Consumer Guide for Buying a Flat-Screen TV
Primary features of a flat-screen TV include screen size, resolution, contrast ratio and aspect ratio. While most flat-screen TVs utilize top technology and are equipped with all the best features, it is important to do proper research since buying a flat-screen TV is a significant monetary investment.
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Resolution
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The resolution of the TV involves its pixilation. The more the pixilation, the better the picture. Current digital content is delivered in five formats: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. Standard analog TVs utilize 480 (number of pixels along the width of the TV) format for broadcasting, Flat-screen TVs, which are mostly high definition, have at least 1 million pixels along the width of the TV.
Contrast Ratio
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The contrast ratio refers to the quality of the flat-screen TV. In the current market, plasma TVs are considered better than LCD TVs. A plasma flat-screen TV boosts a 1000-to-1 ratio, while LCD TVs tend to have a 600-to-1 ratio. Since no standard exists for contrast ratios, it is essential that the buyer observe the TV before buying.
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Aspect Ratio
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The aspect ratio refers to the width and height of the TV. Since most flat-screen TVs are high definition, their picture is displayed in a wide-screen format. As such, it is better to purchase a TV with a 16-to-9 aspect ratio, instead of the regular 4-to-3 aspect ratio.
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References
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