Full HD TV Buying Guide

With the recent explosion of HDTV, I’m sure you’ve heard of High Definition Television due to the bombardment of adverts on the TV and web. What you might not know is that not all HD TV is strictly Full HD TV. With a plethora of models available, for a true Full HD TV experience, be aware that not all TVs meet HD quality standards to allow you to get the maximum benefits of watching high definition broadcasts, Blu Ray DVDs. To be sure you know the facts about Full HD TV before buying a TV that will give you the highest viewing quality available from High Definition TV.

You have choice of LCD or Plasma when buying a Full HD TV both types are available in 1080p or 1080i. This in itself can be confusing and the choice of specifications can soon become overwhelming. A 42 inch TV size is probably the most common size of television as they are suitable for most living rooms and other larger rooms. Cost obviously comes into it but with the price of HD TV decreasing all the take time to consider your options.

When youre looking into investing in a Full HD TV you must decide between purchasing a Plasma or LCD television. By far the better quality of the two choices is Plasma, this is reflected in the higher price though. You can’t expect to get long a life out of a plasma display, but nowadays due to advances in plasma technology and manufacture this is no longer really an issue and the expected life time of a plasma display has been extended.

Full HD LCD TV is the most popular type of HDTV, LCD has higher refresh rates good picture quality but does not match the vivid colours produced with plasma sets. Another plus point with HD LCD TVs is that they are not susceptible to the screen burn or short life spans of plasma sets. Typically LCD HD TVs are less expensive than their plasma equivalents. The positives mentioned make LCD the more popular option meaning greater choice of models available.

For people who receive HD TV signals or want clearer quality from their existing reception a HD TV converter can be a great option, you can buy HD TV converters that work in two directions, the first can convert an old analogue signal and increase it’s quality, this is not always reliable but can help improve your HD TV Viewing without buying an expensive Full HD TV package. You can also buy HD TV converters that change a HD Signal to an analogue output for older TVs, this is actually reducing the image quality, and therefore your viewing.

As mentioned in the first paragraph, not all TVs advertised as HD are actually HD. If you are looking for a true Full HD TV then you will have to look carefully at the specifications. Be careful for TVs which have the 720p standard, this is often sold as HD Ready, and while it provides higher viewing quality, it is not True HD. 720p is designed more for Laptops and PCs and is more than suitable for the screen sizes associated with these. For Large HD TVs though you will notice the difference.

1080i has a native resolution of 1280 pixels by 1080 pixels and still meets full HD standards. 1080p is’20 pixels by 1080 pixels, but combined with the progressive scanning the viewing experience will be more pleasant to your eye. So if youre in the market for a Full HD TV, and you’re on a budget then the cheaper 1080i models will provide an adequate viewing experience, but if 1080p is in your price range then this is your only option.

All in all buying a Full HD TV is not quite as hard as it first appears. If you are looking for the best TV quality, the best gaming performance, or simply a better quality viewing experience that won’t break the bank, your options are pretty clear. Full high definition television is available to everyone, no matter what your budget, and I hope this guide helps you find the right Full HD TV for your needs!

Hermione Cook writes about led tv and hd television

Posted on 9 November '09, under Wine and Tech.