Part One
Resident in my “draft” emails is an ever evolving laundry list of suggested function and features for which one should look when purchasing a new television. Although the electronics industry would like for you to believe this process has become easier over the past few years, this assertion is simply not true. The answer to your best TV selection quest resides in your answers to a series of evaluation steps. Let’s begin…
Steps:
- Write down your budget range for purchasing this television. Put it into your pocket, we will revisit this later.
- Define the ambient lighting conditions of the room in which you wish to place the set. Can this light be controlled?
- Let’s turn our attention to some geometry – How big of a set do you want? And, do you have the appropriate room to house this new set. There are several mathematical formulas we use when uncovering these answers, but it will ultimately come down to your preferences.
- What do you enjoy watching – broadcast television, movies, sports, and/or mix? What is the primary media source – satellite, cable, and their respective HD capabilities? Built-in ATSC / QAM / NTSC tuners are standard. I am also a fan of CableCards, but find this feature harder and harder to find.
- Have you explored “what’s out there,” what new entertainment options are available – 3D, AppleTV, Wii, GoogleTV, Internet, and more!?
- Answer to steps 4 & 5 above drives determining what sources will “feed’ your new television – satellite, cable, respective HD of the before two mentioned, computer, DVDs, gaming, etc. Answers to these questions will drive the required number of input type connections such as HDMI, DVI, VGA, component, Ethernet, and more.
- to be continued…
Visit us tomorrow for the conclusion of our 12 Step TV Buying Guide.
Tags: Buying Guides, HDTV
Strange, but the numbers are cut in half on my computer screen. Just a FYI