Planning on buying a new television? Here are few factors to be considered when purchasing a television set.

The old TV has finally given its last gasp. It may be time to do away with that old set and buy a new TV. The problem is, the world has drastically changed since you last bought a TV. The old bulky TVs are fast dying out, being replaced by slimmer and sleeker models that can even be mounted on the wall. Salesmen are talking about new technologies such as HDTV and you are puzzled about it all. Here is a guide on things to consider before buying a new television set.

CRT or LCD HDTV

The first obvious option is which kind of television to opt for, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV. A CRT TV is the best choice when money is a constraint. It is the kind of television that we grew up with. Over the years, progress in technology has ensured that the CRT tubes have flattened from their previous curved aspect, giving us flat-screened TVs. An LCD TV, on the other hand, works with an LCD screen that doesn't have a cathode ray tube.

The primary difference between CRT and LCD High Definition TV (HDTV) is the way in which they work. In a traditional TV, the image is made out of a number of small dots called pixels. The average CRT television can display 480 visible lines of pixels. HDTVs, on the other hand, can display up to ten times more pixels, up to 1,900 lines of pixels. This means that HDTVs can give you more detailed and crisper images. Also, an HDTV is capable of having wider screens than a CRT. Another difference between HDTVs and CRTs is that HDTVs are capable of receiving digital input instead of analogue. This means that unlike the single cable that the analogue TV has, an HDTV has cables that convey information for each of the primary colours red, green, and blue, leading to better colour quality and sharper images. Most LCD TVs available today are high definition (HD) ready.

The second major difference between CRTs and HDTVs is the size. Due to the size of the main cathode ray tube, CRTs are always bulkier than LCDs. The LCD TV provides sharper images and yet still manages to be slimmer! When connected to a computer, next-generation game console or media player, it will provide crystal clear images.

CRT TVs, as compared to HDTVs, have a different aspect ratio. A standard television has an aspect ratio of 4:3. This means that it is 4 units wide and 3 units high. On the other hand, an HDTV will have a 16:9 ratio, which means 16 units wide and 9 units high. This allows for wider images to be projected on the screen for a more cinematic experience.

Things to be Kept in Mind

There is a difference between a HD ready television and a HDTV. A true HDTV has a built-in ATSC digital tuner. ATSC stands for Advanced Television Systems Committee standards. This is a body that defines standards for TV formats and manufacturing specifications. An ATSC tuner is similar to a set-top box that will receive over-the-air broadcasted television signals. The HD ready television does not have any built-in tuner card and will need a supplementary set-top box. The absence of this set-top box should not be considered a hindrance since the cable service provider will supply it.

Currently in India the content that is being broadcasted in most conditional access channels systems is not HD ready. This means that investing in HDTV will not ensure that you will get an absolutely clear picture since the picture being broadcasted at the source is not in high definition in the first place.

Before the Final Purchase

Before you finally buy your TV, it is wise to consider a wide variety of brands that suit your price bracket. Look at a number of retail outlets—at times different sales outlets will offer TV sets at different discounted rates. If the TV is connected to a DVD player, carry your own DVD and watch footage from it on different models to be able to compare quality. Also, ask to see both DVD and broadcast TV on screen so that you will get a fair idea of what cable TV will look like on your new television set. Some of the popular brands of HDTVs are Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic.