I am planning to buy a LED TV for my home and did some research. I have compiled most of the points which will help you take the right decision before you buy your own LED TV.
Buying a LED or LCD is a huge investment and you must do it very wisely. This article is very simple to understand and has very few high tech words to help newbies understand. So lets get started.
1. LCD vs LED:
Well its a million dollar question. LED and LCD are almost the same except for the fact that back lighting for LED TVs is different and that allows them to be lot slimmer than LCD counter parts. Power consumption wise also LEDs are better. But if you are shelling out double the money then its better to go for LCD.
2. Size:
Well Bigger is not always better. Check your room size if its below or around 15 feet in length then go for 32" LED or LCD TV. Also what is the signal you are going to use for viewing the TV if you have HD signal then you can think of going in the 40+ inches category if not then you better stick to 32" or less because the with standard TV signal even if its digital DTH signal the picture quality worsens or 32"+ screens so be careful.
3. USB Slot:
Most LED/ LCD TVs come with USB slots but the point to note here is what kind of Video formats you can play over your TV? Generally .avi,.mkv,.mp4.wmv,.3gp formats must be supported. If you find any one missing then please reconsider your decision.
4. HD:
I would prefer you going for Full HD supported TV i.e. 1080p resolution.
5. Resolution:
Many people simply do not consider this aspect at all. Remember the higher the resolution supported the better will be the quality of viewing when it comes to seeing huge images on your big screen. It can also happen that you may not be able to play few videos due to lesser resolution supported on your TV. A minimum resolution of 1920 X 1080 is highly recommened. Genreally lesser resolution TVs are avaiable cheap. Thats where you find a huge price difference. A 32" TV with 1366 X 768 will be lot cheaper than 32" 1920 X 1080 TV.
6. Sound:
Again this aspect of TV is always rarely considered while buying a TV. Always check the sound quality of the TV you are buying. Also the thinner the TV the sound quality can be a lot worse. So make sure you check the sound quality before you take the final decision. Also if you are going to order online go to a show room and check the sound quality personally.
7. TV Signal:
If you have analog TV signal then I recommend you upgrade to digital signal (minimum HD signal will be ideal but its expensive) and then buy the TV else you will think that you are being cheated by the TV company. A LED LCD TV is as good as the input TV signal. It may process your TV signal a little but if input itself is too bad then output will always be very bad.
8: Brand:
Its a personal choice. My recommendations are Sony, LG and Samsung.
9: 3D TV:
I find it really funny when I see people wearing those 3D glasses and watching TV. You get limited glasses with the TV and if you have guests at home then you have to sacrifice your 3d glasses for them. Also it can be little painful for your eyes to watch 3D TV for long hours. Also 3D TV is evolving and its too premature to invest into this technology at this moment.
10 Colors:
The more colors the TV supports the better. The reason for that is if few colors are not supported then the Output will not be natural. Your ideal TV colors supported must be minimum 65000 colors it can go up to a million colors. The more the better.
All the above points is a kind of checklist for you before you buy a new LED or LCD TV. You may have to compromise on 1 or 2 but if you have to compromise on more than 4 then drop that TV option. Also Resolution, USB, Colors, Brand and HD points are very critical and do not comprise on them.
1. LCD vs LED:
Well its a million dollar question. LED and LCD are almost the same except for the fact that back lighting for LED TVs is different and that allows them to be lot slimmer than LCD counter parts. Power consumption wise also LEDs are better. But if you are shelling out double the money then its better to go for LCD.
2. Size:
Well Bigger is not always better. Check your room size if its below or around 15 feet in length then go for 32" LED or LCD TV. Also what is the signal you are going to use for viewing the TV if you have HD signal then you can think of going in the 40+ inches category if not then you better stick to 32" or less because the with standard TV signal even if its digital DTH signal the picture quality worsens or 32"+ screens so be careful.
3. USB Slot:
Most LED/ LCD TVs come with USB slots but the point to note here is what kind of Video formats you can play over your TV? Generally .avi,.mkv,.mp4.wmv,.3gp formats must be supported. If you find any one missing then please reconsider your decision.
4. HD:
I would prefer you going for Full HD supported TV i.e. 1080p resolution.
5. Resolution:
Many people simply do not consider this aspect at all. Remember the higher the resolution supported the better will be the quality of viewing when it comes to seeing huge images on your big screen. It can also happen that you may not be able to play few videos due to lesser resolution supported on your TV. A minimum resolution of 1920 X 1080 is highly recommened. Genreally lesser resolution TVs are avaiable cheap. Thats where you find a huge price difference. A 32" TV with 1366 X 768 will be lot cheaper than 32" 1920 X 1080 TV.
6. Sound:
Again this aspect of TV is always rarely considered while buying a TV. Always check the sound quality of the TV you are buying. Also the thinner the TV the sound quality can be a lot worse. So make sure you check the sound quality before you take the final decision. Also if you are going to order online go to a show room and check the sound quality personally.
7. TV Signal:
If you have analog TV signal then I recommend you upgrade to digital signal (minimum HD signal will be ideal but its expensive) and then buy the TV else you will think that you are being cheated by the TV company. A LED LCD TV is as good as the input TV signal. It may process your TV signal a little but if input itself is too bad then output will always be very bad.
8: Brand:
Its a personal choice. My recommendations are Sony, LG and Samsung.
9: 3D TV:
I find it really funny when I see people wearing those 3D glasses and watching TV. You get limited glasses with the TV and if you have guests at home then you have to sacrifice your 3d glasses for them. Also it can be little painful for your eyes to watch 3D TV for long hours. Also 3D TV is evolving and its too premature to invest into this technology at this moment.
10 Colors:
The more colors the TV supports the better. The reason for that is if few colors are not supported then the Output will not be natural. Your ideal TV colors supported must be minimum 65000 colors it can go up to a million colors. The more the better.
All the above points is a kind of checklist for you before you buy a new LED or LCD TV. You may have to compromise on 1 or 2 but if you have to compromise on more than 4 then drop that TV option. Also Resolution, USB, Colors, Brand and HD points are very critical and do not comprise on them.
