by D. Trump

Created on: December 20, 2009

LCD TV's are amazing!  If you enjoy watching television, you will not regret your decision to buy this technological wonder.  They offer an amazing picture and unprecedented style.  The technology has been around for a few years now, and the prices have dropped significantly, so now is the time to buy.  Having said that, this is still a major investment of money, so you should always be careful when deciding which TV to buy.  This article will give you some of the information that you need to make an informed decision, the rest is up to you.

First and foremost, you should know about the current industry standards. For the majority of 2010, you will see that there are certain expectations for LCD TV's that all of the best TV's will have.  All of the best TV's for this year have a resolution of 1080P and a refresh rate of 120 hertz.  If you are considering a TV with anything lower than this, you are either looking at a cheap TV, or an older model.  These specifications are not necessarily needed to have a great picture, but it is good to look at this guideline because you don't want to be paying full price for something that is last year's technology.  The other standard is the size.  40 inch TV's are now the standard size, but many people choose a 50 or 52 inch TV.  I would not suggest buying smaller than a 40 inch TV because anything smaller will fail to take advantage of the higher resolution that you are investing so much to enjoy. 

The next thing that you have to look at is the brand and price that you will pay. As with anything, you get what you pay for.  That still should not prevent you from getting a great deal.  When it comes to LCD TV's, you should never buy a cheap name.  Yes, they may be a few hundred dollars less, but you will find that you will have to buy a new TV in a few years, rather than in a few decades.  That alone will make the extra money worthwhile.  When it comes to brand names, stick with the best names in LCD TV's:  Samsung, Sony, Sharp, and Toshiba. You will never be disappointed with any of these products.  I personally stay away from Sharp though, as I have had bad service when dealing with their company.  Sony is a little bit more expensive, and is not necessarily the best buy for the money. 

Finally, you should look at the features of the TV.  HDMI inputs are required.  If you are not using them now, you will be in the near future.  All new electronic components use this as their main connector.  Any new TV should have a minimum of 2 to 3 HDMI inputs, and truthfully, the more it has, the better it will be if you plan on expanding your home theater in the future.  Another feature that is very important is the way you can change the aspect ratio on the TV.  When you move up to an HDTV, you will find that there are a variety of different sources and aspects of movies and television.  You want to be able to change them so that they look good on your TV.  Changing the aspect ration will accomplish this, and if your TV does not do this well, you will be disappointed at times.

In closing, buying a TV doesn't have to be stressful, but you should not take the decision lightly either.  With the average LCD TV lasting up to 40 years, this decision will affect you for quite some time.  This information will give you a start into finding the best TV for your needs.  The rest will have to be filled in with research and experience.  In the end, you are the one watching the TV, so you have to make a decision based on what looks best to you and what you enjoy the most.

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