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Understand the labels and Choosing the Right TV

Understand the labels

When you first caught a glimpse of DVD movies, chances are that you never went back to VHS again. Wait until you see high definition -- the difference is even more pronounced. The picture is more detailed and stable than anything you'll have seen on a TV, meaning another barrier has been lifted between you and the action. Like the best things in life though, you need to make an effort to get the best from high definition, and with bt Showrooms guide, you'll be well on your way

The most obvious pothole on the road to high definition is making sure your new TV is 'HD Ready' and therefore compatible with all upcoming technology. Thankfully, this is less of an issue now than it was back in 2005, because the majority of TVs are now badged HD Ready.

You should still check for the badge but most new TVs have now met the minimum criteria set below by the European Information & Communications Technology Industry Association (EICTA):

Choose the right TV

Making sure your new TV is HD Ready may be less of a challenge these days, but the choosing the right HDTV to meet your needs can still be tricky. With LCD, plasma and rear projection to choose from, your purchase will likely come down to one of three factors: size of screen, budget and usage. LCDs typically have the best picture but are limited by size, plasmas go large but are susceptible to screen burn, and rear-projection TVs are not very flat but have a cinematic picture quality. See our other guides for more in depth detail but the following is a brief but useful summary:

LCD televisions

Currently the most popular HD displays, LCD TVs are the logical replacement for the living room CRT (cathode-ray tube, the technology traditionally used in televisions). LCD panels are usually produced in 15-inch to 32-inch sizes, although 40-inch and even 65-inch models have reached the market. The old arguments against LCD are becoming irrelevant, with wide viewing angles, faster response times and better contrast with every successive generation. Many now also come with integrated free view tuners.

The Technology

Electricity is passed through millions of tiny liquid crystal molecules. This instructs the crystal to let varying amounts of fluorescent light through from the back of the screen. Red, green and blue filters are then controlled individually to create thousands of different colour levels.

The Pros

• LCD TVs do not suffer from burn-in, so you can leave the same image on screen for as long as you want
• If the backlight on an LCD fails, it can be replaced (although it may be more economical to buy a new TV)

The Cons

• LCDs typically have a lower contrast ratio than other HDTV’s, meaning blacks can appear grey
• LCDs also usually feature a lower response time, resulting in smearing during fast-moving action

Plasma televisions

Plasma TVs peaked in popularity in 2005 when a 42-inch plasma cost less than a 32-inch LCD. LCD has since caught up on price, but if your consideration is size, then plasma is still the obvious choice for a large flat screen. Picture quality is still up for debate though -- some prefer the warmer, more natural appearance of plasma, while others prefer the sharper and livelier colours of LCD. While this is a matter of preference, plasma has the problem of screen burn to contend with, where images left on screen can etch themselves into the panel.

The technology

A plasma screen uses a panel of three individual fluorescent lights for each pixel -- one red, one green and one blue. By varying the intensity of each colour, the display can produce the full range of colours.

The Pros

• Plasma TVs are large and relatively cheap. The most popular size is 42-inch, which can be found for around the same price as a 32-inch LCD
• The contrast range tends to be better on plasma, and have a slightly better viewing angle

The Cons

• Leave the same static image on a plasma for any length of time and it will burn permanently into the screen
• Plasmas aren't made in smaller sizes -- very few 32-inch models exist

Rear-projection televisions

Aside from the improved picture quality, the main reason for upgrading to a high-definition display is that it is flatter than a CRT and therefore uses much less space. In comparison, projection TVs lose some appeal due to their depth, although they are still shallower than CRTs and some can even be hung on the wall. Projection TVs offer a much more 'cinematic' picture than flat screens, with a high-contrast image that's much more similar to that of traditional CRT. They also usually offer the best 'pound per inch' conversion rate, meaning they are a more economical way of attaining a huge screen. The only problem is that projector bulbs need to be replaced after around 2,000 hours, meaning you incur more costs in the long run.

The technology

Most of the projection TVs have been based on the world-conquering DLP chipset from Texas Instruments. In the chipset, each pixel is a tiny mirror that moves between the 'on' and 'off' state to reflect light through the lens. A colour wheel then rotates to match the colours with the corresponding action of the mirror, at a rate quick enough to be indistinguishable to the eye. This image is then fired onto one or more mirrors before being displayed on a high-contrast screen.

The pros

• Projection TVs tend to produce a natural, filmic picture quality that's more suited to movies than a flat-panel display
• In terms of screen size and cost, projection TVs are a very economical way of getting a large-screen TV

The cons

• The bulb in the projector typically has to be replaced every 2,000 to 3,000 hours, often at a cost of £200 or more
• Rear-projection TVs are not flat, so cannot be hung on the wall (a couple of models excepted)

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