Guru's Guide to Buying a TV
There are so many TVs to choose from, so which is best? The Gadget Guru guides you through the minefield to choose the ideal TV.
What do all the abbreviations mean?
These are all types of flat-screen TV:
Plasma – the oldest technology. Picture quality is good and prices are low, but the TVs do get hot.
LCD – These followed plasma screens. Prices are coming down fast and quality is very impressive.
LED – The newest type of flat-screen. The quality is exceptional, but they are still very expensive.
Other terms you might see:
HD – This is high-definition.
1080 – This is the level of full high-definition. If it is 720, then it is not fully HD.
Freeview – A box (often in-built into your TV) which allows you to receive a number of free channels, on top of the five usual terrestrial channels. This comes through the aerial on your roof.
Freesat – A version of Freeview run by Sky, which needs a satellite dish to work.
The classic mistakes
People make two big mistakes when buying a new TV. Firstly, they get a screen that is far too big for their living room and end up sitting too close to it. Secondly, they attach it too high on the wall and are always looking up at it.
For a 42inch screen, you need to be sitting 12 feet away. If your living room isn’t big enough for that, buy a smaller screen. It needs to be sitting at eye-level when you are sitting down, or else you will get a sore neck.
Which TV should I buy?
With regards to which you should buy, your budget will have a lot to do with it. LED TVs are the best quality, but are still very expensive. Go to a department store and have a look at all the TVs they have to find the one that suits you the best.
Don't forget your HD box
Remember, you will only get the best picture if you have an HD source as well, even if you have an HD-Ready TV. You will need a satellite, cable or Freeview HD box or a Blu-Ray player to see HD pictures on your TV.