I remember when black and white TVs with the 10" screens were the "in" thing; if you didn’t have one, you were nothing. Even when playing games on these ancient TVs, you had to sit very close to the TV in order to see anything and the display was horrible, but we loved it!
Now, that was 15 years ago, but nowadays, HDTVs are the rage. But with so many brands, technological jargon and cash at stake, what would be the best choice and advice on getting one? With these steps, your wallet won’t be empty and you can easily please all your buds (and lady friends) with the sexiness that is high-definition television.
1. 1080p, 720p, what do they mean? These numbers refer to the amount of pixels that the TV will show and obviously, the higher the pixels, the clearer the images. In the life of a gamer, images are everything–you want games to look good! But the cost of a 1080p HDTV may be unsettling but the results of a 720p is just as the same as a 1080p, unless you stare at the TV from point-blank range. So if you’re picking up, say a 46" or less, then go with 720p, but if you’re going with 46" and greater, then 1080p would be better.
2. When the salesman is rattling off the boring (read: sales pitch) statistics of a HDTV, don’t put off the set that involves contrast ratio. The larger the numbers, the crisper the colors. While the best HDTVs may hit 10,000:1, you can easily settle for 2,000:1 or 3,000:1, especially on a 720p HDTV. Don’t go lower though, your eyes and games may weep.
3. LCD or plasma? While they both have their merits, don’t go ape on either or. Plasma HDTVs tend to look better (due to higher contrast ratio) for a higher price but LCDs are coming along nicely and are just as nice as plasma.
4. Get the right wires! Coaxial cables (screw-in kind) are the ones you need to produce the sexy HDTV goodness. Out with the old three-pronged, red, white and yellow cable, in with the new five-pronged, red, white, yellow, green and blue cables. Also the new HDMI cables give the best connection possible, but if you want to hook up a gaming system, some may not even have the right HDMI jacks yet, so check that out. The Xbox 360 Elite comes included with the cables, for example.
5. Don’t get hosed on prices. Sure, you will have to spend a decent amount of cash on getting the right HDTV but like any other purchase in the world, research is the key. Check out stores, online sites, reviews and handy tip columns (like this one) that’ll narrow down your search. Trust me, it may be great to show-off your new HDTV to your girlfriend, only to find that you can’t afford a couch to sit on to watch it! But seeing her eyes light up when you put on Guitar Hero II will ensure money in the bank.
[Via Tulsa World]
