1. Not Measuring Available Space
When purchasing a new TV set, especially LCD or Plasma screens, it’s a common mistake to forget to measure the amount of space available for the system. If you’re upgrading from a CRT TV set (big box), chances are you’ll be choosing between an LCD, Plasma or DLP, all of which are much smaller than CRT monitors. It’s important to measure the amount of space available to ensure that your new TV will fit. If you buy a 42" LCD or Plasma TV, the 42" refers to the length of the line running diagonal from the top left to the bottom right of the screen. The actual width, height and depth should be indicated on the label or in the product description online.
When purchasing a new TV set, especially LCD or Plasma screens, it’s a common mistake to forget to measure the amount of space available for the system. If you’re upgrading from a CRT TV set (big box), chances are you’ll be choosing between an LCD, Plasma or DLP, all of which are much smaller than CRT monitors. It’s important to measure the amount of space available to ensure that your new TV will fit. If you buy a 42" LCD or Plasma TV, the 42" refers to the length of the line running diagonal from the top left to the bottom right of the screen. The actual width, height and depth should be indicated on the label or in the product description online.
2. Not Considering Size of Room/Viewing Area
This is another common problem that first time TV buyers forget to take into consideration. For example, buying a 60" Plasma for a 10’x10’ room is probably overkill; it’s similar to going to a movie theater and sitting in the first or second room. Prolonged exposure to a TV set at such a close distance can cause pain to your eyes and potentially inflict long term damage. Finding the optimal viewing distance for your TV set is an important consideration to make when purchasing a TV. If you’re interested in finding the optimal viewing distance for a given size, check out this site.
This is another common problem that first time TV buyers forget to take into consideration. For example, buying a 60" Plasma for a 10’x10’ room is probably overkill; it’s similar to going to a movie theater and sitting in the first or second room. Prolonged exposure to a TV set at such a close distance can cause pain to your eyes and potentially inflict long term damage. Finding the optimal viewing distance for your TV set is an important consideration to make when purchasing a TV. If you’re interested in finding the optimal viewing distance for a given size, check out this site.
3. Not Enough Research
Buying a TV was a lot simpler twenty years ago; there were less options, makes and models. Nowadays it seems as if new brands and technologies are popping up every month that it’s hard to keep track of them all. That’s why for today’s TV buyer, research is a must. Especially for price conscious buyers, going online and doing your research can save a great deal of money. Buying online is almost always cheaper than buying from a store.
Buying a TV was a lot simpler twenty years ago; there were less options, makes and models. Nowadays it seems as if new brands and technologies are popping up every month that it’s hard to keep track of them all. That’s why for today’s TV buyer, research is a must. Especially for price conscious buyers, going online and doing your research can save a great deal of money. Buying online is almost always cheaper than buying from a store.
4. Forgetting to Compare Brands
What do Sony, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sharp, and Vizio all have in common? They’re all famous electronics brands which include TVs. While Samsung and LG may make great cell phones, that doesn’t guarantee they also make great TVs as well. A Sony 42" HDTV may be better than a Samsung HDTV of the same size, but for another size class the opposite may be true. Comparing specific models for specific brands is vital to making a well informed TV purchase. The last thing you want to do is spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a new TV and find out that it doesn’t have the features you want or the durability you were hoping for.
What do Sony, Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sharp, and Vizio all have in common? They’re all famous electronics brands which include TVs. While Samsung and LG may make great cell phones, that doesn’t guarantee they also make great TVs as well. A Sony 42" HDTV may be better than a Samsung HDTV of the same size, but for another size class the opposite may be true. Comparing specific models for specific brands is vital to making a well informed TV purchase. The last thing you want to do is spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on a new TV and find out that it doesn’t have the features you want or the durability you were hoping for.
5. Not Considering Lighting Conditions
The way a room is lit can make a big difference to the TV viewing experience. The ideal TV viewing experience mimics the movie theatre environment. Movie theaters tend to be dimly lit with multiple layers of light from overhead, side and ground lamps. For the first time buyer, what’s important to realize is that the lighting conditions in the showroom is probably quite different than the lighting conditions of your home. If possible, compare the lighting of the room you plan on using with your friends’ TV rooms to give you a better sense of your preferences for brightness and contrast levels for the TV set.
The way a room is lit can make a big difference to the TV viewing experience. The ideal TV viewing experience mimics the movie theatre environment. Movie theaters tend to be dimly lit with multiple layers of light from overhead, side and ground lamps. For the first time buyer, what’s important to realize is that the lighting conditions in the showroom is probably quite different than the lighting conditions of your home. If possible, compare the lighting of the room you plan on using with your friends’ TV rooms to give you a better sense of your preferences for brightness and contrast levels for the TV set.
6. Weighing Price Over Quality
For the price conscious buyer, cheaper is better. However, when it comes to electronics, there’s only so much that can be shaved off the price before the quality starts to be affected. TVs are delicate electronic devices, especially technologies such as LCD and Plasma screen TVs and while there are a number of models and brands available at a variety of prices, not all TVs share the same build quality. If you’re going to buy an expensive Plasma TV with the hopes that it will last beyond its warranty, it’s a good idea to purchase a quality TV over a cheap one. The savings found with discount TV brands is reflected in the quality of the TV sets. The old adage “you get what you pay for,” holds true for TV sets.
For the price conscious buyer, cheaper is better. However, when it comes to electronics, there’s only so much that can be shaved off the price before the quality starts to be affected. TVs are delicate electronic devices, especially technologies such as LCD and Plasma screen TVs and while there are a number of models and brands available at a variety of prices, not all TVs share the same build quality. If you’re going to buy an expensive Plasma TV with the hopes that it will last beyond its warranty, it’s a good idea to purchase a quality TV over a cheap one. The savings found with discount TV brands is reflected in the quality of the TV sets. The old adage “you get what you pay for,” holds true for TV sets.
7. Forgoing Extended Warranties
Warranties for TVs are typically around one year with extended warranties available for additional cost. For some first time buyers, spending 200 hundred dollars on a four year extended warranty doesn’t seem like a necessary option, but the added protection can come in handy when something goes wrong. If you plan on purchasing a $5000 Plasma or LCD TV, paying a few hundred dollars more for an extended warranty is not a bad idea.
Warranties for TVs are typically around one year with extended warranties available for additional cost. For some first time buyers, spending 200 hundred dollars on a four year extended warranty doesn’t seem like a necessary option, but the added protection can come in handy when something goes wrong. If you plan on purchasing a $5000 Plasma or LCD TV, paying a few hundred dollars more for an extended warranty is not a bad idea.
8. Not Checking For Necessary Inputs and Jacks
When purchasing a TV, make sure you know what input jacks you need to hook up your various peripherals and accessories such as DVD player and audio system. TVs may come with a combination of inputs such as RCA jacks, S-Video, Component Video (DVD), RGB (Computer Monitors), Firewire and DVI. Some hybrid TV and computer monitors may not include RCA jacks that older VCRs or video equipment require. Make sure you check off what you need before you make your purchase.
When purchasing a TV, make sure you know what input jacks you need to hook up your various peripherals and accessories such as DVD player and audio system. TVs may come with a combination of inputs such as RCA jacks, S-Video, Component Video (DVD), RGB (Computer Monitors), Firewire and DVI. Some hybrid TV and computer monitors may not include RCA jacks that older VCRs or video equipment require. Make sure you check off what you need before you make your purchase.
9. Not Equalizing TV Settings in Showroom
When purchasing a TV from the showroom floor, it’s important to make sure to equalize all settings. That means brightness, contrast, volume and any other important setting that might affect your visual and audio experience. It’s not uncommon to purchase a TV from a showroom or retailer only to bring it home and realize that the look of the picture is not what you expected.
When purchasing a TV from the showroom floor, it’s important to make sure to equalize all settings. That means brightness, contrast, volume and any other important setting that might affect your visual and audio experience. It’s not uncommon to purchase a TV from a showroom or retailer only to bring it home and realize that the look of the picture is not what you expected.
10. Not Understanding Features
So after doing hours of research you’ve finally decided on your dream TV. One last thing to consider before you make your purchase is whether or not you understand the features available. TVs nowadays come in HDTV offer resolutions of 1080p or 720 and video processing features. Chances are the more features the model has the more expensive it will be. But more isn’t necessarily better; it all depends on what you’re looking for. For example, the 120Hz video processing of higher end LCD TVs is a feature that manufactures developed in order to address concerns over the motion-blur problem that occurs in scenes with fast motion. If you watch a lot of sports or action movies, this may be something worth investing in, but the motion insensitive can save a few hundred bucks.
So after doing hours of research you’ve finally decided on your dream TV. One last thing to consider before you make your purchase is whether or not you understand the features available. TVs nowadays come in HDTV offer resolutions of 1080p or 720 and video processing features. Chances are the more features the model has the more expensive it will be. But more isn’t necessarily better; it all depends on what you’re looking for. For example, the 120Hz video processing of higher end LCD TVs is a feature that manufactures developed in order to address concerns over the motion-blur problem that occurs in scenes with fast motion. If you watch a lot of sports or action movies, this may be something worth investing in, but the motion insensitive can save a few hundred bucks.
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