Finding The Right 27” LCD TV

A 27” LCD TV provides a much better picture than the old CRT televisions – and they come in much more attractive styles. In many homes an LCD TV has become an integral feature in the entertainment room’s decorating scheme. They’re versatile, too. A flat screen 27” LCD TV can be mounted on a wall, under a cabinet, on the ceiling, or it can sit on a stand or on top of furniture. A 27” LCD TV comes in a size that is big enough to comfortably watch from a reasonable distance, but it’s also small enough to fit in even the smallest viewing rooms.

The 27” LCD market is also highly competitive – almost every television manufacturer makes at least one 27” model. Choosing the right model for your needs can be time-consuming; to get you started, take these steps as you search for the right TV for you.

First consider your room’s décor, and think about how you’ll sit relative to the TV. Because a 27” LCD TV has significantly higher resolution than a conventional TV, you’ll be able to sit closer than you normally would and view a larger screen much more comfortably. The optimum viewing distance for a 27” LCD TV is approximately 6 feet, so plan your furniture arrangement accordingly.

Then make a decision about whether you want or need HDTV. A 27” LCD TV with EDTV is less expensive to purchase but it won’t display high-definition signals. The price difference between a smaller HD-ready 27” LCD TV and an ED-ready 27” LCD TV is relatively small, so you’re better off buying an HD-ready set. Many experts indicate there’s little reason to buy a non-HD 27” LCD TV. A lower resolution LCD TV won’t be able to accept high-definition signals, so the picture won’t look any better than regular analog TV. In the next few years more and more TV signals will be in HD; since your 27” LCD TV should last for more than fifteen years, make sure it will grow with the technology.

Now try to purchase a set with an HDMI input. This port keeps the signal all-digital, avoiding degradation that can occur as the signal passes through other components (like your cable box). HMDI carries high-definition audio as well as video. Some satellite receivers and DVD players also connect through this port.

Narrow your choice of 27” LCD TV down further by determining if you want or need picture-in-picture functionality. Picture-in-picture allows you to view two video sources at once, with one appearing as a small window on the screen. If you do want picture-in-picture capability on your 27” LCD TV, remember that single-tuner picture-in-picture lets you watch television in one window and another source (like a DVD) in the second window. A 27” LCD TV with two tuners lets you watch two television sources at once. It’s a cool feature and once you have it you’ll find you don’t want to do without it, especially if you’re a sports or news junkie.

You’re almost done, but now you’ll want to check to see if the different models of 27” LCD TV you’re still considering are sold with a stand or mounting hardware included. Most 27” LCD TVs will come with a table stand wall mounting hardware costs an additional $100 to $200. If you do purchase a stand or mounting hardware separately, make sure it’s appropriate for the size and weight of your TV. The average 27” LCD TV is pretty heavy, so it pays to make sure your stand or hardware will safely support it.

Last, but certainly not least, inspect the manufacturer’s return and warranty policy before buying online. Some manufacturers have strict policies regarding authorized dealers. If you buy a 27” LCD TV from an unauthorized dealer, the manufacturer may not offer warranty coverage. The retailer may offer a substitute warranty that sufficiently covers you – the only way to know for sure is to ask.

The price difference for a 27” LCD TV from an authorized dealer and from a discounter can be hundreds of dollars – and sometimes that’s the sole reason for the price difference – so make sure you’re comfortable with the risk of not having a warranty, or make sure you ask the discounter for information about warranty terms for the 27” LCD TV you’ve narrowed your choice down to.

Buying-Plasma-Television

Buying a Plasma Television

With televisions getting bigger and bigger Plasma Television technology has become a front runner in the big screen race.

A few years ago a plasma television was well out of the financial reach of the average man with the smaller televisions costing upwards of $8000.

But with steady competition from the LCD technology these prices are steadily coming down as time goes by. Now is the chance for the common man to purchase a big screen plasma television.

There are several sizes when it comes to plasma televisions. They range from 25 inch up-to 60 inch. All delivering high quality picture. But what do you look for when purchasing a big screen plasma television?

There are several things to look for. Firstly don’t go for the biggest one there. This will be the most expensive one and dropping a size or two below the biggest will get you the most value for money.

The second thing to look for would be the brand. Go for the most trusted brand. Some well known brands include Panasonic, LG and Sony.

Sony plasma televisions tend to be more expensive than the other brands.

Thirdly you will need to look for a plasma television that suits your needs.

Meaning one that has a remote and interface that is simple to use, and has all the connections you need for your surround sound system or DVD player.

Picking the right plasma television need not be a difficult task. You can ask friendly staff at any of the major electronics stores for suggestions and recommendations.

In the end the choice is yours. The choice of which brand you want to buy, which color, which size etc. It depends on your personal taste and of course your budget.

These days a 60 inch plasma television will cost you around $6000. Of course this is for a huge screen that most of us will not need.

The more modest 42 inch screens will only set you back around $3000.

hd-tivo

A Look At HD Tivo

Have you ever heard someone say they were going to Tivo a program and wondered what they meant?

HD Tivo is a term used to describe a high definition digital video recorder, which permits the owner to record television programming and store it to an internal hard disk for later viewing.

So, the next time someone says they are going to Tivo something, they are simply saying that they are going to record it so that it can be watched at a later, more convenient time.

HD Tivo units function much like a VCR, which permits users to record programs onto a videotape.

The modernized form, however, is HD Tivo. This unit is not only beneficial for recording, however, as it is also capable of pausing and/or rewinding a program already in progress.

If, for instance, you have to step out of the room for a moment, you can pause the show and resume play when you reenter the room.

The convenience of HD Tivo is unmistakable, which is why many entertainment buffs own this new video recording equipment and wouldn’t think of turning on their TV without it.

Some HD Tivo units allow individuals to specify certain programs to record based on specific criteria, including program title, actor, genre, time, etc.

This availability depends upon location and service, but is often beneficial to those who schedule future recordings ahead of time.

HD Tivo products have been manufactured by industry-leading companies, including Philips, Toshiba, Sony and others. In order to use Tivo, individuals are required to subscribe to a monthly service, which generally costs approximately $10.00 to $15.00 per month.

Lifetime subscription plans, which were previously offered by Tivo, have since been discontinued in place of a new program allowing customers to receive the unit at no cost in exchange for prepaid service.

When subscribing to any service, including HD Tivo, it is important to carefully read the service contract and understand the service for which you are paying.

The monthly costs, service and cancellation policies should be clearly outlined in any contract. Any questions should be asked prior to signing of the contract and/or exchange of any payment.

If a prepaid amount is required, it is unlikely that a consumer would be permitted to cancel their service during that time and still receive a refund. However, this possibility should be discussed with a Tivo specialist.

Along with the unit itself, consumers will likely receive an owner’s manual and detailed instructions on how to operate their unit. As with any new technology, it may take some time to adapt to the features.

By carefully reading the manual and paying close attention to the instructions of the representative, you should be able to Tivo in no time.

LCD-TV

A 21” LCD TV – A Versatile Mid-Range Size

Some consumers consider a 21” LCD TV to be the perfect size: for TV viewing and for use as a computer monitor. Some take it one step further: they integrate their 21” LCD TV with a home theater PC.

It’s easier than you think, and a home theater PC setup lets you access any media files like digital image files, audio files, and videos.

You can also watch your favorite television shows or DVDs, and you can even use the 21” LCD TV as a computer monitor. It’s no surprise, then, that some consumers feel a 21” LCD TV is one of the most versatile screen sizes available.

If you watch digital TV on your 21” LCD TV, you could be already taking advantage of the possibilities of Digital Video Recorders (DVR) or TiVo.

You can go one step farther; integrating your 21” LCD TV with a home theater PC setup is the ultimate in versatility. And it’s not that hard – here are a few ways available to you.

1. Buy a PC with the Media Center version of Windows XP and make sure it has a TV tuner card capable of capturing digital signals from your cable or satellite box. Once it’s installed, it works just like a DVR. You won’t need to buy a high-end PC to integrate with your 21” LCD TV if you just want to record and play shows and movies – if you also want to play graphics-intensive video games, you may need a more expensive PC with greater graphics capability. Just make sure you get plenty of memory.

2. Upgrade your PC. You can buy a copy of Microsoft’s operating system with Media Center. Frequently it comes bundled with a TV tuner card you’ll also need. If you have decent computer skills you can handle the installation fairly easily and your 21” LCD TV home theater PC setup will be running in no time.

3. If you don’t want to upgrade to a new operating system, a number of software companies produce applications that perform the same chores as Media Center does. A few are available as freeware, but the features they offer tend to be limited. You’ll still need to factor in the cost of a TV tuner card – a TV tuner card won’t be included with the freeware.

Once you’ve decided how to set up your computer, you can integrate it into your home theater system so your 21” LCD TV can handle the video feed you send to it. A 21” unit is ideal for this purpose; sets that are larger sometimes deliver reduced image quality when the TV signal is sent through the computer.

How you send the signal to your TV is the main hurdle to overcome. There are many different audio and video options for joining the two; the method you choose will obviously depend on the inputs and outputs available on both your PC and your TV.

Older, standard-definition LCD TVs will have, at a minimum, a composite-video connection (a yellow video connection that’s usually accompanied by red and white stereo audio jacks). Hopefully, it will also provide an S-Video port.

Newer 21” LCD TVs should provide component inputs, and more advanced 21” LCD TVs that are HDTV capable will supply DVI or HDMI inputs. If you haven’t purchased a 21” LCD TV yet, try to find a model with DVI or HDMI inputs.

Once your computer is connected to your 21” TV you can use Media Center to keep track of your media files and handle your DVR recording needs.

If you want to record TV without using Media Center, similar products on the market can do the job. For example, SnapStream’s Beyond TV comes bundled with many TV tuner cards, so if you’re building a home theater or upgrading a machine you already own, you might end up with a copy by default.

And you can take a further step and add the Beyond Media program for organizing photo, music, and other media files, and it does pretty much everything Media Center does.

Beyond TV doesn’t support every TV tuner card on the market, so check the hardware specs for your 21” LCD TV before you install it.

Even if you have no interest in recording TV programs, you can still use programs like Windows Media Player, iTunes, and PowerDVD to manage your preexisting media library using software you already have.

Whichever option you choose, make sure you have plenty of hard disk space; once you start recording television programs or watching your home videos on your 21” LCD TV, you’ll find you need all the space you can get.

And due to its increased versatility, you’ll find your 21” LCD TV is an even bigger part of your home entertainment system.

Plasma-Televisions

All About Plasma Televisions

Plasma televisions have flooded the market, but there are some important facts you should know first.

They are a premium price but they offer one of the best combinations of features for a High Definition television today.

Plasma screens offer a flat screen of 4” thick that have one of the best pictures available.

The newest televisions have resolution capabilities of up to 1080p. This is a huge leap in resolution compared to DVD which only has capabilities of 480i.

This means that HD capable plasma televisions can produce more than twice the resolution of a DVD.

The reason that a plasma television can produce such images in a thin layer is the technology that was actually created about 35 years ago.

Plasma technology starts with two thin pieces of glass that are filled with xenon and neon gas. The chamber contains all of the pixels which can reach into the millions. Th

is chamber is filled with electric current and it illuminates the pixels that also fill the chamber. This process creates a brilliant picture that is almost unmatched by any other screen.

Plasma screens offer very high resolution that is bright and has a wide viewable range. You can view the screen within a 160 degree range with no loss in quality.

To incorporate most of the advantages of a plasma television, you must make sure that it has the features that are most up to date. The most up to date features of plasma televisions is that they have 1080p resolution. You also need multiple HDMI connections because you will be connecting more than just one HD component.

DVD players, cable boxes and game consoles all have HDMI capability that makes the best use of your television. Make certain that your plasma television can handle at least two HDMI connections, or it is out of date.

Component video is still a great second option, but it will not create as good results.

Remember that your plasma television is a center piece for your technology and it should be capable of everything that you own.