Buy Big Screen TVs: LCD Television and More

Buy Big Screen TVs: LCD Television and More

Learn what to look for in items such as screen size.

The home theater craze has caught on, but when buying your big screen TV, there are many options and companies available to you that you'll need to carefully consider. Follow these steps and guidelines for purchasing big screen TVs, and you'll be on the fast track to making a smart purchase that fits your home theater needs. This article will touch on screen size, HD and LCD television, widescreen television, and more. Here's how to buy big screen TVs.

1. Screen Size -- It may seem like a fairly obvious first issue, but the size of the screen you choose plays a big role in your home theater. First and foremost, if you plan on placing your big screen TV in any sort of case or area that has limited room, you need to make sure it will fit. There will be nothing worse than buying a TV that doesn't fit in your room!
   
   Also, size depends on how far away you'll be sitting from the TV. If the room is not long or big enough, you'll be sitting much too close to the screen and begin to see pixelated details that will make for uncomfortable viewing. You'll want the viewing distance to be at least three times the screen size. That can be twice the screen size if you are watching only HDTV... however, most shows and movies are still not available in this format.
2. Depth of the Television -- The depth of the television really factors into the cost. The thinner you go, the harder it is to make one with the same HD quality. Therefore, it becomes very expensive. Flat panels look great and fit well into a room, but unless you have a lot of money to spend, you may not want to purchase one.
3. Widescreen or Letterbox -- Traditionally, women prefer letterbox TVs, and men prefer widescreen televisions. All movies are shot in widescreen format these days, yet TV shows are still mostly in the letterbox format. It really comes down to preference. The widescreen is a superior format that allows for more than one focus on a screen and nice scenic shots, which is why it is the choice of movie directors. In the future, widescreen may be the new standard, so you may want to think long term, but really, it all comes down to preference.
4. CRT, DLP, LCD, and HD! -- That is quite a load of technical terms, but the first three refer to what exactly creates the image on your screen, and High Definition means exactly what it says: how high the definition can go.
   • CRT is the old technology likely found in your regular TVs at home. These represent the original big screens. Big, bulky, sometimes not the best viewing from odd angles, but the selling factor behind it is price. These will be significantly cheaper, but you pay for what you get. DLP and LCD are more expensive, but overall better options.
   • The differences between a DLP and LCD television are once again mainly price. At extreme viewing angles, DLP tends to get dimmer, but the quality of the picture is excellent. The only downside to DLP and LCD is that bulbs burn out and are expensive to replace, which adds additional cost.
   • Finally, high definition options are available for all three. However, getting a non-high-def TV will be much cheaper, and once again it depends on what you want. Regular DVD quality will still look good, but HD will look amazing on a high-def TV. The only issue is that HD is still not a standard, but in the long run it is a very smart purchase as we see everything begin to be shot in High Definition.

There are many options you need to consider when buying a big screen TV, and most come down to price. In the long run, even though certain aspects of expensive TVs are not standard, they will be in the future. If you have the money to spare, buying an HDTV will definitely be worth it, and you will begin to receive the advantage as we make the move from DVD format to HD-DVD. Shop around, look for quality, but overall pick the one that you think fits your budget and is right for you.