Choosing
The Perfect Big
Screen
TV For Your Family!
•
It seems
that everyone these days wants a Big Screen TV for their living
room . . . but what kind is the best? There are at least five types
of big screen TV to choose from, each with a large selection of
screen sizes and features. Each type also has its own strengths and
weaknesses.
•
Plasma
and LCD are currently the most popular types of Big Screen TV, but who knows, you
may prefer a rear projection DLP TV, or even an old fashioned CRT
(see Section 2). Televisions have improved vastly in recent years;
most are capable of delivering a fantastic picture . . . but there
are differences.
•
The most
important decision you can make when buying a Big Screen TV is to
decide not to buy a “no-name” brand. Something as
complex as a LCD, Plasma or DLP TV must be manufactured with the
finest components by dozens of expert technicians working in
multi-million dollar facilities.
•
Guess why
a “no-name” company can sell a Plasma TV cheaper than
Panasonic or Sony? When that low priced Big Screen TV that looked
so good in the showroom turns purple and you can’t find parts
or a repairman, don’t come crying to us!
How To
Choose The
Perfect
Big Screen TV!
•
Plasma TV is the most popular
type of big screen television. A Plasma display is made up of
thousands tiny dots of light created when electric current hits
gasses trapped between two sheets of glass. Screen sizes range from
32 inches to 108 inches, with 42” and 50” selling the
best.
•
Plasmas
boast a brilliant picture, great contrast, superb black levels and
great viewing angles on a screen less than four inches thick.
Plasmas can have screen burn-in if static images like stock
tickers, computer programs and video games are left on screen too
long.
•
LCD (liquid crystal display)
Flat
Panel TVs use microchips to send thousands of electric currents
which twist tiny crystals to create the colors on the screen. A LCD
has white fluorescent light shining through the crystals to make
the image; this back light is expensive to replace, you don’t
want to get a cheap model with a low end back light.
•
LCD
screen sizes range from 27” to 46”, and are less than
4” thick. Sharper than most Plasmas, LCDs often have poor
contrast and grayish black levels. They also can blur when
displaying high speed action, but unlike a Plasma TV they cannot
suffer screen burn-in. LCDs are great for static images like
computers and video games.
•
LCD Rear
Projection TVs like LCD flat screen monitors send electric currents
to twist tiny crystals to create the colors on the screen. A LCD
Projection TV has white fluorescent light shining through the
crystals to make the image. A more affordable big screen solution,
Projection TVs are bulkier than flat panel LCDs.
•
DLP Rear
Projection (Digital Light
Projection) uses a series of moving mirrors to place each color on
the screen. This creates the obvious problems involving multiple
moving parts. There have been complaints of image delays on some
DLP's, interfering with the proper display of video games.
•
DLP may be the most
affordable way to get a big screen TV into your living room. Newer
models offer slim designs and improved performance. Periodically
you’ll have to replace the lamp inside the DLP, an expensive
proposition.
•
DTV
(Digital TV)
is the
new broadcast standard that will supposedly be in effect by 2009
(the deadline once was 2006). With 720p lines of resolution, DTV
produces a much better picture than broadcast TV does today, but
it's not the same (and not as sharp) as HDTV! By 2009 you'll need a
converter box to see broadcast TV on your old set, but your new
Plasma is built to handle the new digital signal.
DTV images are shaped like a
movie or your Plasma screen (16:9), not like old broadcast TV
(4:3). You'll see letterboxing above and below the picture on an
old TV.
•
EDTV
(Enhanced
Definition TV) is a resolution
standard offered on many older Plasma TVs; it's about as sharp as
the resolution of a standard DVD, but less sharp than a High
Definition (HDTV) equipped set. The resolution of EDTV is 480i
(see Screen Resolution). Be wary of
salesmen trying to unload unsold EDTV sets by placing them on sale.
Only purchase HDTV
Plasmas; not "HDTV-ready" or
"HDTV compatible" and not EDTV.
•
CRT is
the good old Cathode Ray
Tube TV you grew up with;
you probably own one right now. It’s heavy, fat, and makes an
image using a ray gun to shoot electrons at the screen. (Yes, pull
little Susie away from the screen when she tries to kiss
Shrek!)
•
You may
not usually think of CRTs as big screen TVs, but they can go up to
42 inches in diameter. CRTs are obsolete technology which is
rapidly being replaced.
123
Guide
To Plasma TV
• The five major types
of Big Screen TVs will all provide an
excellent picture, with screen technology improving every year. You
especially want to check out the latest big screen
technology: Plasma, LCD and
DLP televisions, all
available with HDTV.
•
The main
decision you have to make is which type of big screen TV you like
and then make sure you buy one from a major name brand manufacturer
like Sony, Panasonic, Samsung or
Pioneer.
•
Look at
the pros and cons of each type of display and decide what you want
for your family. Take into account the fact that U.S. broadcasts go
to Digital TV in 2009, and you need
to Prepare For DTV. Avoid purchasing
an EDTV Plasma at all costs.
If you purchase a quality big screen TV, you can’t go
wrong!
It’s as easy as
123!
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