How to Shop For Televisions
In the past few years, there have been tremendous leaps in TV technology. Twenty years ago, TV shoppers had very few choices. These days, several TV technologies are competing with one another. This makes TV shopping all the more difficult. Each TV type has strengths and limitations based on the technology being used. Deciding what type of TV is right for you start with understanding the factors that affect a TV's performance.
Viewing range is an important factor, especially when shopping for a big-screen TV. The viewing angle represents the total area in front of the screen that the image can be seen without distortion. When it comes to viewing range, some TVs are better than others. This is based on the technology used to deliver the picture. For instance, because a plasma TV uses tiny lighted cells to produce the picture, if you are viewing these cells at an angle you will lose picture clarity. A traditional tube TV (CRT) uses a cathode ray to paint the screen with the picture. This method allows for a wide viewing angle.
Resolution is the number of pixels per square inch. Pixels are tiny, colored dots that combine to form the picture you see on the TV screen. The more pixels there are on the screen, the higher the resolution. The higher the resolution is, the better the picture quality.
Durability is a desirable trait in anything you buy. LCDs and CRT TVs are known for their long lives. On the other hand, plasma TVs and projection TVs have much shorter life spans despite their much larger price tag.
Price is an obvious factor when shopping for anything. In the world of TV shopping, price is stacked based on the size and type of television. The most important thing to remember when TV shopping is that the highest price does not necessarily mean you is going to get the best picture.
Screen size is an interesting limitation that affects all types of TV. The limits are set based on the practicality of implementing a particular type of technology for the screen size in question. Plasma TVs and projectors, on the other hand, really have no limit to screen size other than the price.
