases these screens are good enough for the occasional television viewer that mainly wants a big screen and slim design, but usually not good enough for the discerning viewer that spends a lot of time watching television or playing video games.
Even if these cheap televisions might appear to have the same specifications as more expensive models, they are often built using older components or even components that did not pass the quality tests preceding the assembly of their posh cousins.
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