aspir(al)ing

Homework before TV.

Posted by terri | Filed under home, shiny

Even with all this talk of the economy going to the crapper and the crumbling confidence in our markets, I am still thinking of making a big purchase. As I have reported via Twitter, I was deciding between buying a digital SLR camera or a TV for my living room. As much as I would like to get both, I can only choose one.

The scale has tipped toward the television only because it is the most utilitarian solution. If I get the TV, I can give the TV away to someone I know who needs one (desperately.) The TV I currently have in my living room is a 19″ CRT TV which we got from Japan when we lived there. It’s come from Japan, to our house here, to my sister’s and then back here. As to why I want to replace the TV, I think it’s to make my living room a little more inviting. Prior to my housecleaning frenzy, my living room was far from worthy of having a “nice TV.” My house is still far from being picture perfect with needing the carpet cleaned (or replaced, rather) along with a paint job, but I think having a bigger TV will not be out of place in it. Another big motivation is that of being able to play multiplayer games on a bigger screen; a 19″ screen just won’t do when you’re playing Mario Kart or Mario Party on a Wii.

I usually am one to make the impulsive buy, but I decided to take a lesson from my hunny and be a little more prudent in deciding which TV to get. Choosing a TV involves a lot of research and the challenge lies in finding the time, the attention span and the reputable places to research. It can be easy to tell people whenever they are looking to buy something to research the Internet or “Google it” as many people I know are quick to say (including me, I admit.) I have to say now that it isn’t always easy. In trying to Google information about how to shop for a TV, I’ve found that there are a lot of websites out there with all kinds of information to muck through. You also have to wonder how partial these reviews are. Also with improving technologies and dropping prices, you have to be sure that you are getting the latest most relevant information.

I have not narrowed it down to certain models, but my research so far has yielded a better idea of what I should be looking for. In deciding between LCD and Plasma, I am opting for an LCD display. Though Plasma appears more attractive, LCD supposedly has a longer life. I certainly want any TV I buy to last me awhile because I hate having a broken TV (or two) to dispose of once it breaks. As for size, I think I’ll be satisfied enough with a 40″ or 42″ TV. The daunting task comes through comparing the specs for an LCD TV. Per the various websites I’ve looked through, I’ve figured out the specs I need to look for. (Note: This whole blog entry more for me in verbalizing my research and decision process, and so the following can definitely be left for dispute.)

Native Pixel Resolution: This should not be so much an issue for me only because once you enter the realm of 40″ or 42″, they are all pretty much 1080p as opposed to 720p. (And I don’t see any with 1080i as progressive is the preferred more modern format.) The numbers 1080 and 720 refer to the number of horizontal lines in the picture, or the number of pixels that make up one vertical line of the picture. I guess it would be cool to have what they call “Full HD” with a 1080p resolution, but that’s all contingent on whether it can handle the lower resolution sources as mentioned in the next point.

Scaling: This refers to the television’s ability to match the resolution of the incoming signal to its native pixel resolution. One thing I have not been able to figure out is how this spec of scaling is actually measured for means of comparison to other models. This is where I will have to refer to people’s review of any particular TV I am looking at. Upscaling will be a very important consideration for me because a lot of what I’ll be watching will be standard definition (480i) as opposed to HD. Also, I don’t think I’ll be adopting Blu-Ray anytime soon as I don’t see DVDs on its way out just yet. I might very well buy one more DVD player before that does happen, and it will probably be an upconverting DVD player. I have yet to see how well those work. If I do get a craving for HD content, I think an Apple TV might very well be in my future.

Contrast Ratio: This refers to the comparison of the darkest (or blackest) color the TV can produce to the lightest (or whitest, if that’s a word) color. This is a spec in which a number is available (for example, 10,000:1), but it is up for dispute as to how the manufacturer comes up with such a number. I cannot begin to explain the whole game, but among the websites I researched, this one provides a rather interesting explanation. When it gets down to it, you have to judge with your eyes the screen’s ability to produce a dark black. I’ll probably take a look at the numbers, but not take it at face value.

Motion Response Time: This reflects the TV’s ability to display quick movement on the screen. Measured in milliseconds, this is one spec that can be used to compare the quality of one TV from another. Your better TVs have a Motion Response Time of under 5 ms.

Connectivity and Tuners: I still have devices that connect via composite cables, so it’s imperative that the next TV I get has more than one set of composite cable ports. As of right now, I have nothing that uses HDMI, but of course, it’s a given that any TV I get will have a couple of HDMI ports on them. MAYBE a PS3 and or an Apple TV are in my future once I get this TV, but of course, with the way things are going, maybe not. Also, I would prefer a TV with a digital tuner just out of curiosity as to how Digital Broadcast TV is like compared to Analog (Remember the old school “rabbit ears”? I certainly do.)

I don’t know how soon it will be until I find the TV I am looking for. I am fairly certain that I want to buy it from Costco because of their return policy and warranty extension offer that retailers charge you extra for. It’s all a matter of finding the right one at the right price. My price range was looking to be $1200 – $1500, but I think it will actually be lowered to about $1000 or so, since I don’t need to have an extraordinarily impressive television.

In the meantime, if anyone can offer me some advice on what to look for, that would be awesome.

2 Responses to “Homework before TV.”

BK Says:
October 7th, 2008 at 3:52 pm

awesome! looks like you’re doing a great job in the research department. one thing that can be difficult to find on the internet but could be important in determining which TV you buy is brand reputation. when i think about hard drives, i automatically rule out IBM (the de(ath)skstar sucked.) i know this doesn’t help you any, but… once you go blu-ray, it’s very hard to go back! anyway, good luck . house-warming at terri’s! hahaha
KOj Says:
October 10th, 2008 at 11:47 am

First, I like your play on words with the title. Very catchy!

I was in the same dilemma about a year ago when having to decide on a TV to buy for the living room. We did similar research and it came down to what was available in the local markets (e.g., Best Buy, which happens to be my final destination to buy the TV). Budget was a consideration and so was the length of time we were planning to keep the TV in the living room before having to upgrade it to something “bigger”.

The final decision came down to a Sony Bravia XBR. It is big enough for the living room space (any bigger and it would be a strain on the eyes; plus, our digital reception isn’t up to snuff yet so the picture wouldn’t be any clearer at this point in time). When the technology becomes cheaper and improved upon, we’ll consider getting a bigger one – maybe in 2 more years.

In the meantime, we’re able to connect all of our game consoles, DVR box, and even a computer to the television. Maybe in a couple of months, I’ll include an Apple TV to the repertoire.

Here’s a link to a picture of the TV and what my cat thinks about it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/i925/2136335526/

Aloha!

Hello from the island of O'ahu in the beautiful state of Hawaii. I am terri, a local girl who at 30 is trying to make sure that life doesn't entirely pass her by. I've recently become engaged and am enjoying living a great life in paradise.