Like many of you, when I first heard the buzz about flat-screen TVs, I scratched my head, “Isn’t my TV already flat?” Even when I saw them, I wasn’t that impressed, “Oh, you mean, thin-screen TVs.” However, now that the Joneses have one, you need one too. So here’s what you need to know going forward.

There are two kinds of flat-screen TVs: plasma and LCD. I won’t bore with details of what exactly the differences are between the two technologies, partly because I don’t know, but mostly because you don’t care. What’s more important is knowing which is more appropriate for your couch-potato lifestyle. First, what’s not different: price. Generally, for the same sized TV, a plasma or LCD TV will lighten the load in your wallet by a slightly higher amount - up to a degree. If you’re after a much larger monster-sized TV, then the LCD screens will get a bit pricier.

The biggest difference between the two is their contrast, particularly dark or dimly lit scenes. LCD screens tend to have lower contrast (which, in turn, means lower picture quality) than their plasma counterparts. Of course, cheaper plasma screens will also have poorer contrast than their more expensive brethren. For this reason, you might want to bring your own viewing material to the store to test any flat-screens you’re considering. Keep an eye on those dark scenes. Are they watchable?

The one downside to plasma TVs is burn-in, that is when a static image on your TV leaves a permanently burned image on its screen. This tends to be less of a problem with newer (and more expensive) models, but you might want to check out customer reviews before purchasing just to make sure. LCD screens, on the other hand, never get burn-in.

Check its inputs. Make sure it has ample HDMI inputs. Even if you haven’t made the leap to Hi-Def programming, now that you have your new flat-screen, you probably will, so make sure your TV has the inputs to handle it. All that said, you’re probably still pretty analog. You probably own a few DVDs, maybe even some VHS tapes? For as newfangled as they are, some flat-screens can’t display older programming, so make sure it also has the inputs to handle older technologies if there’s any chance you may be using them. And if you can, try them out on the TV before purchasing. Don’t sign-up for cable unless you’re sure that old-fashioned cable signal displays on your brand spanking new flat-screen TV.

Finally, for the best prices, check out your local discount electronics store. Best Buy is always a good bet, so is CompUSA. Of course, if you do all your research, and you know exactly what you want, Amazon has some of the lowest prices around.

***Picture by: Plan 59***

This entry was posted on Monday, April 14th, 2008 at 9:30 pm and is filed under This Place is a Dump. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.