Buyers Guides > Home Cinema

Frequently Asked Questions When Buying a Plasma Television

How long will my Plasma TV last?

Manufacturers are quoting 30,000 hours plus so anywhere between 10 & 25 years, dependent on your daily hourly use.

Do I need a tuner box for my Plasma or LCD TV Screen?

Only if you do not have a Digital connection i.e. one of the following:
• Sky
• Cable or Digital Set top box
• Freeview Box

Would you recommend buying a Plasma TV with speakers?

The answer to this very much depends on where you are positioning, what room size & what you are using your screen for, ie If you are like the majority of people and are investing in a home cinema for say your living room, then side speakers, we believe, can be an unnecessary expense as you will receive a better quality of sound through your surround sound system even when watching TV programmes as the dialogue comes through the center speaker which is usually placed under your screen. If however the Plasma TV is being used in say a smaller room i.e. a bedroom / guest room or you simply require no surround sound then side speakers are a good option.

Is it ok to mount my Plasma or LCD TV above a fireplace?

Freeing up a corner of a room, is just one of the many benefits of wall mounting a flat screen TV and above a fireplace is starting to become a preferred mounting place in homes today.
We would not advise against fixing your TV above any fireplace as many of our customers have and are, we would however, if you are unsure, suggest having the type of fire, flue & structure checked for suitability before Installation.

Can I install my Plasma or LCD TV screen myself?

The answer to this is simple, yes you can and it’s not rocket science! However, this equipment requires careful handling and also connecting the right cables in the right place is extremely important if you want to achieve the full potential and optimum picture quality from your screen / system.

For complete peace of mind, we do therefore recommend our Installation Service which is carried out by our own highly trained & experienced engineers. Please see our installation section for more details.

Is it best to hide the cables from the TV and what is the best way to do this?

If you are wall mounting your TV then we would recommend concealing the control cables, simply as you have just invested in a fabulous system and don’t really want any cables on display, only your nice new screen.

Concealing cables can be done either before the installation or after and we would recommend employing a local builder who can advise you on the best solution for this.

At what height would you recommend I mount my screen & which is best a Tilt or Flat wall mounting bracket?

This obviously depends on where you are positioning and what size the room is. The flat wall bracket is more popular as this also enables the screen to fit closer to the wall which also looks neater. The tilt bracket is generally used when a screen has to be fitted at a higher level, maybe where a there is a high fireplace, in a narrow room or conversely in a very large room or maybe in some cases where direct overhead lighting is intrusive.

If you are unsure please e-mail us for further details

I have heard that you have to re-gas plasma screens is this true?

No this is a myth; you will never have to re-gas a plasma or lcd screen.

What sort of warranty do I get when I purchase a Plasma or LCD TV or Home Cinema System?

Your screen and Home Cinema surround sound is covered by the standard manufacturer’s warranty.

Can I extend the manufacturers warranty?

Yes, this can be upgraded for anywhere between 1 to 3 years. So you can add this from purchase day i.e. if you take out a 3 year extended warranty then this starts from day one and is valid for 3 years. This is purely a personal choice and bt International offers a wide range of extended warranties, we believe these would be particularly useful for commercial purchasers.

Can I connect my computer to a Plasma or LCD TV?

Yes, infact, this is one of the many benefits of plasma and lcd technology in that your screen can become a large display monitor by making a simple VGA connection and is great for play station, or surfing the web.

What is the best way to clean my Plasma or LCD TV?

We recommend using a professional cleaning fluid and cloth

Will my wall support my new screen?

With correct installation most walls will support you new screen, if however you are mounting onto a plaster board cavity wall, then this will require a survey and in some cases may require reinforcing.
What is the main benefit of choosing a Home Cinema Package with surround sound separates rather than a less expensive all in one box solution?

Quite simply, the whole sound quality experience and you do not have to be an Audiophile to appreciate the tremendous Home Cinema Surround Sound that separates can produce please see our audio equipment section.

What sort of cables will I need to buy to connect my Plasma or LCD TV & Home Cinema System up?
Firstly, we would recommend that in order to achieve the very best from your system, cables are considered as an important and integral part of your system.

Some Plasma/LCD TVs come complete with Scart connection cables, the majority however, require cables to be purchased separately and so you will need either BNC to Scart, Phono to Scart Phono to Phono etc and your Home Cinema System (apart from all in one box systems) will require various audio & video interconnects & sub woofer cables.

Please read our cables advice section

What is more important to consider when deciding on what type of Plasma or LCD TV to buy, contrast ratio or resolution?

They are both important factors, although it is a combination (amongst other things) of both which determine the picture quality. For example, higher resolution screens are ideal when displaying computer fed images i.e. Excel spreadsheet or maybe CAD documents, however a Plasma TV showing a movie on DVD & video may not need the higher resolution.

I have heard that Plasma Screens can suffer from Image Burn, is this true and how can it be prevented?

Yes, plasma screens are susceptible to image retention, which can occur if the same image is displayed continuously for a long duration. The most common causes are icons or logos. The best way to prevent this is to avoid displaying static images for long durations; also most plasma screens now have what’s called white screen option or pixel orbiter to counteract this.

Do your Installation teams carry all accessories & cables?
Yes, our teams carry all cables, components & accessories with them so should you require anything additional or if you decide to change something, we can in most cases accommodate your needs on the day.

Do you recommend taking out Insurance cover for my Plasma or LCD TV?

Yes, we recommend you speak with your household contents insurers.

Is it safe to use my credit card on your site?
bt International use HSBC for all online payments. We guarantee every transaction to be safe & secure.

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