Many homeowners are struggling with an important, electronic question: What is the ideal display for my home theater? Many people have fought this debate, but I'll try to make clear some important considerations.
The most important detail to consider when deciding between a projector and a large plasma television is ambient light. A room with lots of windows presents a problem for a projector because every little bit of ambient lighting degrades the projected image. The ideal environment for a projector is one where you have total control over the lighting. If your home theater uses a projector, you are limited to using it when you can eliminate other light. A plasma screen can be used anyplace, anytime.
Assuming your home theater has blackout curtains, or exists deep underground; let's examine differences between a plasma television and a projector. One advantage of a projector is that you can get a much larger picture than is available in plasma. Projectors can produce images comparable to an 81-inch screen and larger. This just isn't possible with a plasma screen. However, plasma's have the advantage of not needing any amount of space. A projector must have a long enough corridor to project its image on the wall or screen. To get an 81-inch or greater image, you need a decent distance between the projector and the target. Second, a projector's image is dependent on more than the quality of the projector; you must be projecting onto a specialized surface or you lose detail. A top of the line HD projector with a very high native resolution would be wasted if you were just projecting the image onto a wall. You need an equally high quality screen with features such as a matte finish to eliminate reflection and glare. A plasma display requires no additional equipment.
Overall, a projector has the potential of creating a beautiful image, but it needs too much to work effectively. If you're creating a private movie theater with lighting control and an investment in a screen, mounting equipment, and blackout curtains, then a projector is your piece of equipment. For everyone else, I suggest a plasma television.
About The Author
Jakob Culver is founder of the website www.plasmatvarena.com providing information, articles and reviews about plasma tv's. To find more articles like this one visit the site http://www.plasmatvarena.com/.
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This article may be reprinted for use in websites provided that the information box is kept intact. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: millenniumonlinemarketing@hotmail.com.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Coming Age Of HDTV - What Does It Mean To Me?
HDTV - high-definition television: it is something that has been discussed for some time now, however not everyone has a strong sense of what it is and why he or she would want to have it.
Because all television stations will be required to broadcast a digital signal after February 17, 2009, many viewers are beginning to ask a lot more questions about how the new digital age of television will affect their personal viewing experience. They want to know whether or not their television set will be compatible, whether or not they will have to replace it, and what steps they will have to take in order to keep watching their favorite shows.
How To Identify If Your Television Is An Analog TV
Analog television has been with us since the inception of television broadcasting. Analog is the old way of processing a television signal. Television technology took a big leap in the 1960's with the transition from television tubes to circuit boards, but that conversion failed to bring with it any major strides in the quality of the television picture.
If your current television does not have a logo on its front that indicates DTV (Digital TV), EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV), or HDTV, then your television set is an analog TV.
Understanding The Transition From An Analog Signal To The New Digital Signal
Digital image processing is a technology that began in earnest during the 1970's, when Japanese technology companies began to explore the concepts of HDTV. The Japanese TV manufacturers were exploring ways to improve the picture quality of the television image, as a way to find more customers for their television products.
While Americans were busy playing with building the computer industry, the Japanese were hard at work trying to build a better television set. The first HDTV systems developed by the Japanese still relied on the old analog system of sending a broadcast signal to their televisions, but they were still able to produce a better television viewing experience.
When initially introduced to the U.S. Government, the new HDTV system produced a myriad of concerns, which included the issue of an analog HDTV-system needing more bandwidth than what was currently allotted to the television broadcasters.
In 1993, a consortium of American researchers and manufacturers (known as The Grand Alliance) joined forces to find a way to bring HDTV-quality to the American public, while keeping the bandwidth requirements of broadcasters within the existing limits.
Researchers soon understood that they would need to push at least part of the television signal in a digital format to make sure that HDTV could be transmitted within the limits currently allotted to the television broadcasters. By the time they had finished their work, the Grand Alliance had created a system that was 100% Digital.
In 1995, after considerable opposition from the television broadcast industry, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission officially set the standard for completely digital HDTV broadcasting system. This put into motion the events that are just now coming to fruition, with the rollout of the new Digital Television broadcasting system.
Although most television stations have been broadcasting a Digital Television Signal now for a few years, analog television owners have been none the wiser. But that will all change on February 17, 2009.
Will My Analog Television Stop Working In 2009?
The simple answer is "yes", but that does not mean that you will have to buy a new television in order to get the new digital broadcasts. While you may not need to replace your television set, you may have to make changes in how you get your television signal.
There are in fact three ways that the average consumer can continue to get a television signal using their old television set:
1. Subscribe to a cable television service (and use their digital television converter);
2. Subscribe to a satellite television service (and use their digital television converter); or
3. Buy a DTV converter (Digital TV Converter) to receive signals from your analog antenna and to convert that signal back to analog, so that you can continue to use your analog television. (If you receive your television signal over-the-air, the Federal Government has implemented a Coupon Program to help consumers offset the cost of the DTV converter boxes: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html )
Understanding The Three Facets Of The New Digital Technology
1. Lines Of Resolution
The newer digital technology is all about Lines Of Resolution. With more lines of resolution, the viewer will receive more image information, therefore bringing the viewer much more picture clarity and detail.
When the Japanese rolled out HDTV on the Japanese mainland, the lines of resolution numbered 1080. To put this into perspective, the standard analog TV signal exhibits 330 lines of resolution. This makes it more than clear that the original analog HDTV format really was a real issue for television broadcasters in the United States. To produce a resolution of 1080 lines on a system designed for 330 lines would have literally required three times the bandwidth of the current analog system.
Here are the standard television resolutions:
* Analog Television - 330 Lines of Resolution
* VCR's - 240 Lines of Resolution
* DVD's - 480 Lines of Resolution
* EDTV - 720 Lines of Resolution
* HDTV - 1080 Lines of Resolution
There is a caveat to this chart though. The minimum requirement of the FCC is that broadcasters must produce a minimum of 720 Lines of Resolution. As a result, some broadcasters like ABC chose the 720-resolution, and yet they can still legally call their programming standard, HDTV.
Other broadcasters like PBS opted for the higher 1080 format. Good for them.
In 1998, when the first HDTV's became available to the buying public, the Headline News newscasters were joking that with the rollout of HDTV, we the audience would be able to see every blackhead and blemish on their faces. Of course, they were probably correct in that assumption. The detail of the HDTV-signal is absolutely amazing.
2. Aspect Ratio
Another factor connected to the new HDTV-format is the Aspect Ratio.
In a standard analog television, the Aspect Ratio is a 4-by-3, which nearly looks square. The 4-by-3 ratio means that it can be measured 4-parts wide to 3-parts high.
With the new HDTV format, the Aspect Ratio has been changed to the same format seen in the movie theatre - a 16-by-9 Aspect Ratio, or 16-parts wide to 9-parts high.
3. Sound Quality
The third factor connected to the new HDTV-format is Sound Quality. In fact, most HDTV programming will carry with it Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, as frequently heard on DVD's. So long as you have a surround sound unit attached to your television set, the surround sound will enable to the television viewer to be immersed in the sound, so much so as it often feels as if you are in the middle of the action happening on your television set.
In Conclusion...
While it is true that you do not need to upgrade your television from the analog format to the new digital format, you might seriously consider doing so anyway.
Now that we are quickly approaching the end of the analog-television era, the cost of HDTV television sets has fallen considerably. Whereas five years ago, the average HDTV cost in the range of $3-4,000, the cost of most HDTV's has fallen to under $1200 today. After February 17, 2009, the cost of HDTV should drop again, making it much more affordable to the general public.
Although it will be possible to convert the digital television signal to analog, you will lose the extra picture detail on the conversion. So, if you stick with your analog television, you will be restricting yourself to the quality of picture you are currently receiving, even after the change in television broadcasting formats is complete.
Although color-technology was first introduced to audiences with the release of The Wizard Of Oz in 1939, color television did not become mainstream until the late-1960's. And although the technology of color was mainstream, black-and-white televisions were still being manufactured and sold well into the 1980's.
Fortunately, this transition will be a bit quicker than the conversion from black-and-white to color. Under the FCC rules for the transition to digital television, television manufacturers were required to include a digital tuner in all television sets manufactured after March 1, 2006.
This conversion is much like the transition from AM to FM as the standard listening medium in the radio industry. Radio listeners could not listen to FM stations until which time they had upgraded their radio from AM to the AM/FM format. The same thing will happen here as well. If you want to receive the beautiful, high-quality HDTV images, you will need to upgrade to a television set capable of displaying the HDTV images.
If you have any lingering doubts about the better HDTV standard, all you need to do is to visit your local television store and see for yourself just how awesome of a picture HDTV actually produces. Just as Dolby Digital Surround Sound enables the listener to feel as if they are in the middle of the action on the television, HDTV permits the viewer to feel as if they are standing in the same room as the actors, on the sidelines at the football game, or on the same beach as the models - it really is that good of a picture.
About The Author
Lloyd Howard writes about technology and business. Satellite TV providers continue to outpace the performance of cable companies in the conversion to digital television programming. For example, DirectTV will have more than 100 channels and 231 NFL Football Games available in HDTV this year. The growth of the Internet has spurred some of the greatest opportunities for small business entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
Because all television stations will be required to broadcast a digital signal after February 17, 2009, many viewers are beginning to ask a lot more questions about how the new digital age of television will affect their personal viewing experience. They want to know whether or not their television set will be compatible, whether or not they will have to replace it, and what steps they will have to take in order to keep watching their favorite shows.
How To Identify If Your Television Is An Analog TV
Analog television has been with us since the inception of television broadcasting. Analog is the old way of processing a television signal. Television technology took a big leap in the 1960's with the transition from television tubes to circuit boards, but that conversion failed to bring with it any major strides in the quality of the television picture.
If your current television does not have a logo on its front that indicates DTV (Digital TV), EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV), or HDTV, then your television set is an analog TV.
Understanding The Transition From An Analog Signal To The New Digital Signal
Digital image processing is a technology that began in earnest during the 1970's, when Japanese technology companies began to explore the concepts of HDTV. The Japanese TV manufacturers were exploring ways to improve the picture quality of the television image, as a way to find more customers for their television products.
While Americans were busy playing with building the computer industry, the Japanese were hard at work trying to build a better television set. The first HDTV systems developed by the Japanese still relied on the old analog system of sending a broadcast signal to their televisions, but they were still able to produce a better television viewing experience.
When initially introduced to the U.S. Government, the new HDTV system produced a myriad of concerns, which included the issue of an analog HDTV-system needing more bandwidth than what was currently allotted to the television broadcasters.
In 1993, a consortium of American researchers and manufacturers (known as The Grand Alliance) joined forces to find a way to bring HDTV-quality to the American public, while keeping the bandwidth requirements of broadcasters within the existing limits.
Researchers soon understood that they would need to push at least part of the television signal in a digital format to make sure that HDTV could be transmitted within the limits currently allotted to the television broadcasters. By the time they had finished their work, the Grand Alliance had created a system that was 100% Digital.
In 1995, after considerable opposition from the television broadcast industry, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission officially set the standard for completely digital HDTV broadcasting system. This put into motion the events that are just now coming to fruition, with the rollout of the new Digital Television broadcasting system.
Although most television stations have been broadcasting a Digital Television Signal now for a few years, analog television owners have been none the wiser. But that will all change on February 17, 2009.
Will My Analog Television Stop Working In 2009?
The simple answer is "yes", but that does not mean that you will have to buy a new television in order to get the new digital broadcasts. While you may not need to replace your television set, you may have to make changes in how you get your television signal.
There are in fact three ways that the average consumer can continue to get a television signal using their old television set:
1. Subscribe to a cable television service (and use their digital television converter);
2. Subscribe to a satellite television service (and use their digital television converter); or
3. Buy a DTV converter (Digital TV Converter) to receive signals from your analog antenna and to convert that signal back to analog, so that you can continue to use your analog television. (If you receive your television signal over-the-air, the Federal Government has implemented a Coupon Program to help consumers offset the cost of the DTV converter boxes: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/index.html )
Understanding The Three Facets Of The New Digital Technology
1. Lines Of Resolution
The newer digital technology is all about Lines Of Resolution. With more lines of resolution, the viewer will receive more image information, therefore bringing the viewer much more picture clarity and detail.
When the Japanese rolled out HDTV on the Japanese mainland, the lines of resolution numbered 1080. To put this into perspective, the standard analog TV signal exhibits 330 lines of resolution. This makes it more than clear that the original analog HDTV format really was a real issue for television broadcasters in the United States. To produce a resolution of 1080 lines on a system designed for 330 lines would have literally required three times the bandwidth of the current analog system.
Here are the standard television resolutions:
* Analog Television - 330 Lines of Resolution
* VCR's - 240 Lines of Resolution
* DVD's - 480 Lines of Resolution
* EDTV - 720 Lines of Resolution
* HDTV - 1080 Lines of Resolution
There is a caveat to this chart though. The minimum requirement of the FCC is that broadcasters must produce a minimum of 720 Lines of Resolution. As a result, some broadcasters like ABC chose the 720-resolution, and yet they can still legally call their programming standard, HDTV.
Other broadcasters like PBS opted for the higher 1080 format. Good for them.
In 1998, when the first HDTV's became available to the buying public, the Headline News newscasters were joking that with the rollout of HDTV, we the audience would be able to see every blackhead and blemish on their faces. Of course, they were probably correct in that assumption. The detail of the HDTV-signal is absolutely amazing.
2. Aspect Ratio
Another factor connected to the new HDTV-format is the Aspect Ratio.
In a standard analog television, the Aspect Ratio is a 4-by-3, which nearly looks square. The 4-by-3 ratio means that it can be measured 4-parts wide to 3-parts high.
With the new HDTV format, the Aspect Ratio has been changed to the same format seen in the movie theatre - a 16-by-9 Aspect Ratio, or 16-parts wide to 9-parts high.
3. Sound Quality
The third factor connected to the new HDTV-format is Sound Quality. In fact, most HDTV programming will carry with it Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, as frequently heard on DVD's. So long as you have a surround sound unit attached to your television set, the surround sound will enable to the television viewer to be immersed in the sound, so much so as it often feels as if you are in the middle of the action happening on your television set.
In Conclusion...
While it is true that you do not need to upgrade your television from the analog format to the new digital format, you might seriously consider doing so anyway.
Now that we are quickly approaching the end of the analog-television era, the cost of HDTV television sets has fallen considerably. Whereas five years ago, the average HDTV cost in the range of $3-4,000, the cost of most HDTV's has fallen to under $1200 today. After February 17, 2009, the cost of HDTV should drop again, making it much more affordable to the general public.
Although it will be possible to convert the digital television signal to analog, you will lose the extra picture detail on the conversion. So, if you stick with your analog television, you will be restricting yourself to the quality of picture you are currently receiving, even after the change in television broadcasting formats is complete.
Although color-technology was first introduced to audiences with the release of The Wizard Of Oz in 1939, color television did not become mainstream until the late-1960's. And although the technology of color was mainstream, black-and-white televisions were still being manufactured and sold well into the 1980's.
Fortunately, this transition will be a bit quicker than the conversion from black-and-white to color. Under the FCC rules for the transition to digital television, television manufacturers were required to include a digital tuner in all television sets manufactured after March 1, 2006.
This conversion is much like the transition from AM to FM as the standard listening medium in the radio industry. Radio listeners could not listen to FM stations until which time they had upgraded their radio from AM to the AM/FM format. The same thing will happen here as well. If you want to receive the beautiful, high-quality HDTV images, you will need to upgrade to a television set capable of displaying the HDTV images.
If you have any lingering doubts about the better HDTV standard, all you need to do is to visit your local television store and see for yourself just how awesome of a picture HDTV actually produces. Just as Dolby Digital Surround Sound enables the listener to feel as if they are in the middle of the action on the television, HDTV permits the viewer to feel as if they are standing in the same room as the actors, on the sidelines at the football game, or on the same beach as the models - it really is that good of a picture.
About The Author
Lloyd Howard writes about technology and business. Satellite TV providers continue to outpace the performance of cable companies in the conversion to digital television programming. For example, DirectTV will have more than 100 channels and 231 NFL Football Games available in HDTV this year. The growth of the Internet has spurred some of the greatest opportunities for small business entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
Choose The Right HDTV Antenna For Your Set-Up
Choosing an HDTV antenna can be a frustrating business. However, if you prefer to receive HDTV through an antenna, rather than a satellite or cable subscription, there are a couple of things that will make life easier.
First of all, if you can, you should opt a roof or attic mounted HDTV antenna. This will give you the best chance of picking up a good signal and is a must if you a re in an area where signal strength is poor such where you live some distance away from the nearest transmitter or where your signal is affected by hills or other environmental factors.
If an external HDTV antenna is not an option, perhaps because you live in an apartment or in a building of historic interest, then you'll have to go for an internal, set-top antenna.
Unfortunately, every HDTV antenna is not alike and the quality of your picture can vary greatly depending on which antenna you choose. So how do you know which one to go for? Perhaps the best way is to find out from people who already has an internal HDTV antenna, how it works for them. The best way is to talk to people you know - particularly those in the same apartment block. Failing that, user reviews on the Web are a good source.
Amazon sells a number of antennae for HDTV and user opinion on them varies greatly. For example, this Terk HDTVi Indoor VHF/UHF HDTV Antenna gets slated by users, while this Gemini ZHDTV1 HDTV-UHF Digital Indoor Antenna, which is actually cheaper than the Terk, gets great reviews.
As with any item of electronics, the key is to do your research. Find out as much as you can about the HDTV signal in your area, and if possible speak to people locally who are receiving HDTV via an antenna, before you buy.
About The Author
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner.
First of all, if you can, you should opt a roof or attic mounted HDTV antenna. This will give you the best chance of picking up a good signal and is a must if you a re in an area where signal strength is poor such where you live some distance away from the nearest transmitter or where your signal is affected by hills or other environmental factors.
If an external HDTV antenna is not an option, perhaps because you live in an apartment or in a building of historic interest, then you'll have to go for an internal, set-top antenna.
Unfortunately, every HDTV antenna is not alike and the quality of your picture can vary greatly depending on which antenna you choose. So how do you know which one to go for? Perhaps the best way is to find out from people who already has an internal HDTV antenna, how it works for them. The best way is to talk to people you know - particularly those in the same apartment block. Failing that, user reviews on the Web are a good source.
Amazon sells a number of antennae for HDTV and user opinion on them varies greatly. For example, this Terk HDTVi Indoor VHF/UHF HDTV Antenna gets slated by users, while this Gemini ZHDTV1 HDTV-UHF Digital Indoor Antenna, which is actually cheaper than the Terk, gets great reviews.
As with any item of electronics, the key is to do your research. Find out as much as you can about the HDTV signal in your area, and if possible speak to people locally who are receiving HDTV via an antenna, before you buy.
About The Author
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of The HDTV Tuner.
Experience the superior quality TV viewing with LCD TVs
Flat panel display televisions are gaining popularity these days as they improve visibility and reduce glare due to reflection of external light. These televisions are encompasses a growing number of technologies enabling video displays that are lighter and much thinner than traditional CRT television. Flat panel display TVs can be categorised into Volatile and Static. This kind of display televisions are balance their smaller footprint and trendy modern look with high production costs and in many cases compared with traditional CRTs. The flat panel televisions are being preferred by the consumers as they minimize eye fatigue, reduce image distortion and provide a wide range of visibility. These panels have exceptional colour accuracy and has the ability to display up to 16.77 million colours.
Plasma TV, Liquid crystal displays (LCDs), Plasma TV, Organic light-emitting diode displays (OLEDs), Light-emitting diode display (LED), Electroluminescent displays (ELDs), Surface-conduction electron-emitter displays (SEDs), Field emission displays (FEDs) and Nano-emissive display (NEDs) comes in the Flat display category.
In this modern time people want to increse their living standard. They want to have the best and the latest in technology. When it comes to Television set most of them prefers LCD TV. A LCD television provides a richer and higher resolution of colours as compared to the conventional CTR television. These televisions are comprises of two glass substrates that are separated to form a predetermined space into which a layer of liquid crystal is injected. These TVs come with a very light weight, elegant design, less power consumption and excellent picture quality. These thin televisions can be placed almost anywhere in your home or office. For these features, LCD TVs are mostly preferred by people.
About the Author: Know more about Latest LCD TV and other buy Cheap TV Accessories here.
Plasma TV, Liquid crystal displays (LCDs), Plasma TV, Organic light-emitting diode displays (OLEDs), Light-emitting diode display (LED), Electroluminescent displays (ELDs), Surface-conduction electron-emitter displays (SEDs), Field emission displays (FEDs) and Nano-emissive display (NEDs) comes in the Flat display category.
In this modern time people want to increse their living standard. They want to have the best and the latest in technology. When it comes to Television set most of them prefers LCD TV. A LCD television provides a richer and higher resolution of colours as compared to the conventional CTR television. These televisions are comprises of two glass substrates that are separated to form a predetermined space into which a layer of liquid crystal is injected. These TVs come with a very light weight, elegant design, less power consumption and excellent picture quality. These thin televisions can be placed almost anywhere in your home or office. For these features, LCD TVs are mostly preferred by people.
About the Author: Know more about Latest LCD TV and other buy Cheap TV Accessories here.
Choose The Right Stand For A 42 Inch LCD TV
Unless you’re mounting your new 42 inch LCD TV on the wall or on the ceiling, you’ll need a solid and reliable stand to support it. Many TVs come furnished with an appropriate stand, but some require that the stand be purchased separately. If the manufacturer furnishes your 42 inch LCD TV stand, and it meets your needs in terms of styling, you’re in great shape. Because your 42 inch LCD TV could become an integral part of the room’s decorating scheme, though, you may choose to purchase a stand that matches the needs of your viewing habits, your home, and your sense of style.
Because a 42 inch LCD TV is reasonably heavy, the most important requirement is that any stand must handle the weight of your particular 42 inch LCD TV and must provide a stable base in case it’s bumped or jarred. For that reason, make sure the stand you purchase meets the unique weight and strength requirements of the 42 inch LCD TV you purchased. The last thing you want to have happen is for your new TV to become damaged simply because your stand wasn’t up to the task. The owner’s manual for your 42 inch LCD TV will specify all the requirements of a suitable and effective TV stand for that model.
There are a few other considerations besides strength, though. Let’s look at a few other decisions you’ll want to make to ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from your 42 inch LCD TV.
1. Determine if the stand needs to hold other audio-visual equipment? If you own a DVD player, use a cable converter, have game systems like an Xbox or a PS2, and/or have a home theater system, you may want your stand to house that equipment as well as support the 42 inch LCD TV itself. Make sure you pick a stand that has shelves or compartments for the equipment you own, or even may someday own.
2. Determine if the stand will position your TV at an optimal viewing height. The height of the TV is an individual choice – make sure the stand you select will place your 42 inch LCD TV at the height you want. If you can, find an adjustable stand that gives you some flexibility. If not, determine the right height for you and select an appropriate height stand. An easy way to calculate your optimal height is to sit in your favorite chair or couch and determine how high your eye level is. Once you’ve determined eye level, make sure your 42 inch LCD TV will be centered at that point.
Many stands are pre-engineered to approximate an appropriate viewing level for the average person, but make sure you’re comfortable with that height before you make a purchase. Some pedestal stands are adjustable; if you don’t need storage space, check out a pedestal stand.
3. Check to see if the stand has integrated cable management. If you’re buying a cabinet with a closed back, cable management probably isn’t an issue, since you’ll have plenty of space to hide cables. If you’re interested in a pedestal stand or a stand with an open back, make sure there are provisions built in to hide all the cables you may have. If you have a home theater, video gaming system, DVD player, and other components, you’ll have a large number of cables running from component to component – make sure the stand gives you plenty of room to store those cables out of sight. The stand shouldn’t just house your 42 inch LCD TV – it should handle all the cables and components, too.
Once you’ve found the right 42 inch LCD TV, finding a stand suits your needs and fits you’re your room’s décor and design is important, too. Make sure you can enjoy your TV while it’s turned on, and how it looks when it’s not turned on.
About The Author
Amy Metz writes for http://www.thelcdtvzone.com. Grab your free insider's report on LCD TV and LCD Television news right now.
Because a 42 inch LCD TV is reasonably heavy, the most important requirement is that any stand must handle the weight of your particular 42 inch LCD TV and must provide a stable base in case it’s bumped or jarred. For that reason, make sure the stand you purchase meets the unique weight and strength requirements of the 42 inch LCD TV you purchased. The last thing you want to have happen is for your new TV to become damaged simply because your stand wasn’t up to the task. The owner’s manual for your 42 inch LCD TV will specify all the requirements of a suitable and effective TV stand for that model.
There are a few other considerations besides strength, though. Let’s look at a few other decisions you’ll want to make to ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from your 42 inch LCD TV.
1. Determine if the stand needs to hold other audio-visual equipment? If you own a DVD player, use a cable converter, have game systems like an Xbox or a PS2, and/or have a home theater system, you may want your stand to house that equipment as well as support the 42 inch LCD TV itself. Make sure you pick a stand that has shelves or compartments for the equipment you own, or even may someday own.
2. Determine if the stand will position your TV at an optimal viewing height. The height of the TV is an individual choice – make sure the stand you select will place your 42 inch LCD TV at the height you want. If you can, find an adjustable stand that gives you some flexibility. If not, determine the right height for you and select an appropriate height stand. An easy way to calculate your optimal height is to sit in your favorite chair or couch and determine how high your eye level is. Once you’ve determined eye level, make sure your 42 inch LCD TV will be centered at that point.
Many stands are pre-engineered to approximate an appropriate viewing level for the average person, but make sure you’re comfortable with that height before you make a purchase. Some pedestal stands are adjustable; if you don’t need storage space, check out a pedestal stand.
3. Check to see if the stand has integrated cable management. If you’re buying a cabinet with a closed back, cable management probably isn’t an issue, since you’ll have plenty of space to hide cables. If you’re interested in a pedestal stand or a stand with an open back, make sure there are provisions built in to hide all the cables you may have. If you have a home theater, video gaming system, DVD player, and other components, you’ll have a large number of cables running from component to component – make sure the stand gives you plenty of room to store those cables out of sight. The stand shouldn’t just house your 42 inch LCD TV – it should handle all the cables and components, too.
Once you’ve found the right 42 inch LCD TV, finding a stand suits your needs and fits you’re your room’s décor and design is important, too. Make sure you can enjoy your TV while it’s turned on, and how it looks when it’s not turned on.
About The Author
Amy Metz writes for http://www.thelcdtvzone.com. Grab your free insider's report on LCD TV and LCD Television news right now.
Why Trying to Find a Good Yet Cheap TV Today Could Be Tricky
Fortunately, the older CRT technology is still available and still popular. Actually, the advent of the newer technologies makes this a good time to get a cheap TV that actually is quite decent. If you are looking for a cheap TV you'll be pretty much limited to the CRT type, but the prices on these have dropped significantly in response to the newer types, like plasma screens and LCD TVs. For what you would pay for a LCD or plasma TV you can get a much bigger CRT TV. And CRT TV's aren't bad at all, they represent a technology that has been mastered, even if it is obsolete.
Even if you already own or are going to buy a plasma screen or LCD TV, it's always nice to have a cheap TV or two on hand as well. You can lug them around, put them in high risk areas (such as on your work bench), and generally treat them like crap without worrying too much about it. As great as it would be to have a state of the art 70 inch plasma beast, I think I'd be terrified of damaging it somehow, and would almost be afraid to turn the thing on.
So as of 2007, the best cheap TVs you're going to find are going to be CRTs. They're bulky and a pain in the ass to move around, but there's tons of different types to choose from and they're generally extremely reliable. Keep your eyes on the price of LCD TVs however. It's been dropping steadily recently, and pretty soon will be in line with their CRT counterparts. Then you'll be able to have a cheap TV that is also state of the art.
The question you have to ask yourself is how important is television to you? If you find yourself watching a lot of TV, love sports games, video games, videos, and or all of the above, it may be worth splurging a little for a bigger or higher quality TV. If you spend an hour or less a day watching television, you probably will be fine with a cheap TV.
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About the Author: Muna wa Wanjiru has been researching and reporting on Internet Marketing for years. For more information on cheap TV, visit his site at Cheap TV
What Television Shoppers Need to Know
With all the changes in technology and program content, buying a tv set is not as simple as it once was. While it is easy to be tempted to buy the one that looks prettiest in the advertisement or on the showroom floor, it's not always the best fit for your circumstances. The following will help you make a better informed decision, and using Myshopping.com.au you can make detailed comparisons between set sizes, different technology, brands and vendors.
Measure where you will be watching.
It's important that the set you buy will fit in the space where you want to put it, and that it's visible from where you want to sit. Therefore, it makes good sense to measure the space where the set will go. You need to measure the width, the height and the depth of the space, so that you can choose a set that will sit comfortably in that space, with sufficient ventilation and edge space for installation and cleaning. You should also measure the distance to your cable socket if you have an external aerial, and be sure to allow sufficient space for rear panel audio and video cable connections so that they can be easily connected and disconnected.
Getting the right sized screen is a balance between the dimensions of the room and your viewing habits, and your choice of technology. A regular tv has a screen aspect ration of 4:3, (that is, the dimensions are four units wide by three units high) and its size is given as a diagonal measure across the screen. The most comfortable viewing range for a regular tv is to be a distance away from the screen that is three to six times its given size. For example, a 48cm regular tv is best viewed further away than 116 cm and closer than 232 cm.
Watching high-resolution DVD and digital TV on a wide screen set however, provides much sharper images than regular sets, and this means you can sit closer and experience a more immersive, theatre-like picture. With a wide-screen tv, you can sit as close as 1.5 times the screen's diagonal measurement and not notice any loss in quality. Sitting farther away than three times the screen however, means you're likely to miss out on the immersive 'theatre' feel, even though image-wise, the sharper pictures will be clearer from a greater distance. Conversely, what this means, is that for the same given room space, you can install a significantly larger tv if it's wide screen. So in today's market, you are faced with one major deciding factor:
Regular TV or Wide Screen
While the regular tv dimensions are 4:3 (see above), a wide-screen set has an aspect ratio of 16:9 (16 units wide, 9 units high) and this is the same shape as many cinema screens and movies. Wide-screen sets are more expensive per square cm of screen than a regular tv, and more regular TV is watched than DVDs and movies, so 4:3 sets continue to be a popular choice. However standards are changing rapidly and almost all digital, flat-panel and rear-projection tvs are wide screen. While television stations frequently broadcast many movies in digital/wide screen format, a large amount of station-produced content is in regular format, but this too is changing. So it makes some sense to seriously consider wide screen.
Either way, there is some compromise to consider because one rectangle doesn't fit exactly into another. Wide-screen program shown on a standard tv has black bars, known as letterbox bars, above and below the wide-screen image. The alternative to this is to sacrifice some of the picture at each edge of the screen, and get the full depth of the picture. When you watch a program formatted for regular tv on a wide screen, black bars, known as windowbox bars, appear on either side of the picture. One alternative to this is to lose some picture at the top and bottom of the screen.
But one of the features of a wide-screen tv, is the ability to stretch, crop, or zoom the regular 4:3 image so that it fills the screen, ultimately distorting the image or losing some of its content.
Picture Quality, Audio Quality, Connectivity
Using an online shopping comparison such as Myshopping.com.au doesn't give you the personal feel of looking at the tv set on the showroom floor. However, once you've narrowed down your choices according to size and manufacturer specification, it may pay to look at some sets so you can judge picture quality for yourself.
So what makes a good picture? One of the first considerations is contrast: in order to have clear sharp and bright pictures, the screen itself must be dark. Screens that are two 'green' or 'grey' will not produce high definition images. Do this with any surrounding televisions turned off and an even light in the room.
A second consideration is the flatness of the picture tube. If you are looking at an LCD or Plasma screen, this is already flat, but with picture tube technology, flatter tubes result in less glare from windows and lamps, and less shape distortion. A flat tube screen will give you a better viewing experience.
If a tv doesn't have a comb filter, its resolution will be limited to about half the full potential of a DVD. While comb filters affect only composite-video or RF connections, sets with a comb filter can usually provide all of the resolution of DVD and will not have distracting 'rainbow' images where highly contrasting colours coincide. Comb filters include glass, digital, and 3DY, and different types provide different levels of quality, but ultimately, it's better to have one than not.
Digital and High Definition TV means that the ability for a TV to display a progressive scan image is also factor that affects picture quality. A progressive scan image is a feature of digital TV broadcasting and DVD imaging with a more film-like look to it than normal video.
For optimum television watching, you need to consider the quality of the sound too. It is now quite common for people to integrate TV and hi-fi equipment into a more complete home entertainment system, giving a more dynamic home theatre experience. Digital and High Definition tv and DVD, sound quality is similar to that of CDs, so it makes sense that audio connectivity allows you to connect into surround sound or other hi quality sound systems. It's worthwhile to check to see that the TV has a least one set of stereo audio inputs and one set of stereo audio outputs, as well as video input and output connectors. On the input side, check for RCA-composite, S-Video, and component video inputs. You can frequently find an additional set of audio and video inputs and/or outputs on the front or at the side of the tv, a very convenient location for more temporary connections, such as game consoles, web tv or video camera equipment. It can be terribly inconvenient if you are limited to only connections at the rear of the set, or only one set of inputs and outputs, which can often mean unplugging and reconnecting permanently installed equipment.
If you are intending to use a set-top digital receiver, make sure the tv has the correct connections, and that they are compatible with the receiver equipment. Using Myshopping.com.au you can search through a great number of brands for the correct specifications. Ideally such connections should be made with Fire Wire, DVI-D with HDCP or HDMI connectors.
Plasma or LCD
While there are still quality CRT televisions (tube style) being manufactured, the current television technology being pursued by manufacturers is Plasma High Definition or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The main advantages these two technologies offer includes the smaller space taken up (mostly in depth) for a bigger picture, less heat (and therefore less electricity consumed) generated for a bigger picture and the appearance of compactness through digital technology. But what are the differences?
In the Plasma TV over a million tiny glass cells are charged with a mixture of neon and xenon, behind which are coloured phosphors that emit light when energized. Each cell has a red, blue and green phosphor. When Plasma cells are charged, they emit invisible UV light. that strikes the red, green and blue phosphors on the back of the display, creating the pixels that form the image you see on the screen. LCD however, is a suspended liquid between two transparent panels that, when activated by voltage, re-position themselves so that they either allow the light to pass through the panel and or block the light, a similar process to turning on and off millions of light bulbs. The light source is provided by fluorescent tubes behind the panels. Both the lit and unlit crystals create visible pixels composing the image on the screen.
Many independent reviewers believe that manufacture's specifications of Plasma TV is not accurately portrayed. LCD appears to be both brighter and offer more contrast, whereas Plasma appears to have higher definition colour, superior viewing angles and faster response time providing crisper screen movement. Plasma uses more power than LCD, but may provide a more theatre-like viewing experience. Use Myshopping.com.au to compare the latest brands of Plasma and LCD televisions.
Remote Controllers and Accessories
All TV sets come with remote controls. Some come with what's known as the Universal remote control, a remote control that can control all of your media hardware. The remote control should be easy to use and it should address all of the TV set's functions. Many sets do not have function controls on the TV itself, which could cause problems if the remote controller is lost. Also, not every universal remote can control everything. Most are pre-programmed with a set list of codes, and if the codes don't match your older or off-brand gear, then you're out of luck. A few are learning models that can accept the IR codes from your other remotes and, thus, control any kind of gear.
A number of other features can be taken into account when considering your TV purchase. These might include picture-in-picture (PIP), or picture-outside-picture (POP), commercial skip timers, channel blocking (called the V-Chip), and tuner extras to make channel selection and switching easier. Additional accessories that you might need include additional cables, a good power surge protector and a stand. Service may also be a consideration and in some circumstances, an extended warranty or service package may be a good investment.
Search Myshopping.com.au for the different specifications and price ranges of the latest tv technology, where you not only compare the world's leading brands, but also the service and support of the people who sell them.
Andrew Gates is a writer for Australian comparison shopping site - www.myshopping.com.au
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