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1080p vs. 720p

Do you really need 1080p?

Some people may need 1080p, while others may be able to save some cash and be content with their 720p set. The real difference is the number of pixels on the screen. 1080p equates to 1,920x1080 pixels, where 720p equates to 1,366x768, 1,280x720, or 1,024x768. Now it is obvious that 1080p sets will have a better quality image than the 720p when they are both given their adequate feeds... but does one really need the 1080p television? Can the difference be noticed? These are a few of several questions you should ask yourself before you choose to purchase a new television.

1. How big of TV are you purchasing?
If you are looking at a television whose screen is smaller than 50 inches it really is not needed to upgrade to the 1080p set. With the smaller screen it is much tougher to tell the difference because their is less screen space for the extra pixels to go. On 32" television sets, when put side by side (1080p and 720p) the added resolution has only a very minor impact on picture quality. CNET did a similar test and here is what they had to say...
"in our tests, we put 720p (or 768p) sets next to 1080p sets, then feed them both the same source material, whether it's 1080i or 1080p, from the highest-quality Blu-ray player. We typically watch both sets for a while, with eyes darting back and forth between the two, looking for differences in the most-detailed sections, such as hair, textures of fabric, and grassy plains. Bottom line: It's almost always very difficult to see any difference--especially from farther than 8 feet away on a 50-inch TV." (CNET Reviews)

2. What will you be using the television for...
If you want to use the screen as a computer monitor you want to have 1080p because that is the resolution on most computers. If you attempt to use a 720p monitor on your computer it will not show the entire screen... and you may have to lower the resolution on your computer to even fill up the entire monitor that you have just purchased. Furthermore, there have been reports that images that remain in place too long... such as a menu bar that one has on a computer... begin to burn the screen. There have been a much higher occurrence of burning on 720p sets than the 1080p sets.





3. Do you have a blu-ray player?
The only real way besides hooking up your computer to get true 1080p resolution is to use a blu-ray player. Blu-ray is in FULL "1080p" HD. In addition to Blu-ray players... some video games are now offered in 1080p resolution but the majority of games are in 720p.

4. How much money can you save by buying the 720p set?
At times one can save upwards of $600 by just choosing to settle for the 720p television. With this money you save you could even go purchase a smaller 1080 television for the computer room, kitchen, or even the bathroom. There is nothing better than not missing a play of the super bowl because your buddy has a nice 19" television in the bathroom.

LED vs LCD

what are the benefits of LED

LED is the newer techology. Although LED is officially part of the line of LCD models. The display screen is still a liquid crystal display... the difference is in LED televisions the screen is backlit with LED (light emitting diodes) lights. There are several advantages to LED back lighting:
1: Much Higher Contrast and Black Levels
2: LED's provide a more realistic color range
3: LED TV's have a fantastic viewing angle

LCD televisions tend to have a good viewing angle but when you get to far to the side, and even up and down, the colors become inverted. Meaning its almost like a photographic negative. LED televisions do not have this problem.

4: Durability

LCD televisions tend to change color over time... although this may depend on the manufacturer... LED televisions appear as though they will not have these issues. Although it may be tough to tell because there is no real history with the new technology of the LED.

5: High Energy Efficiency: LED

Although some of the newer LCD televisions have begun to surpass the standards set by Energy Star, the LED televisions blow the standards away. Even the LCD-LED edge lit televisions blow the standards out of the water. It is clear that the new technology will save you money after you purchase it.

A downside to LED is the High Cost

LCD-LED

LED edge lit?

One thing that all people should keep in mind when looking at purchasing a television is whether it is LED backlit or LED edge-lit technology. The Vizio Razor "LED" television, for instance, appears to be a extremely low priced option for someone wanting a LED television. Although only currently available in 23" and 19" models.

After further review though, it is not a true LED backlit screen... it is merely edge-lit LED technology. So in reality it is a LCD-LED edge-lit television. Meaning that it is just a normal LCD screen with LED lights on the edge to enable the manufacturer to create a slim design. Although this does help the TV at times with its contrast and overall appearance... don't be fooled into thinking you are purchasing a true LED television.

Brand Reliability

Which Brand has the most reliable TVs?

If you are looking to buy a LCD or LED TV... Purchasing from "the bottom" is not worth the risk.

* These reliability tiers are based on statistics of only LCD televisions. LED televisions do not have a long enough history to accurately project which company will produce the highest quality product. Although, these numbers should be pretty similar to what the LED market will be.

Dynamic Contrast Ratio

Dynamic contrast ratio can be a very confusing and sometimes meaningless ratio. It is basically the number of colors that the television can put on the screen from the whitest of whites to the darkest blacks. Whether or not the television can actually show all of those colors at once is somewhat meaningless... but it is definitely something to consider when purchasing a television. The smaller televisions sets have smaller dynamic contrast ratios. Samsung seems to always have the highest dynamic contrast ratios... and intern have the best looking televisions... and the highest ratings on consumer reports for nearly every single size.

Sure the dynamic contrast ratio is important...
but when is it too much?
Typically when looking at televisions of a large size at a large price they will all have extraordinary dynamic contrast ratios. Some have even stopped advertising their dynamic contrast ratios because the number is so high and there is little difference between their competitors. Although, when looking at smaller TVs such as 32" and below... I believe you can use the dynamic contrast ratio to help you decide which television to purchase. For instance, Vizio has a LCD-LED television @ 23 inches with a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000:1 and Samsung sells a LCD monitor/TV which is 27 inches with a DCR of 50,000:1; when looking at these two televisions in the store it is clear the Samsung has a wider range of colors to work with. The way you can tell by looking at shadows and the range of colors on the screen at one point in time. You really need to see them side by side to be able to tell the difference. Before buying a TV, definitely take a look at it in the store first.

If you look at the image of the toshiba television displaying the sun and the earth... you can see that the dynamic contrast ratio is high due to the fact that there are distinct blacks and whites very close together. LCD televisions can not achieve the dynamic contrast ratio that LED televisions can because LED backlit televisions have a higher amount of lights illuminating different parts of the screen.

Hz and Refresh Rates

what gives?

Hz refers to the number of times an image on your television is being updated per second. To many the difference between 60hz - 120hz - and 240hz may seem small. I mean really... how can we tell the difference between a screen refreshing 120 times a second and 240 times a second. The difference is really small to the visual eye. Where the increase in Hz helps the most is action scenes in movies and live sporting events with lots of movement. Most notably, it will decrease the amount of blur that your television has because the image is being changed 240 times a second. 240hz is the new technology for LCD and LED televisions but I'm sure in another 12 months we'll be discussing 480hz. In reality, it may appear all the same to the naked eye depending on the program you're watching. So unless you have the extra dough... don't go wasting 500 extra bucks just to say you have the latest and greatest.

I mean really... In a short time 3D televisions will be out... and no one will care how many Hz your old television had.

Things to Check Before You Buy

1. Customer Reviews
   Customer reviews are some of the most telling signs on whether a television is durable, as a good image, and is as advertised. Although nearly every TV has at least one negative review... if a television has negative reviews piling up with a ton of common problems, you know to avoid that specific TV. There are several places that contain great customer reviews. Amazon.com, Best buy, and Costco.com are my personal favorites for checking out what people have to say about the product. Its the ABC approach that is needed to check for customer reviews.
   
   There are also several great places with television reviews...
   ...such as CNET and Consumer Reports
2. HDMI & other Inputs
   Ask yourself... "What will I be plugging in to my television?" or "What will I want to plug into my TV?" These are both questions that are essential to people buying a new television. HDMI inputs are the key currently in the market. Blue-ray players, game consoles, newer cable boxes, and even PC's are compatible with HDMI cables. If you have a computer, blu-ray player, and a game console... that could take up 3 HDMI slots right there. Not to mention a possible cable box and new technology that may come out that you want as well. The of inputs someone needs on a TV is really based on the individual. The more inputs the better but some people may have no need for the 8th HDMI input or 3rd component input.
3. Viewing Angle
   Some LCD televisions have bad viewing angles. Before you buy yours be sure to check it out in person and put it through a few of your own tests. The viewing angle test goes as follows. Stand directly in front of the TV, at what ever distance you believe is realistic, then walk to the left or right and see if the color ever "inverts", or fades as you begin to watch it from an angle. Then repeat this test... although this time test its vertical viewing angle. The vertical viewing angle is slightly less important... but some people may have stadium seating or have a strange set up in their house. Never the less... do the test and see if it would affect your viewing pleasure at your home.
4. Sound Quality
   Unless you are hooking your TV into a surround sound system... you should probably check the sound out for your self. Some new LCD televisions have the speakers pointed backwards (so the TV looks slimmer and more appealing). Speakers which point backward do you little help when you actually want to hear what is being said on a TV program. So do yourself a favor and go check out your TV in the store before purchasing it... whether or not you want to purchase it from that specific store or you prefer to purchase it online.
5. Picture Mode(dynamic vivid etc)
   Stores typically set a TV to dynamic/or vivid mode in the store to make the TV enhance the colors. Then people like me change the settings to see what the real image looks like and if the color or people's faces look realistic. So don't just go and judge the TV by what it looks like at first glance... mess around with the settings. Either set both TV's you are comparing to their dynamic mode or their normal mode.
6. What are you watching?
   Another thing to keep in mind is what you are watching on TV. Typically stores show sports scenes. Green grass on a football field looks extraordinary on some HDTVs but when you view a regular show with skin color involved. People appear to be a bright hue of orange and some people look yellow. This would be quite frustrating if you found this out after you had brought the television home. So do some work at the store and ask them to put on something other than Super Bowl Highlights.

Where to buy

Best Buy? Walmart? Amazon?

Where to buy is a lot less of an issue than what to buy. The main reason to purchase at one store rather than another is because of a lower price. Lower prices are an obvious and legitimate reason to purchase at a different store. If several stores have the same price though, you should consider the warranties offered by the store you are buying from. Delivery can also be nice if you are purchasing a huge television. If everything is equal though, if one store had an employee that helped you out a lot in your decision maybe you should purchase it from him and help out his commission that he brings in.

The 3 best places to purchase a TV...
1: Costco - Unbeatable Prices
Not only are their prices unrivaled by any retailer, they add an additional year to the TV's manufacturers warranty.

2: Amazon
If you're not a member at Costco... Amazon is great alternative. Their prices typically beat any sale in your sunday paper.

3: Walmart/Sam's Club
They tie for 3rd because they have very similar pricing.

3D TV

its coming to a living room near you

3D is HERE
How will it work? WIll glasses be needed? Stay tuned...

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CNET: Televisions

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