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Step 1
Begin by determining the size of LCD or Plasma TV you want to purchase. The reason you should do this first is that the picture on a larger TV set will obviously be different than what is found on a smaller TV, whether the picture is standard or HD. The information you learn about a 42-inch TV will be different than what you could learn about a 26-inch set made by the same manufacturer.
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Step 2
Read Circuit City's guides to how Plasma and LCD TVs work. Circuit City has put together two web pages with basic information about both Plasma and LCD TVs. These guides are recommended because they give you a short rundown on how these sets work without getting too “techy” in description. For those of us who aren't engineers, this is a breath of fresh air. You can read these two pages and get just the information you want without getting a headache from confusion.
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Step 3
Go over the Consumer Reports articles about both LCD and Plasma TVs brought to you by Circuit City. These articles begin by giving a basic overview about what makes both kinds of sets good buys for you. They then mention the type of sets you can purchase, what types of features each set offers and things you'll need to consider before choosing which type of set you'll purchase. These are must-read articles for anybody buying their first Plasma or LCD TV set.
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Step 4
Read reviews of different Plasma and LCD TVs. Consumer Search offers an easy and reliable way for you to compare different Plasma TVs. There are short paragraphs comparing the best Plasma TVs, reviews from both “experts” and consumers such as yourself as well as information on where you can buy these TVs. For reviews on LCD TVs, head over to the LCD TV Buying Guide. This website has reviews on every type of LCD TV you could want, including every size and every brand you could think of. If there's an LCD TV, there's a review for it at the LCD TV Buying Guide.
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Step 5
Go to your local store, talk to a salesperson and inspect these TV sets yourself. You can read about pixels and resolutions until you're blue in the face. The fact is that you can only appreciate the picture a TV set has by seeing it in person. Go to an electronics store and see for yourself what you like and dislike. Speak to a salesperson about what type of TV he or she has. That person gets a discount on sets, so it's unlikely that he or she will own a sub-par TV.
