ByUser:Kristenmollica @timeAndDate(1285014951)
Today is a sad day. Your old clunker tube television has passed on to TV heaven to join those wonderful blackwhite boob tubes in the sky. But don't fret! You have been given permission to finally upgrade to an HDTV, possibly even a 3D TV! You feel like a kid in a candy store...but you're not sure what to look for. What features are important and which are just a waste of money? Before you go running off with a $2,000 piece of machinery you'll never know how to use, take a few minutes to learn what you need to know about upgrading.
Types of TVs
'''Burnknow/'>CNET.com for more information.
!
Screen Size
Features to Ignore
Before I get into things you ''should'' be looking for, let's take a quick look at a bunch of mumbo-jumbo specs that don't mean squat when it comes to purchase time. Learn to '''ignore''' these:
* '''Refresh Rate''': This refers to the number of times a still image is refreshed on the screenit has to do with the blur motion of LCD screens I mentioned earlier. However, the human eye can't even see the difference between these refresh rates. Therefore, these numbers aren't important enough to factor into your decision.
* '''Resolution''': Almost every single TV now has a resolution of 1080p. Smaller screens and cheaper plasmas will offer 720p and there's nothing wrong with that. Again, it's hard to see the difference.
* '''Contrast Ratio''': The ratio tells the difference between the brightest white and the darkest black. While this is very important in determining the quality of the TV, there is no standard way of measuring it. Therefore, the numbers don't really mean much.
* '''Viewing Angle''': We already talked about how LCD and LED screens don't have the best viewing angle, so don't bother listening to what the manufacturer claims about having "better viewing angles than other brands." You want a perfect viewing angle? Buy a plasma.
Features to Consider
Brands
Accessories
Your master media den is almost set up. You have a clear idea about which TV to get, but you still need a few extras before this epic room is finished. Uprgraders will need these items:
