Buying a Discount TV

It has always been known in the television industry (that is, the hardware side of the industry), that there would come a time when a certain "tipping point" was reached among consumers. Plasma and LCD flat screens are nothing new, they've been around for a long time, but it is just now that a large amount of people are starting to look at upgrading their old TV sets. If this is the case for you, I'd like to let you know that I have recently been through the same process, and I thought I'd share some tips and information that I picked up while researching my new TV. If you're after a discount TV, but want to make sure that you get good quality, read on.

It can be hard to separate the hype from the facts in the electronic industry, and this is particularly true when it comes to televisions. Every electrical store you go into will try to sweep you off your feet in the hope that you'll leave with a big screen TV in your trailer. This can make it really difficult when trying to make a decision. For this reason, I recommend that physically going to the store is one of the last things that you do. The key here is to research, research, research. The salespeople are going to try and sell you the big ticket items (for example, the Sonys and the Panasonics), but the truth of the matter is that you can get a discount TV for a fraction of the cost without skimping on quality.

The first thing you need to do is go for a name brand. I know I just said that you don't need one of the top brands, but there are other brands out there that are very well respected an not as expensive. LG, for example, has a fairly good track record, and has stood the test of time. They are known for their low prices, but are a big enough company that you can be secure knowing that any repairs that need to be done will not cause you a major headache down the road. Some other "middle of the road" brands that you may consider are Westinghouse and Samsung. One thing to keep an eye on is when new models come out. This happens quite often at the moment (usually around every six months), and if your timing is good, you can pick up a model that is just on it''s way out, when the retail stores are trying to offload them to make way for the new stock.

If you can't afford a new discount TV, you could consider going second hand. You need to be careful when purchasing second hand that you are buying it from a reputable store, and that you know exactly how old the television is. It would help, if possible, to have a trained eye look over it to make sure it is working as it should, and definitely do not buy your second hand TV online, you need to be able to check the picture quality in person before purchasing. Another option is to buy a refurbished television. Quite often TV's are sent back because of small defects. When this happens, the manufacturer will replace any faulty parts, and ship them back to retailers as refurbished models. You can save a lot of money by going down this road, but make sure that the retailer is an authorised reseller for the manufacturer, and you should try and get an extended warranty whenever possible.

Which Discount TV? LCD or Plasma?

One big question that will arise while researching for a discount TV is whether you should go with LCD or Plasma. They both have pros and cons. Plasma TV's are usually a little cheaper, but because they use liquid gas to produce their picture, they will be a lot more difficult (and expensive if not covered by warranty) to fix. LCD's, on the other hand, are not great if you are watching them from an angle, the picture is not as clear. On the other hand, LCD's consume a lot less power than plasmas,, and tend to have a longer lifespan. This is one area where you will need to physically look at both screens and see which one suits you better. I personally ended up purchasing a plasma TV, and have been extremely happy with it so far.

One final consideration you have to make is the size of your discount TV. I big factor in determining the size of your television will be the size of the actual room you are putting it in. It doesn't matter how big your TV is, if you live in a shoebox, it's going to be really difficult to watch. There is a formula that you can use to work out which size is best for you. First, work out where you are going to put your television, then work out where you will be sitting when watching it. Measure the distance between these two points and divide it by three. The number you end up with is the optimal size television for your needs. Using my situation as an example, my wall unit is a little over 3 meters (330 centimeters) away from my lounge. 330 divided by 3 is 110, so I ended up getting a 106 centimeter (42 inch) television, and it is perfect for my needs. Another thing to keep in mind is the spot where you are putting your TV. Remember, a televisions size is measured from the top right hand corner to the bottom left hand corner, and is not indicative of the horizontal and vertical dimensions. Make sure it's going to fit before buying it.