|
There are now so many televisions to choose from that it's hard to get a clear picture of what will suit you best. Here Duncan Madden, a former editor of Boys Toys magazine and one of Britain's leading technology journalists, tunes in to the five best flatscreens. Click to view Top 5 TVs.
|
Buyers Guide and Overview |
|
 Buying a new TV is one of the most confusing purchases you are ever likely to make in a market swamped with variety. Key areas to consider are screen size, LCD or plasma, analogue or digital, High-Definition, versatility and, of course, budget. Here we break your purchase down into the essential categories. |
Screen Size |
The first decision is where you will be using your new television. Clearly the larger the screen the more it is going to cost, but it still has to be the right size relative to how far you sit from the TV. Consider also whether you want a 16:9 widescreen set as opposed to a 4:3 fullscreen.
If the TV is for your main living room, you may want to purchase a widescreen large enough for the whole family to watch television as well as films, gaming, home movies and family photos. Typically for a main room, any screen below 26in will be too small (this is a diagonal corner to corner measurement rather than the true screen width), with 32in the most popular size.
|
| |
 Many of the big manufacturers now produce screens up to 60in, though be wary of buying a screen too big for your room as it can dominate the aesthetics. Panasonic has recently released a 103in screen!
Conversely, if it's a set you'll only watch when dozing in bed or having breakfast, you're better off spending less on a smaller screen. Anything below 24in should be fine and at this size the difference between widescreen and fullscreen is of far less importance. Bear in mind also that flatscreen TVs have a far smaller footprint than old CRT sets, as they are so thin. They can be wall or shelf-mounted, as well as put in a dedicated entertainment centre - in which case make sure there is room around the set for adequate ventilation.
|
LCD or Plasma |
LCD and plasma televisions may look the same but they are actually very different technologies with different benefits. LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display - a network of hundreds of thousands of pixels backlit by a fluorescent white light that generates an electric current creating the colours that make up the image on screen.
Plasma houses two sheets of glass, in between which are squeezed millions of chambers filled with plasma gas and red, green and blue phosphors. When an electric current is run over the chambers they emit UV light, which illuminates the coloured phosphors to create the image on screen.
|
| |
 A simple rule of thumb is that LCD traditionally works better with smaller screens - anything up to 40in - providing better image quality and black reproduction. LCD TVs are often slightly thinner and lighter than plasma and use marginally less power, and now suffer less from old afflictions such as poor viewing angles. Plasma is generally reserved for larger screens as it provides a more cinematic image that looks better in low-light conditions thanks to better contrast ratios. Old problems of screen burn and life expectancy are all but resolved, with both LCD and plasmas lasting on average 60,000 hours before screens dim by more than half.
|
Digital Switchover |
 Much touted in the news is the big switch to digital broadcasting, rolling out in the UK from 2008 when analogue broadcasting will be switched off region by region, leaving us totally digital by 2012. This means analogue TVs that can receive only channels one to five will become obsolete without a separate Freeview box or a subscription to a digital operator such as Sky or Virgin. A far better option when buying a new TV is to make sure it is an iDTV that features an integrated digital TV tuner - just look for the logo on the set or ask before you buy.
|
High-Definition |
The High-Definition (HD) revolution is the biggest leap in televisual technology since black and white turned to colour and represents the next generation in terms of image and audio quality, as well as interactivity with the internet via your television.
True HD televisions (HDTVs) can show the standard definition signals of a normal TV broadcast, progressive scan DVD and HDTV signals such as BBC HD. To conform to the definition, HDTVs must be able to display a minimum of 720 lines of pixel resolution (often referred to as 720p) and have an HDMI connection port for connecting to an HD source such as a SKY HD box. Such televisions will wear an HD Ready logo, the industry certified guarantee of its credentials.
The main benefit of HDTV is a far improved picture and audio experience, created by the increased resolution of your TV set. Currently, the two most common resolutions are 720p (1280x720 lines of progressive scan resolution) and 1080i (1920x1080 lines of interlaced resolution). While neither is necessarily better than the other, the progressive scan 720p provides smoother images with fast-paced footage like football. There is also now a third resolution becoming more prevalent, 1080p (1920x1080), which combines the higher 1080 line resolution with the benefits of progressive scan to create what has now been dubbed 'Full HD'. This represents the ultimate in picture quality, but comes with a hefty price tag to match.
|
| |
 High-Definition viewing can only be achieved when your set is married to an HD source, of which there are now many. For television watching, satellite broadcaster Sky HD has the biggest choice, though rivals such as Telewest and Virgin Media are developing more content. For watching DVD there are two rival HD formats vying for dominance (much the same as VHS and Betamax vied when video first emerged) in the shape of HD DVD and Blu-ray, each backed by heavyweight manufacturers. There is no guarantee as to which format will win, but as long as your TV carries the HD Ready logo it matters not - it will display both without problem. An HDTV set is compatible with current technology and will also increase the quality of standard definition and traditional DVD signals thanks to the superior processing, meaning buying one does not mean you immediately have to go out and buy HD peripherals.
If you are buying a main room television it would be a mistake not to buy an HD Ready set, as it is a guarantee of better quality viewing and future proofing against the HD technology that is infiltrating further into the mainstream with every passing day.
|
Versatility and Connectivity |
Probably the most confusing part of purchasing a new TV is the raft of connection options on each set for every imaginable peripheral from DVD player to PC to digital camera. Starting with the highest quality first, if you are buying an HDTV you will need an HDMI port, which carries both audio and video from your, say, DVD player to your HDTV with the highest possible quality. Most HDTVs will have one HDMI, though the more you spend the more you get with very high-end sets now incorporating three HDMIs for the ultimate High-Definition setup. Other very high-end but less common connectors include HDCP and DVI-D for connecting HDTV receivers and DVD players.
|
| |
 |
| |
The next quality level includes VGA connectors commonly used for hooking up either a projector or computer and component video for high-end DVD players with progressive scan capabilities. Following on from these are the more common SCART and S-Video, compatible with most standard definition peripherals.
When purchasing your television, consider what you will be connecting to it (make a checklist before you buy). If you're buying an HDTV and will likely only buy a High-Definition DVD player to connect up to it, make sure you have that HDMI port alongside plenty of SCARTs for your current other peripherals. If however you are looking to convert to a full HD setup with, say, SKY HD, HD DVD player and PlayStation3 then consider your connectivity options - there's no point in buying High-Definition peripherals if you can't connect them to your set properly.
|
Accessories and Warranty |
Most televisions will come with some kind of stand to support them. If however you are thinking about wall-mounting your new plasma or LCD, you'll need to buy a wall bracket, which can run into hundreds of pounds for the bigger sets. Check also that your television has built-in speakers, as some don't, meaning you will need a speaker system unless you want to watch in silence!
Finally, check your television comes with a decent manufacturer warranty. If you buy from a reputable big name manufacturer this should be a given and the chances are you won't have any problems for the foreseeable future (at least 10 years realistically), but if you go for a budget supermarket shelf model you could run into problems sooner than you might think.
|
| |
| For further explanation of technical terms and information on the UK digital switchover, click here |
|
Other great reviews in Gadgets:
|
|
RELATED PAGES
|
Could this