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Buying an HDTV: What You Need to Know
Introduction
Walk into your local electronics emporium and look at the wall of screens. It's a beautiful sight. All of the displays look so wonderful, but where do you start? What do you need to know to find your perfect high-def match? Purchasing your first HDTV can be a daunting task if you aren't armed with the proper information when you enter the carnivorous den of your local electronics superstore. There are a couple of areas I'd like to focus on in this guide. The first thing to consider is the type of TV, and which is best suited to your viewing environment. This consists of the physical space the TV will occupy and any devices you plan to use with it will weigh heavily on your decision. Also important are the features and specifications that a new TV can offer. Buzzwords like 1080p, contrast ratio, HDMI, and 120Hz will be thrown at you as soon as you strike up a dialogue with a salesperson (or as they stalk you up and down the aisles). With a little preparation, you can be an informed consumer with the power to overcome jargon-filled sales pitches and, in the end, make the right decision for you. Types of HDTVs Compared: 
Rear Projection (LCOS/DLP), LCD, Plasma, and ProjectorOne could write a novel about the history and differences between the various types of HD displays, but this is a beginner's guide, after all, so we won't go into too much detail. In a future article we'll go more in-depth on this subject. Perhaps the most obvious difference is the size of the whole package. Although they are getting smaller and smaller, rear-projection TV sets are still best suited to installation on the floor or a table. Plasma and LCD displays are thin and light enough to hang on the wall, which can look really slick, but you typically get a little more bang for your buck with rear projection sets. There have long been concerns about burn-in and life expectancy with Plasma and LCD, but most of those kinks have been worked out by now. It really comes down to what you like the most and what fits the best - both in your budget and at home. One last category of HD displays that doesn't get grouped into the above comparison is projectors. Although not the most common choice, a projector can have great benefits given the right situation. Most, if not all, require an extremely dark environment for a quality image to be projected. If you happen to have a dark room with a large open wall section (for the screen), a projector may work for you. There's nothing quite like 100 inches of HD goodness if you've got room for it. The below table is a generalization and is only meant to serve as a quick reference for the general pros and cons of each type of HDTV:
Potential Sources (HD cable / Dish, Game Consoles...) You'll probably see me refer back to this several times below. You must know what your current sources support if you want to get the most out of them with a new display. Check to see if they support HDMI, or Component, or both. Check the audio output capabilities. You should also think about devices you may hook up in the future. You don't want to buy a television with too few inputs to satisfy your gadget lust. [Kurtis: As an example, my sources include an HD cable box, Xbox 360, and a Playstation 3, and there's room for those and more to be plugged into the back of my DLP. Look for inputs on the front as well, in case you want to quickly hook up a camcorder or a friend's console. Consider whether you might ever want to plug a computer into the TV (home theater PC or big-screen
Page 1: Introduction, Types of HDTVs Compared, and Potential Sources
Page 2: Shopping Tip, Technical Specifications to Consider Page 3: Inputs, Outputs, and Special Features Page 4: Installation Concerns and Conclusion 
Related Articles Add Comment
1 User Comment 1 - Posted by
Rick
on November 28, 2008 - 8:04 am Nice article! Thanks for the information...
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