Written by T.C. | Posted in Audio Video

When you look at all the brands of HDTVs out there, it’s actually really confusing. I get offers sent to me in my email from stores and online retailers that I’ve decided to get an e-newsletter from and it seems like the same size LCD HDTV can costs hundreds less at one place than another. So what’s the difference between these different HD televisions? I’ve nailed it down to one, key specification that you should always look at. This article will discuss that and give you some more tips about what else to look for and how to get the best price.

Size and Resolution

Before you start your search, you should get an idea of what size HDTV you are looking for. It doesn’t have to be one exact size but at least have a range. Think about the area where the TV will be viewed. Are the seating positions farther away from the TV or are they fairly close by? If farther away, then consider a larger size HDTV like 42″ or larger. I bought a 40″ for my living room in my condo. People usually sit about 10 feet away from it. That’s probably the upper limit for viewing size. My living room is not too large… although everyone seems to come to my place to watch big games.

If the HDTV is for a den or kitchen or bedroom, they you are most likely looking for a smaller size HDTV – like maybe 37″ or less. The 32″ size is what I’ve heard to be the cutoff for 720 versus 1080 for resolution. If it’s over 32″, then go for 1080p. Under 32″ and it doesn’t make much of a difference and that’s how they’re being made and sold.

Refresh Rate

You may see HDTVs advertised with rates of 240 Hz or 120 Hz. Is the higher rate better?

I have a 40″ Samsung from a while ago now and the refresh rate on it is only 60 Hz. I still love it. A friend of mine just got a 52″ Samsung with the 240 Hz refresh rate. Watching sports on that TV is amazing. It looks incredible. You can hardly take your eyes off the screen. Then we watched a movie and I hated it. Let me explain why.

It may sound strange but video is higher resolution than film. Film still looks good but it’s actually slower. The funny thing is that we’ve become accustomed to the look of film and we see the look of film as better quality even though it really isn’t. So when you see a movie on an HDTV with the 240 Hz refresh rate, it looks really clear and almost like it was shot with a video camera. So I could not get used to watching a movie on a 240 Hz HDTV and I didn’t like it.

I think a 120 Hz HDTV would probably be a happy medium. Ideally, I don’t know if they make such a TV bet being able to change the rate for like a “movie” or “sports” setting would be ideal.

Contrast Ratio – What is a Good Contrast Ratio?

I promised I’d tell you what the most important specification to look at was and here it is. The contrast ratio. A higher contrast ratio is better. This is where price comes into the picture, too. An HDTV set with a contrast ration of 1000:1 is a poor quality picture. There is not going to be a very big difference in the depth of color. Think about it this way, there’s a range of color but then there’s a range of depth of color. There’s red but how many shades of red will be displayed? You want as many shades of a color that you can get and that’s contrast ratio. High quality HDTVs will have high contrast ratios and deliver a better picture.

One sort of wrench thrown into the machine here with contrast ratios is dynamic contrast ratios. To me, that’s just the marketing people wanting a spec that has a really high number in it. If that is the spec you’re given, then make sure it’s over 1 million to 1 and that’s good. There will come a point where your eye is not going to be able to tell the difference in contrast.

Other HDTV Specifications

The next important specs will be color saturation and color accuracy. If you’re really geeky, then you can find out more about those with more research. For most people, the contrast ratio will tell them what quality the monitor can display and give them what they’re looking for.

Compare Brands and Pictures

The next thing to do to find the best HDTV and knowing what to look for is the picture quality. Your eye is going to be the judge here. Go to a few stores and look at the pictures on the different brands. Don’t go there to buy anything yet – just look.

In stores, the TVs are going to look smaller than how they would look in your living room. That’s why I first asked you to think about the size before going to look. If you go too big, then the image on the screen is going to be stretched pretty far and you can actually lose picture quality. My friend who has the 52″ went larger than that at first (60″ I think) and he didn’t like it and ended up going down to a 52″. The picture will be more concentrated on a smaller screen and look better. So bigger is not really better in this case.

For the best brand of HDTV, my preference is Samsung. It has an amazing picture. I know LG is also good. Your eyes will have to be the judge.

Purchasing an HDTV

You have some options when it comes to making the big purchase. You can buy online or at a store.

One thing to think about is how you’re going to transport the new HDTV if you buy it locally. Will the store deliver it or will you need to drive it home. The box is going to be a bit bigger than the TV, so it might not fit in your car or SUV or it might stick out. If it’s raining or something, then having it stick out is not good. Maybe you can borrow a truck from a friend. Most online retailers will have it delivered, which is one advantage.

When you know the one you want from looking at the store, then remember the model number. I just use my camera phone and take a picture of the model number on the price tag at the store, which also helps me remember the price for when I go home to shop.

You can get some really good deals online. If you’re not in a hurry, then I suggest getting on the e-newsletter lists of the main electronics retailers online. They’ll send you deals and it might just be on the exact model you’re looking at if you’re patient. That’s what happened with me. I had a model in mind and then got an offer for that exact HDTV with a PlayStation 3 for the price that it would have just cost me for the TV. So I think I scored a great deal that way.

Mounting Your HDTV

And to get the best viewing experience, make sure it is position in the right place in the room. This can easily be done with the use of a TV stand or by the use of LCD TV wall mounts. The wall mount can give a nice, professional and finished look to your room as well as put the HDTV in a place where everyone can easily see it – no matter where they are sitting. It also frees up floor space and keeps pets and small children away from your expensive TV.

Conclusion

If you do your research and are patient, you will not only get a great HDTV but you’ll also find the best price and really be happy with your purchase. For me people (like me) dropping $1000 on anything is not a small purchase. Know that your HDTV will last for years and years, so your research and patience will pay off – versus making the wrong decision and having to go get another one a year or so later. Have fun shopping!

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