There are so many different types, sizes, and models of televisions on the market that making a choice can be confusing! Which is better a flat screen (LCD or plasma?) or a traditional screen? A high definition or a regular TV? Traditional TV technology is fast becoming obsolete which means that many traditional TVs are now on offer at highly competitive prices. Below are some tips on what to look for when choosing and buying a TV - new or used.

Types of Televisions
The first decision that youll make when choosing and buying a new TV is which type of television you want. There are many different types of televisions available from traditional CRT (cathode ray tube) televisions to the new, flat panel LCD and plasma televisions. You may even consider buying a home cinema projector instead of a television! Different types of televisions have various advantages and disadvantages, so do some research before making a decision. Here are some facts about four types of televisions, including traditional types, called CRTs.

Flat Panel Screens
Flat-panel TVs create bright, sharp pictures using either plasma or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panels. Many models measure 4 inches deep or less. Flat-panel TVs easily compete with the picture-quality of tube TVs. Flat-panel screens are getting bigger and better and cheaper by the day.

The digital technology of flat-panel sets has many benefits, and a few disadvantages.

Flat Panel TV Advantages
  • Shallow depth and light weight. Wall-mounting is space-efficient, but many people place flat-panel sets on a table or cabinet. Plasma TVs weigh more than LCDs, but much less than a same-sized CRT TV.
  • Digital display precision. Colour and brightness information are controlled at the sub-pixel level, resulting in millions of colours.
  • No magnetic picture distortion. Plasma and LCD screens are not affected by the magnets inside unshielded loudspeakers. Flat-panel TVs have perfect image focus from top to bottom, side to side, and corner to corner. Straight lines look straight.
Flat Panel TV Disadvantages
  • More expensive than equivalent CRT TVs with the same size screens.
  • In all but the very latest "full HD" models, picture quality may not be quite as good as the best CRT TVs, specifically in contrast ratio, black level, and smooth motion. Flat-panel TVs show more noise and distortion in ordinary broadcast and cable TV signals.
LCD screens
If you want a screen size of less than 37", LCD is your only flat-panel choice. LCD looks great in a kitchen or room with bright lighting. LCD displays resist glare from sunlight or room lights and are brighter than plasmas. LCD is also one of the most rugged technologies. It has no screen "burn-in" effect, making it the best choice for computer or video game use. If you leave your TV on for hours at a time, LCD is the best choice.

Plasma screens
Plasma TVs have been around longer than LCDs, and the technology is further along. Plasma screens use a phosphor coating like CRT TVs, so they have natural colours. Plasmas generally have better contrast and black level performance than LCDs, and wider viewing angles although the gap is constantly narrowing between the two technologies. A plasma's picture quality is richer, so it's great for a home theatre. Plasmas come in larger screen sizes than LCDs at the moment.

Traditional TVs (CRTs)
Traditional TVs (also known as cathode ray tubes) create pictures on the tube by deflecting an electron beam, using an evacuated glass envelope which is large, deep, heavy, and fragile. These disadvantages are resulting in CRTs being replaced by flat screens, liquid crystal displays, DLP, and projectors.

CRT screens have much deeper cabinets than LCD screens, but they display higher resolutions on smaller screens. Also, LCDs have lower colour clarity due to the fluorescent tubes used as backlights, even though they are brighter overall. CRTs are good at displaying photos with high pixels per unit and correct colour balance, and for computer screens with their concentrated images. Colour CRTs still are chosen for computer games due to their high refresh rates and higher resolution at a lower cost. CRT's are popular in the printing and broadcasting industries as well as in video, photography and graphics fields

The demand for CRT screens is falling and Sony and other manufacturers have announced that they will stop the production of CRT computer displays. However, due to the relatively high cost of large LCD panels and plasma displays, a market for CRTs still exists. DSG (Dixons) reported that CRT models made up 80-90% of televisions sold at Christmas, 2004, 15-20% a year later and around 5% of sales at the end of 2006. DSG will cease selling CRT televisions in 2007.

Size and Positioning
Where will you put your new television? You must make sure that the TV that you are considering will fit in the room for which it is intended. You also must be able to manoeuvre it through corridors or doorways to get to the room. If youre buying a television for the living room, consider one of the larger models, such as a rear projection or DLP television. A portable television or TV Combi might be a better size for a bedroom or kitchen.

If you want to wall mount the TV, look for a flat panel plasma or LCD TV and check the product description carefully to make sure that its able to be wall mounted (almost all flat panels are). If you want the television in a cabinet or on a stand, make sure that you take the measurements of the TV and stand into account when deciding if your new television will fit where you want it.

Screen Resolution
When you buy a TV, the product description will include the screen resolution, for example, 1024 x 768. These numbers refer to the number of pixels (basically, coloured dots) that form the picture. The first number is the number of pixels displayed horizontally on the screen and the second number is the number displayed vertically. The higher the screen resolution, the clearer and sharper the picture on the screen will be. Choose a television with a high screen resolution.

Contrast Ratio
Most product descriptions for televisions also include a contrast ratio. This ratio shows the difference in light intensity between the brightest white and the darkest black images produced by the TV. The higher the contrast ratio, the subtler and richer the colour will be. For medium contrast, buy a television with a contrast ratio of at least 500:1. For high contrast, find a television with a contrast ratio of at least 3000:1.

Widescreen Televisions
It is a good idea to buy a widescreen model TV. Most movies are filmed in widescreen format, so a widescreen is great if you watch a lot of DVDs. Widescreen television broadcasts are fast becoming the norm in many UK TV programs too, as the old analogue TV broadcasting network is phased out.

High Definition TV (HDTV)
HDTV stands for High Definition Television. High definition TV programs have outstanding picture and sound quality. HDTV is the future of television technology, so, at this time, its probably best to buy a television that is able to receive HD broadcasts. If you purchase an HDTV, you wont have to upgrade your television again later. In order to receive high definition broadcasts on a traditional TV, you will need an HD receiver (set-top box) and access to an HD service, but by purchasing an HD ready television now, youll be ready to receive HD broadcasts at any time. Be aware that there are many models out there that claim to be 'HD Ready' but do not have a sufficiently high resolution to properly support HD broadcasts. If HD is important, it is worth doing some research and comparison in this area.

If you buy an HD ready television or home cinema system, it should have an HDMI connection. This is a connection that carries digital and high-definition signals.

Freeview Access
With analogue (CRT) television signals in the UK being replaced over the next few years, many people are now signing up for digital television services. Rather than subscribing to a cable or satellite service in the UK, you may want to consider free digital television and radio stations through Freeview. To do this, you buy a set-top box for use with your existing TV or a new television with an integrated digital tuner. If you are buying a new television, consider one with an IDTV (integrated digital tuner) so you dont need a set-top box or cable or satellite television. Before buying, make sure that you can receive digital television signals in your area.

Conclusion
Television technology is rapidly evolving. With both the UK and the USA ready to eliminate traditional analogue TV broadcasts in order to broadcast high definition digital programs only, it is important to learn about this new technology. Once you have the basic information, you will be able to make the right decisions about how to switch your older CRT TVs to using the new format and which type of TV will best meet your needs when purchasing additional or replacement sets.
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