HDTV Buying Guide: Suggestions

Television Suggestions

I have made a quick list of televisions for each technology. I have separated them into “Good, Better, Best” categories to give you an idea of what may suit your needs based on what kind of quality you like to buy or invest in. I have put the model numbers and a description with links to that particular televisions spec sheet.

Quality	LCD	Plasma	Rear Projection
Good	42” Westinghouse 1080p LCD TX-42F430S	TH-42PX75U 42" Panasonic 720p Plasma	60” Philips 1080i CRT Rear-Projection 60PP9200D37
Better	42” LG 720p LCD HDTV 42LC7D	50" LG 720p Plasma HDTV- 50PC5D	60" Sony 1080p SXRD KDS-60A3000
Best	LN-T5281F 1080p Samsung LCD with LED light engine Or the XBR5 Series from Sony	60" Pioneer Elite 1080p Plasma- PRO-150FD	65" Mitsubishi Diamond 1080p DLP WD-65833
Justin’s Wildcard Pick	42" HP MediaSmart 1080p LCD- SL4278N	50" Samsung 1080p Plasma- FP-T5084	50" Samsung 1080p Slim-Depth DLP HDTV HLT5076S

HDTV Buying Guide: Features That Future Proof

Features that Future Proof

Now that you have been educated a bit about High Definition Televisions, you should be able to make an educated decision about what type of television is right for your needs. However, now that the basics are out of the way, here is a list of features that you may see on certain televisions that may influence you into buying a particular television.

1080p
1080p is the highest possible resolution that is out right now. It marketed as “full HD”. The screen resolution is 1900 x 1080 (number of horizontal scan lines). The “p” stands for progressive, which means that the images will be smoother upon playback because the lines scan faster. The only way to get 1080p is through a gaming console like the Xbox360 or Playstation 3 or through next generation DVD players like HD DVD or Blu-Ray Discs. Since there is not much out there that supports this resolution, buying a 1080p television is future proof, and it is more of an investment. Typically, they cost $500 more than a 720p (Normal High Definition) television of the same model and size. 1080p exists on LCDs, Plasma, and Rear Projections, but almost all LCDs 46” and up will be 1080p!

24fp
This is a new introduction to televisions this year and is specifically for movie playback on HD DVD and Blu-Ray players. Movies that are shot on film are recorded at 24 frames per second. A TV capable of displaying 24p can show the movie back in its original form. 24 frames per second material tends to look very fluid and “like butter”. It is a much smoother type of picture, though some people like it and others do not. Again, a television with this is future proof. Mostly on LCDs, but Plasmas and Rear Projections can have this technology.

120 Hertz
Found on LCDs, 120 Hertz refers to the televisions refresh rate. Since television is broadcasted in 60 frames a second, an HDTV with this feature basically refreshes twice as fast which eliminates much of the judder and motion trail that can be prominent in LCDs. The 69 and 71 series Samsung LCD’s have this as well as the Sony XBR line.

The next section is a collection of televisions that I would suggest to a buyer depending on quality and price. Continue to Part 6.

HDTV Buying Guide: LCD

Photo Couresy of SonyXBR.com

LCD Panels (Liquid Crystal Displays)
LCD televisions have been around a little longer than plasmas. In essence, they are gigantic computer monitors. They come in a variety of sizes from 7 inches all the way up to about 63 inches. LCD’s offer a great value but with compromising picture quality.

Pros
These are the brightest displays, and that brightness, coupled with vivid colors and svelte shapes, make them very attractive to most buyers. With the varying degrees of sizes and qualities, an LCD can be found for any application. Most all LCDs have a Computer Monitor Input, which allows an LCD to double as a television and computer monitor. That way, you could hook your laptop up to an LCD and have a 46” high definition picture frame when having family get-togethers. LCDs use 1/3 less power than plasmas do, so they are much more Utility Bill Friendly. 1080p resolution on LCDs is very affordable. I will discuss this term later in the article. However, the most important reason someone buys an LCD over a Plasma or Rear-Projection television is the fact that LCDs do not have glare!!! It doesn’t matter if you have your blinds or curtains open, a bay window, or a spotlight throwing light onto the television. With glare and reflection never being an issue, LCDs are more attractive to people whose televisions are in sun rooms or living rooms, or if their television size ranges from 13" to 37".

Cons
LCDs have trouble rendering details in dark scenes, and black levels typically aren't as dark as those seen on plasmas. Often blacks look more like a dark navy blue than a true “black.” LCDs are also, on average, $200 more than a Plasma of the same size. As aforementioned, the refresh rates on LCDs are not as fast as a Plasma. Sometimes screen door effect can be prominent if the refresh rate and processor are slow. When watching TVs in a store like Best Buy make sure you catch some type of sports clip on it to see how well the television responds to fast movement. In addition to screen door effect, image trail can also occur. This still deals with the refresh rate and fast motion. The best way to demonstrate this would be to show you. I assume, you are at your computer. Take your mouse and move it quickly back and forth across the screen. Do you see how it looks like there are other cursors behind that one? Like it isn’t fluid? Like there is more than one of them? Well that is what image trail is. Who buys an LCD? Someone might buy an LCD because they are looking for a smaller television or are tired of having to close curtains just to block out the light to enjoy TV on the weekend. True representative picture quality might not be of utmost concern for the LCD buyer. They also may be buying an LCD because they will last longer than plasmas do. Rear Projection Televisions are the next display technology. Continue to Part 4.

HDTV Buying Guide: Plasmas

Photo Courtesy of Gizmodo.com

Plasma Display Panels (PDPs)

When Plasmas first came into the market, they had all sorts of problems. Those stories have manifested themselves into urban legends, which many people believe to be true. Plasmas use gas to create their picture. The answer is no! If the gas leaks it will not kill your family; they do not have to be recharged; and they do not only last one year. With that said here are true facts about plasmas:

Pros
Plasmas deliver the best all around picture quality. They have the capability of showing true and deep black levels, which give them the highest contrast ratios. Contrast Ratios are the measurement of the blackest blacks and the whitest whites that a television can produce. The higher the ratio, the richer and deeper the colors appear. Plasmas also have the fastest refresh rates, meaning that if you are watching sports, or action movies—something fast moving—plasmas can display these images seamlessly. Sometimes on LCDs when images are fast moving it looks as if a screen door has appeared over the image, which makes the image very blocky and not smooth. Plasmas are also, on average, less expensive than LCDs.

Cons
Plasmas are available in a variety of sizes, but the smallest sizes begin at 42”. So for someone who is looking for a bedroom television or a smaller flat panel, plasmas are not even an option. You can get them as big as 103 inches! Plasmas have a pane of glass on the front of them so if there is any ambient light glare and reflection will be issues that will affect your viewing pleasure. Also, how plasmas work depends on sending an electrical charge through the phosphorus cells, and there is no intermediate state… a cell is either fully charged or not as charged (to get darker shades). Consequently, Plasmas use a lot of power and produce a significant amount of heat. Plasmas are also not good for video games. Because plasmas are a fixed-pixel display—one pixel is equal to one cell and the cells don’t move; they are static—they are susceptible to burn-in or image retention. If this occurs, you will see a ghost image of a static image behind what you are trying to watch. However, Plasmas these days have built in protection against this, but for the first 100 hours or viewing do not have the television on the “Dynamic” setting, instead put the contrast and brightness down while the phosphors are new.

Who buys a Plasma?

A Plasma buyer is someone who wants a larger size television. With glare and reflection being either non-existent or a non-issue, this person wants image quality and performance over inconvenience. This person might also be getting this TV for a basement or home theater room where controlled lighting can easily be adjusted for optimal viewing. The next display technology is a Liquid Crystal Display or LCD. Continue to Part 3.

HDTV Buying Guide

Justin Roberson is currently a Home Theater Level 3 Pro at Best Buy. He has worked in Best Buy’s Home Theater department for 2 years where he sells televisions. He has also installed for Best Buy, and is a home theater enthusiast/hobbyist.

So, you’ve seen ads for them on television, at your friends’ houses, and hanging on the walls at Best Buy. You’ve planned to get one, perhaps this Christmas, but you don’t know the first thing about High Definition Televisions. From here on out I will refer to them as HDTVs because when you go in to Best Buy to talk about them you are going to want to seem like you know a little bit. The best way to do that is by learning the acronyms…. And there are a lot of them. Well, have no fear, because I have compiled this concise buying guide that will aid you in your high definition endeavor.

First Things First

If you've decided this is the year your life goes HD, put the checkbook or credit card down for now and let me walk you through the following decisions:

1. Consider your budget. HDTVs have come down significantly in price, but they are still a substantial investment of several thousand dollars or more. You should set a hard price ceiling for yourself and resolve to stay under it. This price should include all your accessories like a stand, cables, and your wall mounts if your HDTV is going to be put up on your wall. You should also factor in the added cost of getting some kind of HDTV cable or satellite service, since it will likely necessitate a new receiver box.
2. Consider how much room you have and whether you want to wall-mount your HDTV. Where are you planning to put your HDTV? If it's in an entertainment center, get out the tape measure and figure out what your maximum dimensions are. You should allow at least an inch or two above the unit, since almost all HDTVs, irrespective of underlying technology, generate a fair amount of heat.
3. Consider light--not from the HDTV, but from the room where it will live. Think about whether the room gets a lot of sun during the day and whether you can easily control the room's ambient light.

Having answers to these questions will help guide your choice of display technology.

First Things First

Several technologies are available, including Plasma, LCD flat-panel, and rear-projection televisions (RPTV). Each has its unique set of trade-offs. The choice comes down to what looks best to your eyes, and no two viewers see exactly the same thing. But beware: Most HDTVs in stores are dialed up to showroom settings, so be sure to check the color and brightness before you buy. At the end of my review on each technology I will have a table showing what kind of display is right for you. The first display technology we will discuss is Plasmas. Continue to Part 2.