Things You Should Know Before Shopping for Your Next HDTV

Planning to buy a new TV set is just the same as choosing the ideal gadget for you. But with so many options, features, and specifications to consider, where do you start? You have to think of several factors to help you choose the suitable television that will meet your style and needs. It doesn't matter whether you're looking for a basic, budget-friendly set or a feature-packed high-end HDTV, both kinds will require the same set of questions that must be considered: What type of display would you choose? How big should the screen be? What should be the screen resolution and other specs that will make it worth buying? Knowing the basic guidelines will help you make the right choice if you're planning to shop for your next HDTV set.

So here are a few things you need to ponder on:

Should You Go with Plasma or LCD?

Practically speaking, we're not really after what's going on behind the screen, but as to how the screen performs. Generally, both the plasma and LCD TV sets produce superb picture qualities, and you can almost hardly tell the difference between them in terms of that aspect. If you're planning to set it up for basic home cinema-like use, plasma screens have more edge than the LCD. Plasma screens accurately displays black, which means it can give better contrast than with LCD. But because of the fast-paced evolution of LCD TVs for the past few years, there are only limited manufacturers like LG and Samsung who are still producing plasma TV sets in the market today. If you're in the market for a big-screen television, say like 50 inches and above, it's safe to go with a plasma TV. Eventhough LCDs can give you better resolution, plasma still has the edge in terms of picture quality. On the other hand, if you're planning to get a 17- to 42-inch TV, LCD is the best way to go if you want something slim and tasteful. And another great thing about LCDs is that it's much cheaper compared to plasma sets.

Choose the Screen Resolution

At the moment, 1080p resolution is considered as the best option to choose. This type of screen resolution is already available even in midrange and cheaper HDTVs, so there's no point in settling for a unit that has lower resolution of 720p. If you're a sucker for high-end versions and doesn't really mind about the cost, getting a 4K UltraHD TV sounds really cool. According to Ultra HDTV, 4K Ultra HD (2160p) is a new television format with four times the resolution of today’s mainstream Full HD (1080p), boasting more than eight million pixels. Ultra High Definition also provides other technical enhancements such as improved color depth and contrast, which allows viewers to see shadows and sunlit areas in greater detail. Expect the cost of a 4K Ultra HDTV at around $4,000 - $6,000 from famous brands. Even the cheapest low-end versions of this would cost you around $900 - $1,500, which is still more expensive compared to good 1080p screens.

Therefore, 1080p would still be the winner for nearly all consumers for now.

Where Will You Place Your New TV?

Another factor you should also consider when planning to buy a new TV is the room area where you're going to set it up. The illustration below will help you determine the ideal seating position when viewing high-definition video on an HDTV.

If you sit any closer, you'll begin to notice the pixel structure on the screen. In addition to this, watching standard-definition content on an HDTV will look disappointing at the distances shown in the illustration, so you may want to consider moving your seat back. Another consideration is the lighting system of your room. It's important to get a TV set that can produce the best-looking picture under under almost any type of lighting conditions. As mentioned previously, if you'll be using your TV in a dimly lit room, plasma is the best choice since it can easily reduce the intensity of the picture when displaying bright scenes so you can appreciate more subtle details. While LCD TVs can create brighter pictures, so it's ideal to use in a well-lit room. However, if you prefer going with LCD TVs and place it in a darkened environment, opt for the model that can automatically dim its picture in response to low light environment, or one that you can manually adjust to avoid too much eye strain.

Make Sure It Has All the Right Connections

Since your next HDTV will stay for the next few years, make sure that it has enough video connections that will still be compatible in the near future. Make sure there are ample HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) ports to connect multiple components, such as a cable/satellite receiver, video game consoles, DVD/Blu-ray player, camcorder, and so on. At least three or four such ports is a must. If you’re looking at a smart TV, which offers Internet-connected features such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Spotify, you’ll have to decide if you need one with an Ethernet port, or if Wi-Fi is sufficient.  A convenient bonus is when the TV also offers a USB port to connect a Flash thumb-drive or external hard drive full of music, photos and videos, or a SD or Memory Stick card slot that lets you insert a compatible card that contains photos and videos. If a TV set that has enough and complete connectors, you can be sure that you can use it at its fullest potential.

Features and Other Add-Ons

Manufacturers also look into their competitors' features, in which they will attempt to provide even better set of features and even add-ons for better marketing sales. Nowadays, many HDTVs already come with 3D, whether we want it or not. So if you're someone who fancies wearing 3D glasses to watch movies at home, then this is good news for you. But some are not that very excited with the 3D craze anymore, so we can say that this feature is just pure novelty. Another great feature that you can get from HDTVs is the widgets, which are graphical icons on the screen that plays relevant and customized content like YouTube videos, Flickr photo galleries, local weather, news, sports, and stock quotes usually provided by Really Simple Syndication (RSS). Added features like these boost an HDTV's awesome points, but not the point where you have to pay extra bucks just because of them.

Now that you have some ideas on what to look for when shopping for your HDTV set, it will be easier for you to find the perfect unit without having to go through the torture of listening to the monotonous marketing spiels of some sales rep. Because you have already set your mind as to what HDTV features, style, and size, and brand you're going to buy -- provided of course that it fits your budget limit.