How to Choose an HDTV

Increasingly, HDTV, or "High Definition Television" is becoming the standard of the broadcast industry. However if you are like many people who still have an older TV set, you might not understand what HDTV is or how to choose one. First of all, High Definition and Digital TV are not the same thing. All new TV sets made today receive digital signals as opposed to the older analog TV sets. Digital TV allows broadcasters to provide television with superior picture and sound quality. It also offers multiple programming choices and interactive capabilities. Since June 13, 2009, all full-power U.S. television stations have broadcast in digital format only. This has rendered older TV sets into expensive paperweights unless you purchased a digital converter box. So what is HDTV? High Definition (HDTV) has the highest quality picture resolution available in the digital market. Resolution describes the sharpness of the picture you are viewing. Digital Cable is broadcast in three resolutions: Standard, Enhanced, and High Resolution (which is what we are interested in). So to sum up, all High Definition TVs are digital, but not all digital TVs are High Definition.

Do you really need an HDTV? For the moment, it probably depends on how much TV you watch and what your financial situation is. HDTV sets are expensive, although prices are coming down all the time. Also, not all TV programming is available in High Definition yet, although every month, more and more of your favorite programs are being offered in HD. There is also an additional charge for HD service, but some cable companies will charge you this fee for HD whether you have an HDTV or not.

How do you choose an HDTV?

1.) First you need to be sure HD is being broadcast in your area. Having a fancy, expensive, new HDTV won't do you any good if HD isn't available in your area yet. Call your local cable company to learn about the choice of services they offer.

2.) Check out Consumer Reports, HD Guru, CNet, and other consumer electronics websites for the latest reviews and specs on HDTVs.

3.) There are two main types of HDTVs. Plasma and LCD (the newer "LED" units are actually still LCD). These are two competing technologies. The plasma units produce their pictures using pixel cells filled with rare gases like xenon or neon, whereas LCD's use cells filled with liquid crystals. The plasma units are known for their rich, warm colors and deep blacks. They are generally superior in almost every way to LCDs. However an LCD HDTV may be a good choice if you will be in a brightly lit room, as they do perform better in this regard than their plasma cousins.

4.) Test the Contrast Ratio of the screen. Vivid whites are easy to reproduce, but the blackest blacks are not. Cup your hand over the screen while a dark scene is being displayed. You may need to pause a show to do this. Now check to see if the black area is truly black or if it glows somewhat. The blacker it is, the better your HD experience will be. Plasma TVs are usually better at blacks than LCD's.

5.) Test how wide of an angle the TV can be viewed from. They all look good if you are watching dead center, but if you move to the left or right of the screen, does the picture fade quickly? Try to find an HDTV with the widest viewing angle possible. This is another area where plasma units are generally better.

6.) How is the picture quality? Are the details clear? Is tiny writing on the screen clear and legible? Can you see the individual hairs on people's heads? This is where it helps to compare several TV pictures side-by-side at a big box retail store.

7.) Motion Resolution is important for sports and action movies. Motion Resolution refers to how quickly the HDTV can process and display motion on the screen. If someone moves quickly across the screen, they should look just as sharp and clear as they did when they were standing still. This is yet another area where plasma units beat out slower LCDs.

8.) For best results, purchase an HDTV with full Dolby Digital Surround Sound and automatic switching between HDTV and SDTV.

9.) You can often get the best deals online, but visit your local retailer first to compare picture quality and other features.