Tech Guides

HardwareZone's HDTV Buying Guide Essentials

By Andy Sim, Ng Chong Seng & Vijay Anand - 11 Jun 2011

Introduction - Smart Buyers Plan Ahead

Deciding on the Right Screen

Need help with your next TV purchase? Truth is, television tech is evolving faster than you can say Moore's Law. Yes, gone are the days where a telly is essentially a telly and nothing more. Apart from skinnier iterations, newer flat-screen displays are also equipped with a multiplex of features such as embedded entertainment platforms and multimedia playback. Recent insertions of LED-backlit LCDs and 3D TVs have widened the HDTV spectrum as well. To add to the confusion, modern televisions are similarly plagued by a barrage of acronyms. What have we? HD-Ready, Full-HD, LCD, LED, 3D, WiFi, and not forgetting DLNA. Indeed, such specifications can be rather daunting to the uninitiated.

Anyone can mount a television on the wall. To purchase the appropriate TV, however, requires some basic insight on the different types of HDTVs available in the market. There are other things to consider as well, such as power efficiency and your room's structure. (Image source: Philips)

This is where our HDTV Buying Guide Basics come in - to prepare you for your next HDTV purchase, and to shed some light on those mystifying jargons. Before you grab that huge plasma screen priced at an alluring $999, why not spend a moment to peruse our guide first? We congratulate you on your AV wisdom if you're already a self-professed HDTV guru. However, if you know next to nothing about televisions, then this article is for you. There are various aspects to consider, such as the ideal TV size, the benefits or disadvantages associated with different TV technologies, and the features to look out for, before taking the plunge. Once equipped with the right knowledge, you'd have little reason to fear that shady telly salesman bent on confounding you. 

Bottom line is, YOU make the buying decision. So, hit the Next button or the jumps below to begin your educational quest.

- Standard-Definition Versus High-Definition
- 720p Versus 1080p
- LCD Versus Plasma
- Recent HDTV Trends
- Specs that You Need to be Aware Of
- Video Inputs on an HDTV
- Things to Look Out for at the Shop front
- Installation Considerations & Picture Settings Tweaks

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