05 August 2009

Full HD TV Buying Considerations

By Hermione Cook

It's very probable that you have experienced many High Definition TV advertisements plastered all over magazines, internet and on TV. What you should realise is that not all HDTV is Full HD TV. There is a multitude of TV makes and models available which are capable of higher resolution pictures but are still not capable of Full HD Standards. These will not meet your desired expectations for example from BluRay DVDs. Before buying a TV make yourself aware of the facts to maximize your purchase and therefore your viewing experience.

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.

If you are already receive High Definition TV Broadcasts to achieve a better quality from your current signal then getting a HD TV converter can benefit your viewing experience. A converter can make an analogue television broadcast compatible with a HD capable TV and save you money upgrading. This also works the other way round by changing a HD TV broadcast to an analogue signal for your older TV set, but as the TV quality remains limited by the old television's capabilities.

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 1920 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.

Despite looking like a complicated affair, the decisions involved in buying a Full HD TV are quite simple. If you want the best viewing experience, a television to enhance your home gaming needs, and a set to do your Blu Ray DVDs justice. Then a full HD TV is the way to go, if you do your homework and choose wisely then you won't need a second mortgage either.

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