So what should you know before you make your new purchase? Here are some helpful tips to hopefully make your preliminary decisions a little easier.

Size
LCD TV’s are available in such a vast array of sizes. You can purchase as small as 10″, and then move up the range from 32″, 37″, 42″, all the way up to 108″. The decision can be difficult with so many options, however, begin by considering the viewing distance from the prospective television. How far away do you plan on sitting from your new LCD TV? Obviously, you do not want to buy the 52″ TV if you are only 4 feet away. Optimally, for LCD TV’s of 42″, plan to be about 10 feet away, where as an LCD TV of over 60″ should be viewed at over 15 feet away. In sum, do not get in over your head and buy a large TV without having the proper space to view it.

Resolution
Resolution may be expressed as 720p, 1080p, 1080i, 1024×768, etc. These numbers represent the vertical and horizontal lines that make up the picture quality on the screen. The most advanced and future-ready resolution is 1080p, which stands for 1080 pixels (or vertical lines) with progressive scanning. This is better than 1080i, as the “i” represents “interlaced”. Interlaced simply uses the previous technology of updating a picture every other line beginning with the odd numbered pixels, and then the even. Progressive scanning is constantly refreshing every pixel all of the time.

Refresh Rate
In addition to either progressive or interlaced scanning, companies such as Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony offer multiple speeds in which those pixels are refreshed. With a higher refresh rate, comes better clarity, less interruption of high action scenes. The most common refresh rate is between 60-120 Hz, however, 200 Hz has reached some markets. Smaller TV’s may not show much difference with higher resolution and refresh rates, but on the contrary, larger TV’s demonstrate rather big differences.

Contrast Ratio
Contrast Ratio is described in terms of 700:1, or 25,000:1. It is simply a ratio of how many steps it takes in shades of gray to go from black to white and back again. Some brands offer what they call “Dynamic Contrast Ratio” in which is not a true description of the TV’s color capabilities. With a dynamic contrast ratio TV, it will lower the back light in darker scenes to darken pictures. In short, an LCD television with a higher contrast ratio will be able to deliver greater color and picture quality.

Overall, when deciding on a TV, begin with determining the size that meets the needs of the viewing room. From there, you can decide on the importance of the resolution, refresh rate, and contrast ratio.

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