Where to buy your new Plasma or LCD Television
Finding the right TV at the right price can be a daunting proposition when faced with the vast variety of models and features available. Only you can decide exactly what it is you want from a tv. But it’s worth considering the following information before committing yourself to buy.
- What size screen do you want?
This will probably depend largely on the size of room you will have your TV installed. Unless you’re watching programs in high definition there will be a noticeable loss of picture quality when watching on anything larger than a 36” screen if sitting within 2 metres of the screen.
- Should you go for Plasma or Lcd?
If you’re a sports fan the Plasma is a better choice. There will be a less noticeable lag effect during fast motion of objects. The black levels and contrast ratios are also generally better with a plasma screen.
On the other hand, Lcd screens don’t suffer from the ‘burn in’ effect that leaves static images, such as TV logos, and certain video game backgrounds remaining ghosted on the screen. Some new Plasmas however are providing new techniques to solve this problem.
- Is there much difference in price?
Not really. Prices for both Plasma and Lcd are very similar and cost depends more on the size of screen, as well as advanced features, more than anything else.
- What other considerations should be taken into account?
The resolution of a large screen TV, whether Plasma or LCD can be either 768 or 1080i. Obviously, 1080 is better, especially if you want the best in high definition picture quality or if you intend to play video games on your TV. For general viewing though you would be hard pressed to tell the difference in the overall picture quality.
The weight of a Plasma TV is also heavier than Lcd TV’s. So an LCD
is easier to hang on a wall. In either case a suitable sturdy wall bracket will be required for this purpose.
- Is it better to buy from a shop or online?
That depends on whether you don’t mind spending time and money travelling to shops and comparing prices to get the best deal, or whether you are happy to do some research online rather than talking to a salesperson to find out what features each TV has to offer.
With the big name sellers such as Currys and Comet etc. (see below for a list of other recommended retailers) You will find a wide choice of models both online at their websites and in-store.
The advantage of going to their store is that you can compare the picture quality between screens showing the same programmes.
This isn’t always so clear cut however as most models can be set up to give the type of picture you prefer. i.e. Colour adjustment, contrast, audio quality etc., and may not be set up in the store to give the optimum performance for each model.
Buying online may provide a way to save some money by choosing the model you want and then comparing prices with the main dealers.
(You could also try our price comparison page)
The following merchants all sell a wide range of Plasma and Lcd televisions
direct from their websites. Currys, Tesco Amazon Empire Direct Comet 24-7 Electrical Pixmania
Home Cinema TV John Lewis Argos Digitech Electronics Martin Dawes
Dixons Electrical Experience Laskys Beyond Television
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