What to look for when buying a HDTV

When talking about HDTV, most people relate to the true-to-life imagery and picture quality, but what they often fail to realize is that a high-definition TV has a lot more to offer than just the crystal-clear picture quality. Like most people, you might have similar opinions, but if you really want to enjoy all the benefits that a HDTV can possibly offer, then you need to make the right selection. For this, you need to be aware of a few technicalities and essentials, which will help you in making an informed decision. You may opt for any available technology such plasma TV, LCD TV, DLP TV, but for selecting the right brand, you need to look out for essential features, some of which are explained below:

·        Screen size: For experiencing theater-like special effects, your HDTV’s size needs to be in the range of 40 to 60 inches. You also need to consider the size of your living room or bedroom where you might be planning to install the TV. This is necessary because a larger screen means larger pixels and if your room does not have enough space, you might be forced to sit close to the TV. You will then be looking at the pixels rather than the movie that might be playing.

·        Connectivity: It is better to opt for a brand that offers multi-point video input connections such as Component, Composite, HDMI, RF, and S-Video. This is necessary because it is highly unlikely that you will use the TV just for watching movies. When you select a brand that offers multi-point connections, it would become easier for you to connect external appliances such as your PC, Laptop, Digital Camera, Camera, Mobile Phone, PDA’s and others directly to the TV. 

·        TV resolution: The screen resolution of a HDTV determines the overall quality of images that you see and as such it is important to make sure that the HDTV you are planning to buy, offers the right resolution. The resolution of HDTV's that are currently being manufactured ranges from 480p to 1080i. Now, you do not have to be a rocket scientist to understand these numbers; all you need to know is that these numbers represent the total number of horizontal resolution lines that a HDTV is able to display. This simply means that a HDTV having more of such lines will offer far better picture quality and crispness as compared to a HDTV having lesser number of such lines. However, if you want to know more about what these numbers signify and how they affect picture quality, then let us discuss these numbers in detail. If you have been searching for the right HDTV for quite some time now, then it is assumed that you would have come across resolution labels such as 480i, 720P, or 1080i. So what do the 'i' and 'p' represent? Well, the 'i' stands for 'interlaced' and 'p' stands for 'progressive'. But what do they actually represent? Well, you see, if your TV's resolution label displays an 'i', it basically means that your TV takes more time to draw the horizontal resolution lines as compared to the time taken by an HDTV having a labeling 'p'. Before HDTV's were introduced in the market, all television sets had the ‘interlaced’ technology, which explains the constant flicker of old television sets.  In comparison, television sets that use ‘progressive’ technology draw the lines much faster, something that explains the improved picture quality and crispness. In HDTV’s that use ‘progressive’ technology, the images are so clean and sharp that once you get used to it, you will find it very difficult to adjust to a television set using ‘interlaced’ technology. No doubt, the overall time taken by both the technologies to draw the lines can only be measured in microseconds, but still the images are clearer in ‘progressive’ because even a few microseconds can make a huge difference. However, you will be amazed to know the basic ‘interlaced’ technology is still being used; the difference is only in the number of lines that can now be drawn using the ‘interlaced’ technology. As per the ATSC standards (Advanced Television Systems Committee), any television set can be referred to as a HDTV if it offers 720p or 1080i. Now, 720p means that the television set will have a resolution of 1024x720 pixels, similar to that of a standard computer monitor whereas 1080i means that the television set will have a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. So, which is the better one? Well, it is very difficult to say which is the best because it all depends on what a viewer actually wants. You see, 1080i has the advantage of more lines, whereas 720p has the advantage of progressive scanning. This means that you can opt for 1080i, if it is the sharpness and clarity that you need the most and 720P, if you care more about the speed at which images are being displayed on your high-definition television set.

·        Viewing angle: It is common knowledge that the resolution of any display screen gets affected when you move away from the screen. So, if you have a family or if you enjoy watching movies and sporting events with your friends and associates, then you need to look out for a brand that offers a wide viewing angle, preferably more than 45 degrees.

·        Warranty schemes: Apart from the technicalities, you also need to consider the type of warranty contract being offered because all HDTV’s are costly and you would certainly not want to pay for the high cost of repairs, if any. If you want hassle free repair services, then opt for warranties that offer ‘In Home’ services. You then, will not have to carry your large HDTV all the way to the dealer; you just have to contact customer care for the technician who will come to your home and sort out the problems.

Now, do not start thinking that you will be required to spend top dollars for buying a brand that has all these features. The fact is that, if you search properly, preferably online, you can easily find the best deals that are well within your budget. You also need not worry about the quality since most of the reputed websites never compromise on the quality aspect. If your doubts persist, you can refer to customer reviews and ratings that are available online. This will help you in selecting a HDTV that best suits your needs and requirements.

Craig Mooney is a Home Theater enthusiast. Who loves to provide moneysaving tips and great information to consumers when shopping for HDTVand Component Video Cables.