Choosing an HDTV – Forewarned is Forearmed: Tips On How To Buy The Right One For Your Viewing Style

Pete Nelsen is an expert on tuning your expensive television and audio systems. I have asked him to write us a column on how to chose an HDTV. You are getting sound advice from a man who has no dog in the race. George Gombossy

 Does the very idea of strolling down the aisle of your local big box or department store walking pass row after row of brightly lit HDTVs excite or intimidate you?

Aside from different sizes and pricing, do most of the TVs look the same? And now there are 3D HDTVs along with special 3D capable Blu-ray players, 3D glasses and HDMI 1.4 to consider. If your eyes glaze over at the mere mention of 1080P and 240 Hz, you are not alone. No one would blame you if you felt a bit overwhelmed by all the technobabble.

While videophiles and other techie types love the technical stuff, most folks simply want to buy a HDTV and feel reasonably confident that they bought a good set at a fair price. If that describes you, then read on about some practical advice on buying your next HDTV.

Most people think of HDTVs as ‘plug and play’ devices, meaning plug ‘em in and select a TV channel or pop in a movie and you are good to go. While this is partially correct, today’s HDTVs are far more complicated than their analog ancestors and because there are several different technologies to choose from, picking out the right set for you takes a little more insight and informed decision making.

Shopping for an HDTV is very similar to finding the right type of footwear or car. It has to fit your needs and budget. The best dress shoe made of the finest materials that fits your feet perfectly is still not the proper shoe for hiking or running. A four wheel drive vehicle may be very practical and a good choice for someone who does a lot of winter driving, but it is not going to get the gas mileage of a sub-compact.

So how does this relate to picking out a TV? Depending on what you like to watch, where the new TV will be located, viewing positions, room lighting and time of day; one type of technology does not best fit all needs. For example, if you mostly watch sports during weekend afternoons in a sunlit room with lots of windows, a properly designed LCD flat panel may be the best choice. Conversely, if you are a movie lover and usually like to watch your favorite flicks in a dimly lit or dark room, choosing a plasma TV could be your best bet.

Despite the dominance of LCD flat panels in the market place, there are very good reasons for more careful consideration between specific LCD and plasma designs.

Let me explain why, by going back to the two examples cited above. Most LCDs have more light output than plasmas and some deal with reflected light better, but nearly all LCDs have a very limited viewing angle that noticeably degrades picture quality if you are off axis to the screen either vertically or horizontally.

This may not be an issue for casual viewing, but if an LCD is placed over a fireplace on a fixed mount that does not allow the TV to be angled down and/or turned to either side to face the viewing position, image quality will suffer. The darker areas of the image will lighten up and colors will look washed out or shifted to green or blue when viewed from far to the side.

 Most consumers do not notice this affect under the bright lights of a retail floor, but at home under more subdued lighting, it is readily apparent. This characteristic is decidedly worse on cheaper LCD designs and there are some designs that have less of this effect. Again, if you choose an LCD, viewing on-axis is a must to get the best picture quality possible.

All plasma TVs have an unlimited viewing angle so they can be placed and viewed from anywhere in the room without any change in picture quality. Two other advantages of plasma TVs are color and motion reproduction. Most reviewers and hobbyists prefer how plasmas reproduce colors (once properly adjusted) and how they look when playing content that has a lot of motion, particularly fast side to side movement. Despite various LCD motion technology (120 Hz and 240 Hz refresh rates), most plasmas make sports and movies look more natural than with LCD TVs, even those using LED backlighting.

However, there are some other downsides to plasmas. You can more easily see the reflected image of objects on a plasma glass screen, which can be problematic in a room with a lot of sunlight. This is a good point to address some myths and real issues about plasma displays; past and present. First, the myth that plasmas need to be recharged periodically is absolutely false, but you can still find some salespeople and consumers who perpetuate this myth. Secondly, some early plasma designs did have serious problems with image persistency and what is commonly called “burn-in”, where a ghost-like image remains on the screen. Today’s well-designed plasmas have virtually eliminated the problem by using pixel orbiter circuits and scrolling bar patterns that will remove any image retention before it can result in permanent burn-in.

So far I’ve discussed the basic differences between LCD and plasma HDTVs. Just as important for you as a consumer is understanding what you’ll encounter when you visit most showrooms. TV manufacturers purposely set up their TVs at the factory to compete under the lighting conditions of the typical retail environment and what they know will appeal to most consumers.

 Their goal is to produce an image that stands out and is literally eye catching. They do this by cranking up the contrast to make an overly bright picture and making colors artificially vivid while exaggerating the sharpness of images. The picture mode you’re viewing in the showroom is usually named Vivid, Dynamic or Store. All TVs have other picture modes (with names like Standard, Movie or Custom) that usually are a better match for more subdued lighting or evening viewing in the home.

By far the most challenging aspect of buying a HDTV is dealing with the misinformation found almost universally on the showroom floor that comes from two sources; dubious claims by manufacturers for performance measures like contrast ratio and what passes for technical knowledge by some unwitting salespeople. Don’t fall for the contrast ratio hype of several million to one that some TV makers claim.

 These and other figures can be very misleading and all too often salespeople (and consumers) latch on to these false specifications when comparing one model or brand to another. Bottom line, I don’t think anyone should set foot in a showroom until they have either taken the time to learn about what’s really important when selecting a TV or find someone (friend, reviewer, dealer or consultant) who is a trustworthy source that can help guide your HDTV selection process.

So, how do you find the right set for you without becoming a HDTV wonk? Reviews in credible print “video” magazines such as Home Theater and Widescreen Review (and their Internet-based counterparts such as hometheatermag.com and CNET) offer “Best Picks” based on honest performance assessments of HDTVs that will describe how a specific TV performs in its default factory picture mode and most importantly, how the TV can perform after being properly set-up and calibrated (fine-tuned) for a specific viewing situation.

The Perfect Vision section of  AVguide.com has a free downloadable buyer’s guide for flat panels and projectors that has several very good articles on buying tips and explanations of the different technologies and feature sets among HDTVs.

Last, but not least, the skinny on 3D.

The movie industry, broadcasters and TV manufacturers are mounting an all out marketing blitz to convince the public that 3D is the real deal.

I have spent considerable time viewing 3D images both at the local cinema and at various showrooms and all I can say is 3D is not for me. Despite all the considerable hype, this is a nascent technology that produces images that are less bright with colors that are not as accurate or naturally vibrant compared to well-designed 2D TVs.

 While the 3D imagery is novel, it is decidedly un-natural and seems most suited for movies using computer generated image animation. Unless you are an early adopter who has to have the latest and the greatest, I would not recommend investing in 3D TV now unless the set you are considering does everything else you want and performs well for the vast array of 2D content at a price you are willing to pay.

PS from George Gombossy

Many people get physically ill watching 3d – I am one of them. So make sure no one in your family falls into the 15 percent who get headaches or nausia from watching 3d.

Attuned Audio & Video Services

Broad Brook, CT 06016

pete@attunedservices.com

www.attunedservices.com

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