Nov 16, 2009 06:01 PM
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I thought of sharing my LCD TV purchasing experience here. First it started with research; we tried to get as much details as possible from the internet.
I think I have gone through the following steps, which I would recommend to anyone going for a new LCD TV:
1. Get an idea of resolution, contrast ratio, refresh rate of LCDs in the market. Try to understand thedefinition, and what these terms actually mean.
Resolution is specified in two terms, HD Ready and Full HD. HD Ready supports upto 720p and Fully HD means a 1080p. Before deciding which would be ideal for you, it is worth considering the following link which talks about the relationship of resolution with screen size and room size. Pick the ideal size & resolution from here.
https://carltonbale.com/1080p-does-matter
there are numerous other sites which gives you similar info, however this one shows very comprehensive charts that are also simple. In my experience, for an average size living room a 32" would be suitable. Also, one thing it points out is that, a Full HD will show its benefits only when the screen size goes above 40-50". More the size of the TV screen, the more space you’ll have to free up in the room for a proper viewing experience.
Else you feel contained inside the screen and you may have to roll your eyes frequently, which is a bad way to go.
2. Get the best contrast ratio, since this defines how crisp the video you are going to get. Nowadays you could easily see 50, 0000:1 to 1, 00, 000:1 and more.
3. 50Hz to 100Hz or more is good refresh rate.
4. Check the sound output.
- A normal LCD TV in the current market should have 2+ HDMI ports; still you can verify that you have AV, VGA, RCA, USB, Component inputs ready.
6. A free wall mounting option is something you can ask for.
7. Now you know the specifications. You can short list a few models based on that.
8. The most important step starts here. Going to the shop. I would say go to a shop where you can actually see multiple brands on display. Spend as much time you can in front of the panels.
Compare the models within your price range in terms of the visual clarity you are getting from them. Dont ever go by brand, but focus on the panel. The final panel you select should be the one which has given you enough satisfaction to justify your decision. Btw dont forget to ask the sales guy to connect different video inputs like DVD movies, Blue-ray, Normal Cable, DTH Cable to the panels, so that you can measure the real-time quality.
The demo disc which the shops play should not be the only video input for you on which you base your decision.
Finally when you book the TV, make sure they don’t deliver a demo piece to you. I personally liked the LG 32LH20R model because of the competetive price and features. In addition it had the IPS panel plus more vibrant colors and a crisp crystal display. Overall I think LG and Samsung do have amazing products, however LG gives an edge on the price.
To be honest I felt Sony is overpriced. Other brands provide the same specification and video quality at a much lesser price.
They definitely have to improve or convince the customer what are those additional features provided for the said price. If I don’t get to see a visually superb display don’t tell me about any unheard marketing R&D terms to justify the product quality. You can insist a delivery on the same day. I think if you watch TV at least 2 hrs a day then LCD TV is a good investment as it will change the overall experience.
