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Buying A New HDTV? Here’s Some Practical Advice
If you’re looking to build a high-end home theater set-up then this article is not for you. However, if you’re family man or someone on a budget, and don’t care too much about the details, then read on:
Many of you know that I’m in the market for a new TV thanks to Uncle Sam. Ever since my [awesome] wife gave me permission to splurge on a new HDTV, I’ve been knee deep researching things like 720p, 1080i, 1080p, LCD, plasma, HDMI, contrast ratio and many more terms that can make your head swim.
If you’ve done any research into the HDTV world, you have no doubt noticed that finding a good, informative site is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So many sites just regurgitate the same information that can be found on the OEM’s websites. In my research, I’ve some across some great sites and some practical advice that will help you when trying to make an educated HDTV purchase.
LCD Versus Plasma
This is one of the biggest challenges I faced when I first started looking at HDTVs. Not because of picture quality, but because of glare. I’m placing my TV in a pretty bright room - there are quite a few big windows within 10′ of the TV. My hang up came from the fact that during the day, my current TV has a lot of glare but at night there’s practically none.
I went to my local Circuit City and started talking to a guy about my hang up between plasma and LCD. He asked me what kind of TV I currently had and how much glare I noticed. He then gave me some great advice that I haven’t read anywhere on the Internets:
Although plasmas are known for more glare (since they have a glass front, not plastic) they are much better a reducing glare than older CRT TV’s. If your current TV has little glare, you’re safe with a plasma TV. Otherwise, go with an LCD.
I thought that was some great advice that I had not considered in the past. I was too caught up on picture quality and price. So, take a look at your TV and get and idea about the glare factor. I’ve decided to go with an LCD. Once I started to look for glare, I noticed there was too much for a plasma TV.
What Size Do I Get?
Size hasn’t been a big issue for me. There are two reasons why:
1.) Budget - My tax stimulus check is only so much and it’s all I have to spend. I’m lucky that my wife is letting me buy a TV and I’m not going to press the issue.
2.) Placement - The TV will be placed in a niche over the fireplace. It’s 50″ wide and I can’t exceed that critical dimension.
The same guy @ Circuit City had some wise words when it comes to picking out the size of TV. He said:
The number one complaint that people have after they have bought a TV is they regret not getting one big enough. It’s not the picture quality or lack of features, they always wish they had bought a bigger TV.
Every situation is different but you should stick to your budget and get the biggest TV you can afford. You’ll be better off in the long run and you’ll be able to enjoy a larger TV more.
720 or 1080?
Choosing between a TV that supports 720(p) or 1080(i or p) resolution is a personal one. The TV manufactures do a good job in making you think that 1080p is a million times better than 720p.
Carlton Bale put together an awesome TV size to resolution chart that might help you choose between 720 or 1080 resolution.
The chart was put together back in 2006. There was a much larger price gap between 720p and 1080p TV than there is today. Unless you’re really trying to pinch some pennies, you should be able to find a 1080p TV in your price range.
Where Can I Find More Information?
There are many sites out there that have a wealth of information. The sites listed here are ones that I have found to be full of information and pretty easy to follow. Be prepared to get your geek on:
- Engadget HD
- HDTV On Wikipedia
- CNET: HDTV resolution explained
- CNET: Ultimate HDTV buying guide
- Where is HD?
- AVS Forums (Geek alert!)
- AV Forums (another Geek alert!)
I really hope this helps all of you out there that are trying to make an informed, practical decision when it comes to HDTV’s. Whether you’re spending $500 or $5000 on a TV, it’s always a good idea to make the right decision so you can get the most out of your new TV.
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Discussion
16 comments for “Buying A New HDTV? Here’s Some Practical Advice”
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Savvy Source For Parents:
A while before Christmas I was in the market for a new telly.
Eventually my head nearly exploded from trying to find the best option.
Eventually I decided, what the hell I’m half blind anyway, so pick something that will sit pretty in the corner and not blow up in my face anytime soon.
2 hours later I had my feet up watching it, no regrets!
Tyler, great advice! Thanks for doing so much research and digestion for us all. My thing to not worry about is resolution. At Best Buy the other day I was watching a split screen demonstration of current 525-line TV versus HD, and I could not tell the difference at all from where I was standing.
toms last blog post..I Am Man
@Xbox: So true - I’m the kind of person that always dives into the details. I’m learning that trying to wrap your head around all the HDTV detail will send you to the nut house very quickly.
@Tom: Glad you liked the post. I try not to get hung up on resolution either. If you’re standing far enough away your eye can not tell the difference between certain resolutions.
Hey man, congrats on the TV! I know I’ll be doing the thing they DON’T want us to do with mine……pay off some bills.
Jolly Green Dads last blog post..Share Your Knowledge
Just so everyone knows: the “p” and “i” in the resoultion stands for “Progressive” versus “Interlaced”, referring to how the picture is scanned. Progressive means the lines are drawn from top to bottom once for each frame, and Interlaced means the frame is drawn twice, first with the odd lines, then again with the even. Interlaced tends to look worse because it has a twitchy effect, and can create jagged edges. Right now 1080p is the best resolution you can get in HDTV. Check out the cnet review (don’t know if the link would work) on the subject.
toms last blog post..A Stinky Situation — Part II
Tyler, thanks for covering this info. I have tons of links from all of my research but nothing in one spot. this will be handy for when I (am allowed to) buy my HD Projector. I think I’m going with a projector for a 96″ screen/wall. I have the room in my basement. just need to get the walls finished this summer.
too many projects, not enough time!
Maybe I should post on my blog, “Buying an HDTV and NOT Having Your Wife Know”. i think i might!
Daddy’s Toolboxs last blog post..Spend the Day at the Animal Planet EXPO
That is a GREAT article
Just simple and effective
Keep up the good work
Dawids last blog post..Tips From Dawid - Making Money With Auto responders (part 6)
@Jolly Green Dad: I’m just trying to be patriotic!
@Daddy’s Toolbox: Oooohhhh - I’d love to go the projector route but my bonus room is full of dolls and other toys. If you post about that, I’m sure it will get a ton of traffic because I’m sure many guys are in your shoes!
@Dawid: Thank you for coming by and I appreciate your kind words!
We just purchased a new LCD and love it. I didn’t know anything about them and was as confused as you were. I went to a couple of stores and the salespeople I found were quite helpful. The March 2008 Consumer Reports broke them down and helped us decide on a 46″ Samsung 1080p LCD, mainly because it had the best combination of high ratings and low price. You might still be able to find the magazine somewhere - library?
awesome article - just what I needed and just when I needed it - thanks!
@Joel: I’ll have to try and dig that one up. I’d love to get a Sammy and luckily the prices are falling because some of their new models have come out. One thing I really like about Samsung’s LCD TV’s is the contrast ratio. I read somewhere that contrast ratio is almost MORE important than the resolution.
@Tony: Sweet - glad you liked the article. Good to see you.
Great resource Tyler! I’ve been doing research for too long myself and overloaded on all of the details. I’m pretty much set on a 52″ Sony XBR5 LCD but haven’t been able to bring myself to spend that much money yet when my 32″ Sony CRT still works just fine, lol.
Look forward to hearing more once you have been enjoying the new TV for awhile.
We recently purchases a 42-inch, LCD 1080p. I didn’t want to go any bigger than that. I also seriously debated the purchase of LCD or Plasma. We opted for LCD because of the glare factor. We also paid more for 1080p, because it’s optimum for HD service by our cable provider.We’re extremely happy with it so far. Watching HD channels on it is spectacular, especially the National Geographic Channel.
jasons last blog post..Graduating?
@Derek: Thanks! I’ll definitely let you guys know what I end up buying. Sony does make some great LCD TV’s. Our TV works fine but we want to move it into the bedroom (yea yea - I know your not supposed to have a TV in the bedroom) but we want to be able to have “family” time in our bed during the weekends.
@Jason: I can’t wait to watch HD on a big fat TV. I also can’t wait to hook it up to my new Wii. Do you mind if I ask what brand of TV you got?
My husband built a super home theater with the overhead projector and such - it’s turned into his Man Cave.
Kids aren’t allowed, of course.
Barbara
Barbara Ling, Virtual Coachs last blog post..Your Home Theater News.com domain for sale!
Hi Tyler,
Interesting article…
Sounds like a cool setup!
The only thing I would say, is that I helped a guy set this sort of thing up a while back and you take the heat output of your fireplace into consideration because it can melt your TV - no joke either!!!
Ciao, Buck