Buying a TV may require crash course in terminology
By Edward C. Baig
USA Today
Buying a digital TV is complicated because there are many factors to consider.
You have to wrestle with space constraints, screen sizes and, of course, budget. Nowadays, you also need a crash course in the various TV types and geeky terminology.
If you live in cramped quarters or are short on money, an old-fashioned tube-type TV might be all you can afford. Fortunately, today's models permit you to enlist in the digital revolution. If you've got more money and room, you may lust after a skinny plasma TV to mount on a wall.
Just because a TV earns the digital distinction doesn't mean it can display stunning high-definition images. The reason is that the digital standard allows lower-quality signals. If you want HDTV, you'd best "ask" for HDTV.
Even with the proper TV, there is no guarantee you'll be able to watch your favorite shows in HDTV, though strides are being made. Cable operators are embracing the format and more HDTV programs are on the air. You'll still likely be watching a lot of conventional TV, so have the retailer show you "analog" content on sets you are considering (along with HDTV and DVDs). Analog TV can look pretty funky on some digital televisions. Take time to stare at the set in the store because you'll be staring at it a lot if you buy it.
Understanding the distinction between flat-panel TVs and flat-screen models is key in balancing budget versus style. Flat-panel TVs refer to svelte plasma or liquid crystal display (LCD) types, while flat-screen or flat-tube sets resemble old-style TVs that have flat (as opposed to curvy) pieces of glass covering their screens. There is nothing flat about the backs of these ultraheavy TVs, which jut out like a pot belly.
For a certain crowd, plasma is the be-all. "Most people who have plenty of space and plenty of money are going to buy plasmas because they're sexy," says Dennis Hartwick, an in-home audio/video specialist at Harvey Electronics in New York. But Hartwick says tube sets of the type you grew up with provide the brightest pictures and may be the best choice for cost-conscious buyers.
Here are the various options:
HDTV on the cheap. These tube sets provide superb pictures and viewing angles and are an excellent choice if you are sitting close by. You can find a few good models for less than $1,000. Recommended: A widescreen model, which mimics a movie screen in proportion, versus the traditional squarish TV set. Zenith and Panasonic sell 34-inch wide-screens for about $2,000. Biggest drawbacks to tubes: relatively small screens, large cabinets and bulk.
Project this. If you require a larger screen — from 40 inches to 80 inches — a rear projection set provides a fine picture and decent value. But they can be as big as a defensive lineman.
Some newer rear-projection TVs incorporate LCD technology (though in a different way than the flat-panel LCDs) to eliminate heft. Panasonic sells a 50-inch rear-projection LCD for $3,000, a third of the cost of its 50-inch plasma. It's about four times thicker than the four-inch-thick plasma, but smaller than a tube-based rear projection.
Some TVs from LG, Mitsubishi, RCA and Samsung make use of a Texas Instruments technology known as digital light processing, or DLP. Others exploit a scheme known as liquid crystal on silicon. LCOS TVs are generally lighter than conventional projection TVs. Philips' not-terribly-deep 55-inch LCOS-based Cineos model goes for $4,199.
Flat is where it's at. Flat-panel LCD TVs boast screens similar to those found on laptops. Their pictures, while lovely, don't generally measure up to a tube TV. The quality is getting better, and the sets can represent a fine choice if you are constrained by space. Some are as thin as 3 inches. They are comparatively lightweight and skinny, with screen sizes generally ranging from about 12 inches to more than 40. A new 42-inch integrated high-definition flat-panel LCD from Sony is due next month for the not-so-thin price of $7,999.
But dazzling plasmas are most in vogue. In terms of screen size, they generally pick up where LCDs top off, from about 40 inches skyward. Plasma can be less than four inches thick, and the screens deliver vibrant color pictures that are constantly improving, though contrast levels don't match tubes. Some models are noisy and don't perform well at high altitudes.
