How To Buy Guide - TV's Guide

Okay, now that you know the basics of resolution, let's talk about your other choices. This is where it gets fun. There are a lot of different options to choose from when it comes to your HDTV display – the biggest one being the display type.

HDTV Display Types

HDTVs are available in flat-panel and rear-projection units (they also come in the form of HD front projectors, but we'll focus on self-contained HDTVs in this guide).

If you want to save space, look at a flat-panel model. If price is a bigger concern, a rear-projection model will most likely give you the biggest screen for what you spend.

Here's the run-down:

LCD Flat Panel TVs – The new kids on the block. Due to recent price drops and increased availability, LCD TVs are quickly becoming the most popular HDTV format. They usually have very bright output and low-glare screens, which makes them great for bright rooms. Additionally, their sharp resolution, brilliant colors and uniform brightness makes them great for gaming and watching live TV. They also weigh less and use less power than plasma TVs.

Once upon a time, the most common problem with LCD TVs was their low contrast ratios – up until recently, they generally didn't display as deep blacks as plasma TVs (and even some DLP models), which made them worse at displaying movies and regular television programs. However, technology is always improving, and many LCD TVs are now coming close to the contrast ratio found in plasma TVs. Things will only keep getting better. If you're a sports fan, this would be a great display for you.

Plasma TVs – Remember when plasma TVs first came out? They cost $5,000+. They were known for having brightness problems and limited contrast. And let's not forget the "burn-in" effect, where lines displayed on the TV for a while would burn into the display and then appear whenever you turned it on (think of a video game with a power meter that's always on the screen, or the ticker at the bottom of a 24-hour news channel).

Looking at plasma TVs today, a lot's changed. Lately, you can get the largest of plasma displays for less than $2,000. Even though they're still not as bright as LCDs, most plasmas these days are bright enough for well-lit rooms, and usually produce deeper black tones than LCDs. Many new models have anti-burn-in features such as screensavers and pixel shift.

In a nutshell, because of their rich contrast, plasma TVs are best-suited for those who like to watch movies and television shows. A big-screen plasma TV will also likely cost less than an LCD of the same size. Though plasmas have made vast improvements, you need to consider what you plan to use it for, and be careful to take burn-in, room brightness, and power usage into account (as they do run hotter and use more power than LCDs).

DLP Rear Projection TVs – These are the big-screen TVs you see that aren't flat-panel. The advantage to them is that they offer very high contrast ratios and exceptional color saturation, and they cost a lot less than similar-sized LCD and plasma displays. They're great all-around TVs.

The biggest downside to DLP Rear Projection displays is, of course, their bulkiness. Consider the size of the room you want to put it in, and know your limits. Keep in mind, DLP's aren't as big as the big-screen TVs of days gone by...but if you're looking to hang your TV on the wall, a DLP display is not for you. If, on the other hand, you want the biggest display you can get your hands on (at a relatively-affordable price), check one of these out.

Ultimately, only you know which display will best suit your needs. Plasma & LCD TVs look cool, sure – but if you've got the space and don't feel like spending the extra bucks, a DLP Rear Projection model is a great alternative.

Other HDTV Features

Whew! We're past the confusing part. There are only a few more HDTV features to consider:

Connections – In general, the more connections your TV has, the better...but you also need to consider the type of connections. If you're upgrading to an HDTV, make sure to get a TV with HDMI connections. HDMI is the newest connection format, which allows you to transport high-bandwidth HD content (like that from an HD DVD or Blu-Ray player) to your display. There's no sense in having an HD display if you can't take full advantage of it, right? Aside from HDMI, the more connections you have, the more things you can connect to it (gaming consoles, DVD players, home theater systems...you can even connect your PC to some displays, if that's your thing).

Refresh Rate – If you plan on watching fast-paced action movies (or playing games), you'll want to play close attention to this. The refresh rate (or "response time" indicates how fast the display redraws the screen. The lower this number is, the better your video transitions and fast-paced visual scenes will look.

Cable Card – If your cable company supports Cable Card technology, look for an HDTV with a cable card slot. It won't cost you too much more, and will free up some space by letting you get rid of that annoying cable box. Even if you don't have cable now, it might be a good idea to go ahead and get a TV with a cable card slot if you think you might one day decide to switch to digital cable (just be sure and call your local cable company to be sure they support cable cards).

All things considered, we know it can be a bit scary shopping for a TV today, what with all the options out there. But if you've read through this guide, hopefully you'll be a little more informed when you're ready to buy that new TV. Speaking of which...

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