Television Buying Guide

This helpful independant guide will go through the diffferent options and help you decide which are best for you.

What size screen?

The first thing to think about is what space is available, 15 inch - 26 inch screens are a great size for kitchens and bedrooms where watching the television is not the main function of the room. This size is great, as you will be able to catch up with the soaps while you cook the dinner or watch a DVD while you snuggle under the covers in your bedroom. 32+ inch screens are a great size for your living room space where you will use the television most, for gaming, DVDs and watching television programmes. If you want to recreate a great cinematic experience in your own home, screens that are 37 inches - 50 inches are a great way to bring the movies you love to life.

The second thing to think about though is how far away you will be sitting from the screen when you are watching the television, as you will not feel the benefit of a 40 inch screen if you are sat on top of it! But even large screens do not need to take up all your room, most modern television designs are much slimmer, making them ideal to be wall mounted, giving you greater options and even more space.

What type of television? LCD or Plasma?

The biggest choice available when buying a new television is whether to buy LCD or plasma, each has benefits and it really depends on what you are using the screen for and where you will be using it.

Liquid Crystal Display or LCD backlight technology means that images are brighter than a normal screen, this makes them ideal to be used in well lit rooms. This type of technology is suitable for any size screen. This makes LCD televisions great for any room and for any type of use.

Plasma screens light each pixel individually, which allows for a faster response leading to a better performance on fast moving images. They give higher contrast which improves the detail on darker scenes. This type of technology is typically good on larger (37+ inches) screens so would be great for home cinema entertainment. This type of screen would give greater detail to gamers, sports fans and movie fans.

Do I need to go Digital?

Between 2008 and 2012 every region in the country is switching over to digital television, which means that you will need a television that is capable of receiving a digital signal, either through a set top box or through an integrated tuner. You then will receive the normal channels as well as more programmes offered by the freeview service. Digital television offers improved picture and sound quality as well as interactive features.

What other options are available?

There are other options available when buying a new television here is a brief explaination of each one and a summary of what you need.

Resolution - This shows the number of pixels that make up the image. The higher the resolution the more detail that can be displayed. Often shown using numbers, (1024x768) the higher the numbers the more detail in the picture.

Contrast - This shows how well the television displays bright whites and dark blacks. Often shown as numbers (400:1) A high contrast means greater detail in bright or dark scenes.

Brightness - This measures the illumintaion provided by the screen. In very light rooms you would want a television with high brightness. Brightness is measured in candela per square metre or (cd/m²).

HDMI - High-Definition Multimedia Interface, carries high quality picture and sound for high definition television. A new version of SCART for digital televisions.

SCART - This is the older version of HDMI, but is still used as this is a way of connecting audio-video equipment such as televisions, DVD players, and video game consoles.

Digital - This shows whether a television has an integrated digital tuner which allows you to view digital television channels.

HD - High Definition capable televisions will be able to display high definition pictures. When a television programme is filmed in High Definition (HD) you will be able to see a sharper image and more realistic colours when viewed on a HD television. This enhances the viewing experience.  

Other things to consider when buying a television is the weight and dimensions. The height, width and depth of the television might affect where you will put the television, and if you have an exisiting television stand, a heavier machine might not be stable on it. Some televisions come with a matching stand.