How To Choose The Right Television For You

Step 1: What size?

Size matters - but it's not always the bigger the better. Todays TVs range from intimate table-top models, to wall-sized giants. Think about the type of viewing the TV will be used for. Is it a bedroom set, for night time viewing? If so, does it really need to be able to produce more light than the sun and produce the same number of decibels as Jumbo Jet?

If it is going to be the centre-piece of a home cinema system, make sure you are aware how much room you have. This is not just the room required for the TV itself. Also consider where you will be sitting. What is the use of a 60 inch screen if you'll be sat 3 feet away. As a general rule, try to ensure the distance between the screen and your main seating area is between 1 and a 1/2 to 3 times the width of your screen. So if you have a 32 inch screen then you should be between 48 and 96 inches away- that's 4 to 8 feet.

Step 2: Flat Panel Screens

The modern front room is currently the domain of the flat panel screen. For those who can afford them, these sleek yet often massive screens provide the ultimate home theatre experience, while wallmounting a flat panel allows a living room to enjoy a bigger screen than was ever possible before.

Another advantage of new flat panel models is that most of them are equipped to deal with HD television signals.

There are 2 types of flat panel screens:
Plasma screens
& LCD screens

Step 3: Plasma

The pictures on a plasma screen are formed by an array of tiny gas cells in the screen that glow in different colours to make up the on screen image.

Plasma screens can come in huge sizes, but due to the way they operate, this can also lead to huge energy bills.
Also, despite their sleek appearance, these models can be very heavy, making them difficult to transport and install. To get the best out of a plasma screen, you will really need a digital television signal. Conventional analog TV signals can look infuriatingly poor on these expensive sets.

Step 4: LCD

LCD stands for liquid crystal display. Images on the screen are made by light being shone through a matrix of tiny liquid crystals.

One advantage of LCD TVs is the fact that, even though they do come in large sizes, they are also available in smaller sizes. LCD technology uses much less electricity than similar sized plasma TVs. Again LCDs perform best with a digital signal. One problem that is experienced on many LCD screens is poor performance when showing images that have a lot of black in them. When choosing an LCD screen, ask about the set's contrast ratio as this gives you an idea about how well it handles colours. LCD screens often look brighter than plasma screens.

Step 5: Rear-projection

For a huge screen at a relatively cheap price rear projection TVs could well be the models for you. These models have the image reflected on to the back of the screen via a mirror in the back of the set. Rear-projection televisions can also offer the best dark images, as they have less of the problems with showing black associated with LCD and Plasma.

However, these models often have duller colours than plasma and LCD, and obviously take up more room due to the technology within the set. These models only tend to come with large screen sizes.

Step 6: CRT

Cathode Ray Tubes, or CRT TVs, are the conventional televisions we all grew up with. They are cheaper than the newer varieties, and still have a lot to commend them to the consumer. The picture quality can be excellent, they last longer than other technologies and perform well with an analogue signal.

On the other hand, the bulkiness of CRT sets means that they are only practical up to a certain screen size, and they don't look quite as trendy at the centre of a modern home cinema system.

Step 7: Widescreen

Widescreen TVs show pictures in a 16:9 ratio like a cinema s