High Definition TV

HDTV sets are here to stay. With prices anywhere from a couple hundred dollars up into the tens of thousands, it’s important to do your research and find an unbiased review. Even though the salesman at your local best buy store is probably a good guy, you can often find some great HDTV deals online as well if you know what to look for.

You want to know things like the type of HDTV you need, which resolution you want, what inputs the TV has, the right viewing angle, and the best contrast ratio to get. If all that confuses you don’t let it. I’m here to help make sense of all the tech jargon and find the right TV for you.

Most likely you’re a digital cable TV or satellite subscriber. Either way, the first thing you want to do is find out what kind of HD channel lineup your provider offers. Most major digital cable service providers like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter, and Cox have great high definition channel packages with some great specials and discounts for new customers.

Dish Network and DirecTV have the satellite picture covered with equally strong HD tiers. Your cable and satellite provider should have nearly every HD channel currently broadcast available, but make sure just in case before you purchase a new HDTV.

Now that you have ironed out the questions about which high definition television package you can get from your provider, such as Time Warner Cable, it is time to choose your television type. Currently you can choose from LCD, Plasma, LED or rear projection. The oldest HDTV’s are rear projection units and generally have lower contrast ratios, resolutions, and viewing angles.

Most people are not interested in a rear projection HDTV, however if you find yourself with budget woes they are a way to get started in the high definition market. If you have a bit more freedom in the money department you will find the majority of HDTVs on the market are LCD based. There are all kinds of LCD sets to choose from but if you want the best possible picture stick with 1080p and leave the 720p alone. These numbers are referring to the screen resolution and 1080p is the best, and generally considered true HD.

You will likely come across sets that are 1080, but instead of the “p” they have an “i”. This means the resolution is interlaced instead of progressive scan, which is not as smooth or clear a picture. The only time you may want to consider a 1080i set is if the price is right, sometimes the savings are worth the lower picture quality. You can also choose a plasma screen television, these were some of the first high intensity high def sets and when they first hit the market they were quite expensive. With time and competition, the price of plasma’s has gone down.

Both plasma and LCD television sets have pros and cons as well as their diehard fans; generally, it comes down to personal preference. The latest and greatest in the HDTV world is the LED television set. These sets are LCD that use LED for backlighting which gives the set awesome color, contrast and resolution while at the same time reducing your carbon footprint! At the moment these units are the most expensive in the HDTV world and are aimed toward people who enjoy having all the latest technology. Of course, they do offer you the best picture experience and thinnest profile of any television available.

You are getting close to making your final decision on your new HDTV set, now it is time to check out the small features that will make you love your set. The most important aspect at this point in the game is the television connections. Each household will vary on what they need, however you will likely find you want pc connections, HDMI, and audio video inputs and outputs. The next item on the agenda is to examine the sets viewing angles, this is a measurement of how far to the side you can sit or stand and still be able to see a clear picture on the TV.

When it comes time to organize or rearrange your living room, you will be glad you paid attention to this feature. Lastly, you should look at the models listed contrast ratio, this is the comparison of the dark black and light white of your set, the larger the number the better in most cases. Be forewarned though that manufacturers all have different methods for determining this ratio and so you will want to see the set in action. Avoid the sets that have dull grey looking blacks or dingy whites.

Even with all the confusing marketing hype the bottom line is HDTV is amazing. Prices have come down greatly over the past couple of years and today you can get a huge TV and easily stay under the $1500 mark. But if you don’t know what to look for you can get burned with a low resolution picture with washed out colors. I hope my article has helped you know exactly what to look for when you head online or to the electronics store for a new TV. When you get the right HDTV it will revolutionize how you watch television forever.

Anna Sussman delves into the complicated world of cable providers to find the offers that deliver the biggest savings for consumers. Anna looks for the lowest Time Warner digital cable rates and discounts on Time Warner bundled services.