TV buying tips

Say you need to pick up a new TV right now. Maybe your old TV just went up in smoke (we hope not!) or you simply must watch the big game tonight on a big, new HD display. Whatever the reason, we'd like to offer this friendly reminder: impulse purchases of this sort of magnitude rarely turn out well.

"But I don't have hours to read a textbook-sized guide to TV buying!", you say? Ok, fair enough. How about a "Cliff's Notes" version? Check out our crash course on how to buy a TV without hating yourself in the morning, then run out and get your new TV. You can thank us later.

Step 1: Take a smartphone or a smart friend.
If you have a phone with web access, bring it with you. If you don't, bring a friend who does (you could probably use the moral support anyway). If you can't get some of the vital information about the TVs you are looking at from the display or sales people, then we assure you it is available on the 'net and can be found in minutes. Also, you might end up finding a better deal on the same model elsewhere, which can be a valuable bargaining tool.

Step 2: Pick your TV type. DLP, Plasma, LCD or LED? Backlit or edgelit? If you aren't sure, read our descriptions of each to find out which might be best for you.

DLP: DLP TVs are not as popular as they once were, but can still make for a good option, especially for those that want a really big picture for a lot less money. Their light projection technology makes them too deep to mount on the wall and, depending on how many mechanical parts they use, they could be pricey to repair down the road. However, they do offer excellent black levels, contrast and color saturation.

Plasma: Plasma TVs are known for their excellent black levels, superior contrast, wide viewing angles and immunity to motion blur. On the down side, they are often heavier, bulkier and their pictures tend to get washed out easily in bright rooms, due in part to their mirror-like screens. For video purists, plasma is the way to go, but if you watch TV during the day in a room where light is tough to control, you might be better off with an LCD display.

LCD: This type of television is getting lighter and slimmer every year and, because of the way they function, are capable of looking pretty great in brighter rooms, often sporting matte screens that minimize glare. The cons are pretty much the opposite of a plasma's pros: Blacks aren't as inky, contrast is not as stark, viewing angles are sometimes limited and motion blur is often part of the package. Those replacing an older CRT TV will probably be very happy with an LCD TV.

LED: The term LED TV is a bit of a misnomer because they are actually LCD TVs that use a different backlight. So, let's just get to backlighting.

CFL Backlighting: Most sets generically referred to as "LCD" use a compact fluorescent bulb as the backlight. They are a little slow to come to full brightness and don't tend to get as bright as an LED. A common criticism is that they require deeper cabinets...so the TV won't be as slim.

LED backlighting and edgelighting: LCD TVs with LED backlights are slimmer, brighter and quicker to "warm up". If the TV has "local dimming", then it can dim some of these backlights to considerably improve black levels and contrast. A drawback is that you might see a bit of "blooming" or a halo effect around bright areas next to dark areas.

Edgelighting moves the LEDs to the edge of the screen, rather than behind it. This allows the TV cabinet to be extremely slim. Local dimming of edgelit TVs can also make blacks and contrast better. These sets are often criticized over blooms of light around the edge of the picture and uneven brightness (bright at the edges, darker toward the center).

Pick the right size: Giant TVs can make a big impression, but if you sit too close, they will also give you a big headache. HD content has minimized the degree to which you might see pixelization, but not everything is in HD yet, so keep that in mind. A good rule of thumb: Your viewing distance should be 1.5 to 3 times the diagonal measurement of your TV. Watching a 65-inch TV from five feet away just isn't good for you!

Pick your resolution: To keep it simple, HDTV resolution is described as 720p or 1080p, which refers to horizontal lines of resolution. 1080p is sometimes called "Full HD", which might lead you to think that if you don't have 1080p, you aren't getting real HD. That's not entirely true. Frankly, it is tough to see the difference between the two on TVs 32 inches and smaller, depending on how close you will sit. If you are sitting closer than you probably should to a larger display, shooting for 1080p will usually be worth the added expense.

Check the inputs: Make sure your TV has the right type of inputs and enough of them for your needs. If you have anything that uses S-video or component video cables, double check the TV. These connections have been phased out of some models.

Checking the specs: Unfortunately, specifications won't tell you everything you need to know about a TV's performance, but they can help get your started. There's three specs you'll want to zero in on: brightness, contrast and refresh rate.

• Brightness: Expressed in terms of cd/m2, this spec tells you just how bright a TV's brightest white can get. More is usually better if your TV will have to wage battle against bright daylight on a regular basis.
• Contrast ratio: This spec gauges a TV's brightest white against its darkest black. Ideally, the bigger the ratio, the better the TV's contrast. However, manufacturers fudge this rating more than any other to attract attention. Be particularly wary of "dynamic contrast" ratios. It means the manufacturer is prettying up their numbers and the rating doesn't mean a whole lot. Instead, look at the TV while it is displaying something bright on a black background (think stars or fireworks against a night sky). You want to see bright flashes of white on a black (not greyish or blue) background.
• Refresh rate: Expressed in terms of milliseconds. The lower the number, the faster the TV is at changing the picture, pixel by pixel. Faster TVs will have a more natural, less jittery look to them.