A guide to buying a TV

Choosing a TV nowadays is not that simple as there are many varieties and models to choose from. Choosing good TV deals admittedly should form part of the buying process, though equally important is finding a unit that would match your budget, needs, and preferences.

Things that you will need

1) DVD players 2) VCRs 3) televisions 4) measuring tapes 5) consumer reports

Steps to buying a TV

1) Determine your budget. 2) Decide on what type of TV you are going to get. There are generally seven basic types of television, namely TV/VCR combinations, mini-TVs, SDTVs, HDTVs, flat panel, projection, and direct-view. 3) Know that direct-view TVs are considered as standards in the television world. 4) Understand that the images seen on a projection TV can range from 41 to 300 inches. These TV sets provide cinema sound and picture quality and can be used as a centrepiece in a home-theatre system. 5) Realise that flat panel TVs are made to be hung on walls. These sets are truly space savers, but are generally very costly. 6) Understand that HDTVs utilise digital broadcasting signals and offer superior sound and picture quality. These are not cheap TVs. HDTVs require the use of at least an antenna. If you are going to be using a satellite system, make sure that it is compatible with HDTV. 7) Know that SDTV is a combination of an HDTV and a conventional television set. Some come with a component video input that can be hooked up to a set-top box or digital TV decoder/receiver. 8) Realise that mini-TVs come with a small screen that measures 2 to 4 inches. These TV sets can be operated by using either a plug-in adapter or AA batteries. They are highly portable, though sunlight can affect their picture quality. 9) Know that TV/VCR combination sets are generally TVs that come with a built-in VCR. 10) Take into account the screen size. A TV’s screens size is measured diagonally and can range from 2 inches to 20 feet. To know the ideal screen size for your room, first know where you will place the TV set, then determine how far away in inches you will be sitting from it. Multiply that figure by 0.4. 11) Consider picture quality. Inquire if the TV set that you are eyeing comes with a dark tint screen, which can add picture contrast, making images look brighter. 12) Take into account sound quality. Most people prefer stereo over mono. Consider getting a MTS recorder though, as these sets offer true stereo quality. If you plan to link your TV to a home theatre or audio system, your television unit needs to be stereo.