Feast For Your Eyes

Home Theater is a two-course event. When configured properly, it is a feast for the ears and the eyes. Choosing the right TV for your system is the difference between being an observer or a participant in your movie.

Your Comparison Checklist

Please use this checklist as you shop for your new TV.

[   ]	Screen Size—What is the diagonal measurement of the screen in inches? Once you determine the right screen size for you compare models within a few inches of each other.
[   ]	Body Size & Weight—What are the dimensions of the entire TV? After all, you’ll need to know what fits in your space and how many people to call when it’s time to move.
[   ]	Resolution Capabilities— Does a standard analog fit your needs, or are you looking for a Digital TV? If you are looking for a digital TV, does the TV display 480P or the High Definition standards of 720p and 1080i?
[   ]	Inputs/Outputs—Will one component input suffice or do you need more? Again, look at what you’ll be plugging into and anticipate what you might need for future devices.
[   ]	Screen Reflections— Will the TV be affected by your rooms lighting and possible glare? Some TV’s are designed to handle brighter rooms and more reflection.
[   ]	Contrast & True Black Comparisons— Do you want a high contrast screen with dark blacks and bright whites? Contrast can add the effect of depth to your image. However, this may come at the expense of grey scale. A TV may not be as high contrast as another, but it may be able to make out varying shades of grey better. Some of this can be adjusted within each TV with the contrast and brightness settings. Just be aware that there are usually tradeoffs.
[   ]	Controls/Programming—Which TV is easiest? Look for intuitive, simple, and obvious navigation on the remote. Is the remote programmable? Make sure the TV controls make sense.
[   ]	Warranty—What is the manufacturers warranty? Is the TV made by a company you trust will honor the warranty?
[   ]	Return Policy -Make sure you can return the TV after you’ve lived with it for a few weeks. That’s when any shortcomings will surface.
[   ]	Price—What does your wallet say? Review all the other comparisons and start crossing off the models that don’t have what you need. Verify that you’re doing an apples-to-apples comparison: same size, resolution, inputs, etc. Then compare the price of those models still on your list.