When common folk are presented with a flat screen TV buying guide, they usually get turned off because they get bombarded with a lot of techie talk and jargon that usually just fly past their heads without them really understanding they have just read. They get lectured on NTSC, scaling, and video frame rates, among other concepts that they end up usually tuning out or just going ahead to the nearest appliance store and get sweet-talked by sales people.
This buying guide hopes to cut through the chase and bring forward three important points TV shoppers really need to consider, but usually forget because of they get lost in all the hi-tech talk. So, without further ado, here are three practical points for flat screen TV shoppers to remember:
A location for your flat screen TV should first be determined
Because flat screen TV sets are very thin, most people think that finding a location for them would be easy. But then, finding a place to put them would be a challenge for houses that do not have wide spaces or surfaces. If there is no table wide enough to support the base of the set, then a wall wide enough to support the entire backside of the unit should be present so that it could be mounted on it. Please take note that it is preferred for the wall space to accommodate not just the area of the wall mounting, but the entire backside surface of the unit. Without the proper support, the area without anything on its back might get bumped into or hit on something, which may cause the unit to fall. Moreover, the area where the flat screen unit would be placed or mounted on should be away from direct sources of heat or moisture. The temptation to mount the unit on top of a fireplace or very close to a fountain may be strong because for aesthetic purposes, but then, it may compromise the performance and longevity of the TV set.
For the sake of connection and ventilation, at least an inch must be left on each side, top and bottom of the screen and the area where it will be mounted or placed. This flat screen TV buying guide recommends that the shopper should measure the area where he or she plans to place or mount the unit and bring along a tape measure when it is time to buy the unit so that the dimensions of different unit options can be measure properly.
Determine the native pixel resolution of the options available
Each LCD flat screen TV has a fixed number of pixels on the surface of its screen. The best quality units would have the highest native pixel count. For LCD flat screen TV sets that measure 23 inches and above, the native pixel resolution would be at least 720p or 1280 x 720 or 768p or 1366 x 768. These figures are the least a shopper should be looking for in his or her flat screen TV shopping. For units with larger screens measuring at least 40-inches, the native pixel resolution is expected to be at least 1080p or 1920 x 1080. This high native pixel resolution would show more detailed and amazing pictures, which is ideal for those with Blu-Ray disc players or those who want to enjoy HD programming.
See if the unit’s picture is clear at any viewing angle
The shopper should give the prospective units a test run by turning them on and looking at the pictures at different angles. The pictures a flat screen TV projects should be viewed from any angle, and should be good whether viewed from the side or straight ahead. There are currently models available that claim to have viewing angles as wide as 160 degrees or 80 degrees from someone standing directly at the middle of the screen. Of course, it is not expected that a viewer can still see pictures if he or she is directly at the side of the screen, but 80 degrees from the center of the screen of the great, especially if there is no glare or distortion of the picture quality.
However, if the image shown on a flat screen TV looks blurry or distorted within 45 degrees from either the left or the right side of the screen, then that unit may not be the best option, especially if the unit would be used by large groups that would usually be scattered in different parts of a room when watching something on the TV set.
Hopefully, these three items on this flat screen TV buying guide would remind shoppers of the more practical points when looking for this appliance.
Shaun Marshall is an avid gadget user. Exploring features on devices and trying out new technology is his life calling. If you find this article helpful, you can definitely use his guide to LED, LCD and plasma TVs.