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SALT LAKE CITY -- What are you looking for in a new TV? Some retailers say many shoppers make the mistake of buying the TV they fall in love with at the store, but once they get it home, it's not as great as they first thought.
Least expensive at the store; maybe not so cheap at home
If you're looking for the least expensive HD set at the store, the Liquid Crystal Display sets, or LCD models, will be the type of set you want. Most lower end LCD models use fluorescent bulbs to backlight their image. Best Buy Home Life Supervisor Thomas Guzman says Light-Emitting Diode backlighting (LED) will cost more at first, but they'll make up for it later.
"With your fluorescent bulbs, they're always on, so they tend to use a little bit more power. In fact, LEDs are 50 percent more power efficient," he points out.
Guzman says LED backlit models don't have to emit as much light in darker movies, and will use less electricity.
Which has the better picture?
With fluorescent bulbs creating the light for your lower end LCD's, Guzman says the screen won't be able to match the quality of color from LED-LCD or plasma screens. The diodes will create deeper colors and truer darks than fluorescent backlit LCDs are capable of.
But you should also consider the set's processor. That's what refreshes the image on the screen. Guzman says LCDs and LEDs have processors that work at 120 Hz or 240 Hz. But plasma sets are much faster.
"Plasma basically refines the image at a 600 Hz rate. So, there is a little bit of difference in the technology, but essentially you get a more fluid, clearer image the higher the processor," he says.
There is some debate over whether or not the human eye can actually notice a difference. Even with a slower processor, the image is refreshed many times per second. But Guzman says some customers may notice a better picture with a plasma set.
Don't plasma sets have problems in high elevation?
Some might, but not as much as before. Guzman says they used to flicker or hum. But manufacturers have addressed that.
"When you're looking at Panasonic, specifically as a manufacturer, they're rated to be up in 10,200 feet," Guzman says.
Most manufacturers will post their specifications online including the maximum altitude their TV will operate.
Is thinner better? In some cases, yes
If you plan on mounting your set on the wall, you might want to consider an LED set because they typically weigh less.
"With plasma, they're always going to be heavier because they have a (Plexiglas) pane in the front. LEDs are always going to be your lightest (sets) because they're super thin, usually about 1.2 inches thick," Guzman says.
Glare
If you're planning on putting the TV right next to a window or in a room with a lot of ambient light, Samsung may not be the best kind of set to buy. Guzman says it has a glossy finish that reflects a lot. But if you want to put it in a darker theater room, the Samsung may work just fine.
Sony and LG have a matte finish which reduces glare, but Guzman says Panasonic has a screen that actually deflects light, keeping reflections to a minimum.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
