Buying Guide: HDTVs

If you are finally ready to say goodbye to your old family CRT TV, your next step should be to buy a good flat screen HDTV. The market is saturated with brands, and there is no better time than now to make this purchase. From cost-effective 25-inch LED TVs to gargantuan, wall sized monsters that cost the earth, the sky is the limit! So let's find out which one would be perfect for you.

Size
Although it may seem so, bigger is not always better when it comes to screen sizes. But then there are other things you have to take into consideration, such as space constraints. If you have a small home, there is no point in thinking of a 55-inch mega screen for your wall. So let’s be realistic and think about where you are going to place the TV; whether you will be wall-mounting it, placing it on a table, etc. Thus the size of your room largely determines what size of TV you really need.

Viewing distance
You have to be very particular about how close or far you are sitting while watching TV on your flat screen. Sit too close, and the images will get pixilated; too far, and you might not be able to see clearly. This happens especially with larger Full HD TVs. When you are buying a new TV, all you have to do is remember this simple formula: the viewing distance should be approximately ¼ of the screen size, except for the fact that viewing distance is in feet, and screen size is inches. So if you are buying a 32 inch LCD, you should sit about eight feet away. Also, be aware that LCD and LED TVs have a narrower viewing angles, so make sure you place the TV in such a way that people don’t have to crane their necks to watch it with you.

Price
Here’s the deal breaker – how much money do you really want to spend on a TV? Although prices have dropped considerably and cheaper brands are flocking the market, an HDTV is still a luxury for most people. It’s also a good idea to double-check what features are available on the TV, as some of them are unnecessary. If the technology is brand new, the manufacturer might add a huge chunk to the price. For instance, LG has recently launched the LX9500 Infinia Series of beautiful TVs which are loaded with all the latest technology; but the downside is that they cost as much as a small car. On the other hand, Mitashi has launched their own range of LCD and LED TVs called DIVIO , which are pretty cost effective.