As I said in my last segment, this month we’ll be talking 
TV’s.
Go into any Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, or just about anywhere and you’ll be bombarded with tons of different letters, numbers, and details that, unless you know what you’re doing, you will be lost. With the holidays just around the corner, you may be looking to get a TV for that special someone. Here’s how to shop.
First, let’s start with the easy part: HD, or High Definition. This is denoted by the number and letter combination, normally 1080P or 720P. What do these mean? Well, the first part, the number, denotes how many lines of pixels are on the screen. More lines obviously means better quality. Either 720 or 1080 is considered HD. There’s also 480, but that’s standard definition and is virtually nonexistent now.
After the number, there is a letter, either P or I. This denotes how the lines of pixels appear on the screen. P stands for Progressive, which means that all lines are displayed on screen at every given moment. I stands for Interlaced, which means that at any given moment, only half of the lines are on screen. While not totally noticeable, it does cause a slight motion blur where a Progressive does not.
Now that we got that done, let’s go through the types of TV’s there are. There are currently 4 types on the market: Plasma, LCD, LED (or LED-LCD), and 3D. Here’s the differences.
Plasma offer the deepest colors, especially black. However, these monsters consume a high level of power and tend to reflect light on their glass screens. If you’re looking for a TV to watch or play games in a dark or dim room, plasma is good.
Then there’s LCD. These tend to be standard and more affordable than other TV’s. And, in this case, cheaper is not necessarily a bad thing. They consume much less power than plasma, and, because most models are made with a matte screen, you can pretty much set it up anywhere and be able to see. We have an LCD and I have shined a flashlight right at the screen and we could still see the picture just fine. For the standard living room or bedroom or wherever, this is the way to go. And most 40” or bigger LCD’s won’t cost you more than $300-$400.
Lately, LED, or what was known as LED-LCD’s, have hit the market. These are still a little bit pricey, more than LCD’s, but they offer a few things. For one, they tend to be much thinner than LCD’s, some coming in under half an inch or thinner. They also use a little less power than LCD’s, so for those looking to save money on electric bills, this is a good way to go.
Finally, we hit the big monster, 3D TV. This technology is so new, it is still extremely expensive, with your basic TV’s starting at around $1500-$2000. And, on top of the TV, you will need to buy a pair or 3D glasses for each person to use (at around $120 a pair), plus you will need either a 3D Blu-Ray player or a PS3 (minimum price: $300). So, long story short, expect to spend upwards of $5000 to go 3D, which is basically an LED that has the picture jumping out at you.
Now, lastly, there’s another number to be considering. You’ll normally see a number like this: 60Hz, 120Hz, or even higher. All this means is how crisp the images look. But be careful. We use a 60Hz TV and like it, where a 120Hz makes the images all look like a soap opera. So, best advice, bring a movie you like to the store and have them try it out in the TV you’re interested in and see how it looks.
So, for the holidays or just whenever, which TV is a good choice? Well, my family uses the Toshiba Model 40RV525R, (pictured above) available factory-refurbished from Best Buy for $519.00. It offers 60HZ, 1080P picture, great sound, and a 40” screen. Video games look awesome on it, as well as movies. But that is our personal preference. Just look online, read reviews (very important, trust me), and then, after narrowing it down to 3 or 4 TV’s, go to the store, possibly armed with your favorite movie, and try them out. Go for something you like that won’t break your budget.
Next month, eReaders: are they replacing the paper book? We’ll find out.
TV’s.Go into any Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, or just about anywhere and you’ll be bombarded with tons of different letters, numbers, and details that, unless you know what you’re doing, you will be lost. With the holidays just around the corner, you may be looking to get a TV for that special someone. Here’s how to shop.
First, let’s start with the easy part: HD, or High Definition. This is denoted by the number and letter combination, normally 1080P or 720P. What do these mean? Well, the first part, the number, denotes how many lines of pixels are on the screen. More lines obviously means better quality. Either 720 or 1080 is considered HD. There’s also 480, but that’s standard definition and is virtually nonexistent now.
After the number, there is a letter, either P or I. This denotes how the lines of pixels appear on the screen. P stands for Progressive, which means that all lines are displayed on screen at every given moment. I stands for Interlaced, which means that at any given moment, only half of the lines are on screen. While not totally noticeable, it does cause a slight motion blur where a Progressive does not.
Now that we got that done, let’s go through the types of TV’s there are. There are currently 4 types on the market: Plasma, LCD, LED (or LED-LCD), and 3D. Here’s the differences.
Plasma offer the deepest colors, especially black. However, these monsters consume a high level of power and tend to reflect light on their glass screens. If you’re looking for a TV to watch or play games in a dark or dim room, plasma is good.
Then there’s LCD. These tend to be standard and more affordable than other TV’s. And, in this case, cheaper is not necessarily a bad thing. They consume much less power than plasma, and, because most models are made with a matte screen, you can pretty much set it up anywhere and be able to see. We have an LCD and I have shined a flashlight right at the screen and we could still see the picture just fine. For the standard living room or bedroom or wherever, this is the way to go. And most 40” or bigger LCD’s won’t cost you more than $300-$400.
Lately, LED, or what was known as LED-LCD’s, have hit the market. These are still a little bit pricey, more than LCD’s, but they offer a few things. For one, they tend to be much thinner than LCD’s, some coming in under half an inch or thinner. They also use a little less power than LCD’s, so for those looking to save money on electric bills, this is a good way to go.
Finally, we hit the big monster, 3D TV. This technology is so new, it is still extremely expensive, with your basic TV’s starting at around $1500-$2000. And, on top of the TV, you will need to buy a pair or 3D glasses for each person to use (at around $120 a pair), plus you will need either a 3D Blu-Ray player or a PS3 (minimum price: $300). So, long story short, expect to spend upwards of $5000 to go 3D, which is basically an LED that has the picture jumping out at you.
Now, lastly, there’s another number to be considering. You’ll normally see a number like this: 60Hz, 120Hz, or even higher. All this means is how crisp the images look. But be careful. We use a 60Hz TV and like it, where a 120Hz makes the images all look like a soap opera. So, best advice, bring a movie you like to the store and have them try it out in the TV you’re interested in and see how it looks.
So, for the holidays or just whenever, which TV is a good choice? Well, my family uses the Toshiba Model 40RV525R, (pictured above) available factory-refurbished from Best Buy for $519.00. It offers 60HZ, 1080P picture, great sound, and a 40” screen. Video games look awesome on it, as well as movies. But that is our personal preference. Just look online, read reviews (very important, trust me), and then, after narrowing it down to 3 or 4 TV’s, go to the store, possibly armed with your favorite movie, and try them out. Go for something you like that won’t break your budget.
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