Thursday, September 24, 2009

Buying a Full HD TV Considerations

By Hermione Cook

It's more than likely that you have seen the hundreds of HD TV adverts scattered all over the papers, on TV and on the Internet. The problem is however that not all high definition TV is Full HD TV. There are hundreds of TV models out there which offer a higher definition picture quality which is not actually up to high definition quality standards, and will not give you the experience you wanted if for example you wanted to watch a Blu Ray DVD. By ensuring you are buying a Full HD TV you will be getting the best viewing experience possible from HD TV.

You have choice of LCD or Plasma when buying a Full HD TV both types are available in 1080p or 1080i. This in itself can be confusing and the choice of specifications can soon become overwhelming. A 42 inch TV size is probably the most common size of television as they are suitable for most living rooms and other larger rooms. Cost obviously comes into it but with the price of HD TV decreasing all the take time to consider your options.

When you first come to look at Full HD TV one of the first choices you have is between LCD and Plasma. Full HD Plasma is by far the most vibrant, and while it does have a shorter life span, this is still a massive 60,000 hours of constant viewing. Plasma technology has shot forward in leaps and bounds, and problems such as pixel burns have been eradicated with idle screen detection technology, which will bring up a screen saver or scan the screen with white lines if a static image is left on screen for too long!

The more common HD TV type is Full HD LCD TV. This full high definition television has a crisp clear image and suffers few of the problems of the Plasma HD TV. While the colours of LCD are not quite as vibrant as Plasma LCD TV has a higher refresh rate and longer lifespan. This makes it ideal for people who have a games console attached to their Full HD TV. Due to current advances LCD HD TV is generally slightly cheaper, making it a great option for anyone on a budget!

A HD TV converter is not all they are made out to be. The converter is capable transforming a high definition signal and outputting a signal that can be displayed on an old analogue television set. It can also work in reverse by taking an analogue signal and converting it as an output for a HD TV, the picture quality may be improved by the features of your Full HD TV set but at the end of the day it is still an analogue signal.

As mentioned in the first paragraph, not all TVs advertised as HD are actually HD. If you are looking for a true Full HD TV then you will have to look carefully at the specifications. Be careful for TVs which have the 720p standard, this is often sold as HD Ready, and while it provides higher viewing quality, it is not True HD. 720p is designed more for Laptops and PCs and is more than suitable for the screen sizes associated with these. For Large HD TVs though you will notice the difference.

When you are buying your Full HD TV you should be looking for the 1080i or 1080p standards. 1080i gives a native resolution of 1280-1080 which is full HD standard. 1080p gives a resolution of 1920-1080 for a much sharper, clearer image. The choice you make often comes down to price. 1080p is much more expensive, and can sometimes be out of the price range of those on a budget. Fortunately 1080i gives a great quality image, and is generally more than enough for anyone!

All in all buying a Full HD TV is not quite as hard as it first appears. If you are looking for the best TV quality, the best gaming performance, or simply a better quality viewing experience that won't break the bank, your options are pretty clear. Full high definition television is available to everyone, no matter what your budget, and I hope this guide helps you find the right Full HD TV for your needs!

About the Author:

No comments: