How to Get Better Television Reception

Too many people are familiar with the incredible disappointment and frustration of poor television reception – even after purchasing a brand new, state of the art TV, such as the Samsung LCD, or a sophisticated amplifier in an effort to improve the signal received. Unfortunately, this solves the problem in very few cases and can sometimes exacerbate the problem. Low or weak signals result in poor reception account for approximately 15-20% of cases with issues such as signal overload, electromagnetic interference and multipath reception (ghosting) affecting the remainder.

Fortunately, costly and ineffective approaches to solving poor television reception can be avoided. Naturally, there is no one solution that will fix all problems and different symptoms of poor reception will benefit from different responses. Click Here To Read More

The Big Green Tick – Power Efficiency In TVs

The wild swings in the weather patterns that we’re used to, the dire scientific data that is constantly being published and the fact that all politicians can find to talk about is the weather, has made all of us much more eco-conscious than ever before. We want to preserve the world we live in as it is, understandably. However, that doesn’t mean having to compromise on the quality of your television. LCD televisions are now especially green-friendly, with automatic features that help reserve power when it isn’t needed. There are quite a few models that get the consumer’s ‘green tick’ of approval, from the ranges of Samsung TVs, Sony TVs and Sharp TVs.

Plasma vs LCD vs cathode ray televisions

In general, in the hierarchy of television power consumption, plasma televisions sit at the top, using around 338 watts while turned on. LCD televisions come next, with about 176 watts of power used while turned on, with the LED variant of LCD televisions being inherently more efficient. Cathode ray televisions (the old, heavy models) use the least power – but there is a catch. Per inch of screen size, cathode ray TVs are actually the least efficient. It is simply because of the limited screen size that on average, these sets use less power.

Picture brightness and its effect on power usage

Picture brightness is actually the leading cause of power usage fluctuations among LCD televisions – and this is ultimately within your control. Your power usage may in reality be much higher or lower than the manufacturer’s stated average, if you tend to set your picture brightness either above or below the test levels. In some cases you can cut your power consumption by half, by reducing the backlight levels of your LCD television. This is usually separate to the more familiar ‘brightness’ control.

Standby power

In some cases an Energy Star, or other energy accreditation rating, is assigned based on standby power usage alone. Most sets use between 0.1 and 1 watt in standby power – a 1 watt set would cost around $1 to run for a year turned off, so the difference here is negligible. Don’t depend solely on these energy accreditation ratings if you want to ensure that your new set is as energy efficient as possible – compare the actual wattage used in operation.

Model comparisons

• Samsung LCD TV 22″, operation power consumption 60W
• Samsung LCD TV 32″ , operation power consumption 130W
• Samsung LCD TV 37″ , operation power consumption 180W
• Sharp LCD TV 32″, operation power consumption 152W
• Sharp LED TV 40″, operation power consumption 160W
• Sony LCD TV 22″, operation power consumption 48W
• Sony LCD TV 32″, operation power consumption 99W
• Sony LCD TV 40″, operation power consumption 165W

As you can see, the power savings you can make through purchasing a smaller screen size LCD television always trump the savings that you can make by purchasing different models. The way that you use your TV will always be the main determinant of cost, though. Spend less hours watching television, and turn it off when it isn’t being watched, and you will naturally see the effect in your power bill … and your feel-good factor for environmental responsibility!

A Beginner’s Guide to HDTV

High definition television, in the future, will just be called ‘television’. There will be no ‘standard versus high definition’ debate, because what is called HD now, will be completely standard in several years time. During this transition time is a great opportunity to learn about the technology though – if you’re due for an upgrade buying an HDTV is the only sensible choice. Our introductory HDTV buying guide and HDTV reviews on different brands and features should help you make the best choice for years to come.

What is HDTV?
HDTV stands for high definition television, and simply means that the resolution (pixels per inch), is higher than in standard definition sets and programming. Getting that better quality depends on both having an HD-ready set, and receiving a program broadcast in HD. In the near future, this will be all programs.

HDTV pricing
As we all know, new technologies come onto the market at fairly inflated prices, but as supply grows and manufacturing processes become more automated, prices fall. If you have been watching HDTV prices coming down and wondering whether it is time for you to buy yet, sooner may be better. If you’re reading this before Christmas, you’ll be able to get some great Christmas deals on LCD televisions that are HD ready. The pricing curve seems to have stabilised to a level that you could wait months for only small decreases in price. HDTV buying guides will show you that there are plenty of ways to save money on a new set that don’t require waiting, anyway! Buy online, look for coupons, go for slightly smaller models, etc.

Sizing differences with HDTV
With a HDTV, you can sit as close as 1.5 times the diagonal width of the screen without noticeable loss of picture quality. With a standard definition television, you can start picking out individual pixels at around twice the diagonal width of the screen. This means that you can enjoy a more ‘immersive’ experience, where more of your peripheral vision is filtered out, than with standard def. TV. HDTV buying guides are not necessarily trying to have you waste money on a TV that is too big for you – just recommend the optimal size!

HDTV Reviews – Which type to choose?
You’ll notice that there are several different types of HDTVs available, the most common being plasma, LED and LCD televisions. Here are some comparison points to consider when you are buying a HDTV:

• LCD televisions take up most of the lower price brackets
• LED technology is more future ready
• LED televisions and plasma screens often come with better picture quality and features
• Plasma and LED TVs have better contrast ratio – crispness of picture, especially in low-lit scenes
• If your living room is set up with many chairs at any oblique angle to the television screen, LED will be a better choice than LCD.
• LCDs generally have lower power consumption than plasmas … but LED televisions have the lowest of all types, generally
• LCD televisions offer the highest number of viewing hours for heavy TV watchers

Sources:
http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-6635863-1.html
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/lcd-vs-led-vs-plasma.html
http://peoples-post.com/sciencetech/development/1575-plasma-tv-lcd-tv-a-led-tv-where-lies-the-difference.html
http://www.cnet.com/1990-7874_1-5108443-2.html

Price-Based Buying Guide for Big Screen TVs

If you’re buying a new HDTV, price will factor into your decision at some point … unless your address is in Beverly Hills, 90210! There is a huge range of factors that goes into pricing televisions; when it comes to the all important final number, bigger doesn’t mean you’re getting something better. Today we are looking at some of the best models in each price bracket in our HDTV price guide. All prices quoted are current at the time of printing, and in AU dollars.

Under $2000
PALSONIC LCD 15INCH/38CM (TFTV384HD) , $349
What a bargain for an LCD television! You wouldn’t be able to buy a digital set top box and a decent cathode ray television separately at this price – in that respect this television is great value for money. Buy an extended warranty (currently around 2 years for $119), and you don’t have to worry about brand and reliability issues, and can simply enjoy the extremely low price. Contrast ratio is not exceptional, at 400:1, but still good viewing quality in correct conditions.
SONY LCD 40INCH/100CM (KDL40W5500)FREE PS2 PROMO – $1869
We couldn’t go past this deal, even though it is not a standard price. Sony is one of the most respected electronics brands, and they are giving away a free PS2 with purchase of one of their 100cm LCD televisions. There is a bonus 3 year warranty with this model also. It is heavy and will chew the power, but has a host of awesome technology, including Bravia sync, USB and Ethernet connections, as well as Motinflow, LiveCOlour and Theatre Mode.

$2000-$3000
SAMSUNG LED TV 40″ (UA40B6000)BONUS LCD PROMO – $2575
LED televisions are a more advanced technology than LCD televisions, and won’t date as quickly. This is the most budget friendly of the LEDs – and when you are getting two televisions for the price of one, there is nothing to complain about! This Led model comes with a bonus 22-26″ LCD television, and also has an ongoing impact on your wallet – power consumption is up to 40% less than LCDs.

SAMSUNG LCD TV 55″/132CM (LA55B650)BONUS LCD PROMO – $2860
Size is one of the most important factors in television price, and this is the largest model in this price bracket in our HDTV buying guide. 132cm wide – plus you get a bonus 22″-26″ LCD, as with the model above. The 100Hz Motion Plus technology helps make for awesome high-speed viewing technology.

$3000-$4000
SHARP LCD TV 52/117CM (LC52D77X)FREE XBOX PROMO – $3135
Right at the bottom end of the price bracket in our HDTV buying guide is this Sharp LCD television, with a free Xbox valued at $749. It ticks all the techie boxes – 52″ wide, 50,000:1 contrast ration (dynamic), and 100Hz Fine Motion Advanced System. Can be power hungry, though, at 269W operating power.

Over $4000
SAMSUNG LED TV 55″ (UA55B6000)BONUS LCD PROMO – $4167
At this pricing level, budget minded folks are best sticking to the bottom end of the HDTV price guide. This is a huge, well-made television, with the more advanced LED display so is less likely to become obsolete in the near future. You get the power consumption advantages of the LED television, as well as concepts like Wide Colour Enhancer Pro, removal of picture-edge blur and mega contrast ratio.