How to choose a TV for the home: expert advice

• Kinescope .This is the most inexpensive and, one might say, "prehistoric" option. This type of TV was probably in every Soviet home, and many grandparents can find it today. The main qualities of this type of TVs are low price and long service life. At the same time they are rather bulky and have minimal functionality. Among other things, it has been proved that a long viewing of a TV with such a screen negatively affects vision.
• LCD - Liquid Crystal( LCD) .With a relatively low cost, these models can boast a good picture quality, high color reproduction and shallow depth. The main disadvantage of such screens is the fact that they are prone to fading. Therefore, they should be placed so that they do not fall into direct sunlight. Otherwise, spots will appear on the screen over time.
• LED-screens .These are much more “advanced” models. Unlike LCD displays, a matrix LED backlight is used here. So in terms of size, they are even a bit thinner than their LCD counterparts. In this case, LED-screens are pleased with good picture quality and "eat" a lot less electricity.
• Plasma panels .Here the screen is not a crystal with a liquid, and sealed cells filled with gas. So differently they can be called "gas-cellular".Thanks to this design, the equipment, although it provides a better picture and does not fade, but consumes significantly more electricity. In addition, the plasma model is simply impossible to make small. The minimum screen size in this case will be 32 inches.
• Laser Screens .One of the fairly new developments( less than 10 years).Such screens have a long service life and consume little electricity. At the same time the picture is quite good quality. Perhaps their main disadvantage is the high cost.
• Projection. Such models are very controversial in terms of price-quality ratio. Demonstrating good color and image quality, they are at the same time prone to “broken” pixels. Some parts of the screen simply fade over time, reducing the image quality. In addition, projection models have a limited viewing angle, which also does not add to their popularity.

Another criterion for choosing a TV is the physical parameters of the screen. Modern models are flat and concave. The first are the most common, are very popular and are much cheaper. The latter have the ability to completely immerse the viewer inside the picture, create the effect of presence. Needless to say, concave models are significantly more expensive.

Backlight type

The type of backlight also affects the cost of the TV and the quality of the picture. Depending on the amount you are willing to spend on the purchase. You can choose one of these:

• Edge LED - modern models with a good viewing angle. LEDs in it are located on the contour of the screen, thereby creating some semblance of a luminous frame. This allows you to make the device thin and quite economical.
• Direct LED is a more “advanced” technology. Here, the LEDs are dispersed throughout the plane. Adjustment can be made for each individual diode. This makes it possible to easily adjust the local dimming of colors, which in turn allows you to make the picture more vivid and contrast. Televisions with Direct LED technology give a more colorful and "juicy" image.
• QLED - does not provide a backlight unit at all. The technology involves the use of quantum dots, which act as a backlight. Such TVs transmit the colors most acceptable to the human eye. The picture will be bright, but very natural, not “acidic”.Such a TV is much more expensive than the others, however, this fact does not make it less popular.
• OLED is a state-of-the-art development. Instead of the backlight unit, diodes are used here, which are coated with a phosphor, which glows when an electric pulse passes. Such models have the largest viewing angle. Even if you watch your favorite shows for hours, your eyes will never get tired. However, not everyone can afford such a TV.The cost of the models is really high.

Diagonal

Another important parameter. On the market you can find models from 14 to 110 inches. When choosing, one should focus not only on the popularity of the model, but also on such criteria:

1. Room dimensions. The greater the distance from the viewing point to the wall on which the equipment will be placed. For small rooms, such as a bedroom or a kitchen, a small model will work, for a large hall and equipment should be appropriate. To roughly estimate the size of the diagonal, measure the distance. The size of the TV should be about 1/4 of the distance to the viewing point( of course, you need to measure in the same units).
2. Destination. If you need a TV in the kitchen to view the morning and evening news - there will be enough a 26-inch screen. For the arrangement of home theater is better to consider the dimensions more. If space permits, you can “start” from 55 inches. The range of 32–55 inches is estimated by users to be great for a large bedroom or medium sized living room.

See also - Rating of the best TVs with a diagonal of 46 and 47 inches

Screen resolution

This concept hides the size of the picture, measured in pixels. The larger this parameter, the better and clearer the image looks. Today, there are 4 main variations of this parameter:

• HD( 1280x720, or 1366x768 pixels) - this resolution is inherent in small inexpensive models, for the "kitchen" option is enough.
• Full HD( 1920x 1080) - the most common devices. Image quality is fairly average, pricing is affordable. This technology is equipped with the vast majority of devices.
• Ultra HD - 4K( 4096x 2160, or 3840x 2160) - technology is inherent in models with a diagonal of at least 32 inches in the diagonal. It gives a very high-quality image, however, it is quite expensive.
• Ultra HD - 8K( 7680x 4320) - ultra-modern technology, unfortunately not yet available to most users. And the choice of models due to the high cost is not so diverse.

When choosing, you should focus not only on your wallet, but also on the purposes for which you purchase a TV.If you plan to watch analog broadcasting, purchase a device with FHD technology, and even more so UHD does not make sense. The maximum signal capable of running through the cable will be significantly lower. High resolutions are a prerequisite for those who plan to watch movies in high-resolution or connect gaming platforms.

Format

This parameter directly comes from the previous one. Most modern televisions have a widescreen display with a 16: 9 ratio. This indicator is the most popular, it is supported by the overwhelming majority of television programs, videos and movies. It is also the most physiological indicator for humans, judging by the results of research conducted by scientists. There are other popular formats - 21: 9 and 16:10.They are used on television screens with large diagonals.

Response time and frequency

This is another indicator that you should pay attention to. The response time represents a parameter characterizing the change in the position of the crystal in each pixel. It depends on how quickly the image will change during movement. If this indicator is insufficient, the so-called loop will be visible on the screen, which is not very comfortable.

Update frequency is also an important indicator. The higher the number, the better. Good mid-range TVs have a refresh rate of at least 400 Hz. The highest rate reaches 1,000 Hz.

Brightness and Contrast

The picture of a good TV should be bright and juicy. In this case, the device should not work at the limit of its capabilities. To check, ask the consultant to take the remote and show the appropriate scale in the settings. If there are average positions there - everything is in order. If the slider is pushed "to the edge", they are trying to deceive you, artificially inflating the image quality at a fairly low cost.

Sound quality

This parameter is also important when choosing a TV.The “cleaner” the sound reproduced by the speakers is, the more comfortable the viewing will be. The best sound performance have TVs with built-in Dolby Digital decoder and NICAM support. In good TVs, the total power of the stereo speakers is at least 20 watts. It is best if the acoustics multichannel.

Interface

When choosing a new TV be sure to inspect it on the sides and rear. It is in these places that the sockets for connecting various equipment are most often located: game console, tuner, webcam, headphone, flash drive, and so on. The more such connectors will be on your TV, the better. The most popular ones are:

• USB port. They connect webcams, Wi-Fi, flash drives, headsets, keyboards and mice, and more. So one such connector will obviously not be enough.
• These include the transmission of audio and video from a computer, video camera, gaming platforms and set-top boxes, and so on.
• PAL - “socket” for analog broadcasting.
• DVB-C / DVB-S - for satellite television and "numbers".
• TV and VCR are synchronized through this port.
• Mini-jack or Jack5.Headphones are inserted here.
• S-Video. Analog port for transferring pictures from PC to TV.

When buying, pay attention to the available connectors are the same as those that are already on your purchased equipment. Otherwise, you can not use them.

Additional features

There are also a number of useful features that modern TVs have. You need them or not, define yourself. We just list all the possible "gadgets" of modern technology:

1. 3D screen. It is enough to add special glasses to the TV and it will no longer be necessary to go to the cinema. You can enjoy the volumetric image of the house without getting up from your favorite sofa. It is worth remembering that when you watch 3D movies for a long time, your eyes may get tired and sore.
2. Wi-Fi support. So you will "sit" on the Internet right through the TV.It is necessary that this technology does not require additional wires, it is inconvenient.
3. Anti-glare screen. Even with very intense light, the television screen will not turn into a mirror. Watch this TV is much more comfortable.
4. Picture in Picture. This technology allows you to view multiple channels at once.
5. Maintaining a memory card. The TV has a special connector that allows you to directly connect the memory from a smartphone, camera or phone.
6. 24p True Cinema. The function allows you to submit an image with exactly the same frequency as it was taken - 24 frames / sec. With this view, the eyes get tired much slower.
7. The function allows you to pause the broadcast. In simple TVs this is not possible. The Time Shift system allows you not to miss a single minute of an interesting movie or a football match.
8. Smart TV.Live broadcast of movies and other online content directly from the Internet. Simply connect the TV to the network.
9. "List of favorite programs."Allows you to add to favorites all that you like. You do not have to constantly flick the channels and keep track of time.
10. With this technology, you can transfer content directly from your smartphone. No wires are required for this.
11. Voice and Gesture Control. No more need to ensure that the remote is not lost. The technology is so specific that many cannot get used to it.
12. Progressive Scan. The technology allows to get a clearer and higher quality image due to the consistent frame transfer.

This is not all that modern TVs can do. It is worth noting that most of the functions, although convenient enough, are not always worth the extra money spent on them. Users note that the majority of "bloat" bothers after just a few months of use and becomes simply an expensive filling.

Operating system

Modern TVs are equipped with completely different operating systems. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages. Based on user feedback - it's all in the habit. Someone likes one, and someone else. Therefore, you should not make this parameter the main selection criterion. There are several major OS:

1. Tizen - inherent in the "Samsung";
2. WebOC - LG works on it;
3. Android TV - used in Philips and Sony TVs;
4. Firefox OS - used in Panasonic.

Which company to choose

? The production of televisions has become so widespread that models with names that are completely out of the box have begun to appear on the market. Of course, this does not mean that they are of poor quality. However, if you do not want to tempt fate, it is better to give preference to proven brands:

• LG is a South Korean company that has been engaged in the production of this type of equipment for many years. She was one of the first to introduce OLED technology and demonstrates quite good results on this issue. See the rating of the best models from LG.
• Samsung is another company from South Korea. This manufacturer sells the largest number of TVs with QLED technology, which we described above. See the rating of the best models from Samsung.
• Philips - models of the Chinese company TP Vision demonstrate one of the best combinations of quality and value of the goods. Previously, the trademark belonged to a Dutch company, however, it was subsequently sold. Toshiba's
• is one of the few brands that independently manufactures LCD matrices for its displays. Sony's
• is a rather expensive Japanese technique, which, meanwhile, looks very attractive.
• Panasonic is another popular Japanese brand. According to buyers, this technique is quite high quality. Some complaints are caused, perhaps, by the technology Smart TV.

See also - Which TV company is better than

Sharp, VVK, AKAI, DEXP and Supra also make good models. Slightly lower quality, but also quite popular half-forgotten brand HORIZONT, ​​Thomson, Hitachi and JVC.Before you give preference to a particular model, do not be lazy to collect the maximum amount of information about it.“Walk” on the forums, study the real reviews of those who already possess such equipment. So, you will learn first-hand about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular model.

Summing up the results of

When you know how to choose a TV for your home, office or cottage, you can safely go shopping. Now, no consultant can persuade you to buy something that you absolutely do not need. To choose a quality product, it is enough to examine all the recommendations in advance, decide on the necessary parameters and estimate what can be purchased for the available amount.

Pay attention to the formats that the device supports. Most popular: MPEG-4, MKV and XVid. Right in the store, you can check the sound quality, examine the viewing angle and evaluate the color content of the picture. Ask the seller for a remote and look through the menu. Listen to your feelings - the control system should be intuitive and easy. And, of course, you should like the TV visually. After all, it will be the main decoration of the living room or bedroom for several years.

To choose the best TV, make a small cheat sheet for yourself. Mark all the most important qualities and compare with the available amount. Using our tips, you probably very quickly find exactly what you need.