HDTV Buying Guide: Select the Right Flat-Panel Technology

High-definition television is truly different from the standard-definition television that it replaces. The screen is wider, and since many more pixels make up the image, you get greater detail. And these days, many television shows and sports broadcasts, as well as Blu-ray Disc movies, can deliver this more-detailed image.

So you want to buy a new big-screen HDTV for your home. Where do you start? You have so many options, features, and specifications to choose from that it can be confusing. And since you're likely to keep this set for at least the next five years, you want to make a smart choice that you can live with for a long time.

In this HDTV buying guide, we'll break the process down into some simple steps that will help you pinpoint the best HDTV for your needs and budget.

In selecting a flat-panel screen, you must first choose between plasma and LCD technology. You also need to determine what size to buy. You may also have to think about resolution, but that will depend on the size you're considering. If you're buying a set that's 35 inches or smaller, you may find 720p models available, but sets measuring 40 inches or larger will almost all be 1080p. The difference is that the 1080p sets have more pixels that make up the image, and thus they are capable of providing the highest detail possible. If you're viewing a smaller screen from a distance, you'll be too far to notice the added detail of a 1080p set, so in many cases 720p will be just fine for smaller TVs.

Flat-Panel HDTV Technologies

You have two technology choices: LCD and plasma. (Note that in spite of what some manufacturers would have you think, "LED TVs" are not a different technology; they are simply LCD TVs with LED backlights.) The two approaches differ in the way that they create the image on the screen. LCDs use a bright backlight that shines through a layer of liquid crystals, which move to transmit or block the light. Plasmas use an electrical charge to make a gas give off ultraviolet light, which in turn causes phosphors to glow. (This is the same process that a typical fluorescent lamp uses.)

Another alternative, rear-projection (DLP) TVs, exists, but we're not discussing such sets here. Rear-projection models can offer incredible value--especially when you're looking at sizes of 60 inches or larger--but they're not popular because they're bulkier than flat panels. And flat panels are now available in comparable sizes.

Selecting the Right HDTV Size

All HDTVs are "wide format," which means that their proportion resembles that of a movie screen more than that of a traditional, standard-definition TV screen. In technical terms, the widescreen aspect ratio is 16:9--for every 16 units of width, the screen is 9 units tall--while standard-definition screens have a 4:3 aspect ratio. The widescreen format should fill more of your field of view, much as a movie theater screen does. As a result, the answer to the question "How big a screen do you need?" is probably "Bigger than you think." (For more about integrating your new HDTV with your home theater setup, see "How to Install Your HDTV.")

If you decide that you can get by with an HDTV smaller than 40 inches, you're limited to buying an LCD HDTV; plasma screens are not efficient to manufacture at sizes below 42 inches. If you're setting your sights on something larger, however, you have to choose between plasma and LCD. To make that decision, you need to consider other factors.