If you are thinking about to buy Samsung UN55B6000 55 LED TV, the reward will be a very sleek -looking TV and the self satisfaction when you know that you’re consuming 40% less energy than traditional LCD or plasma TV’s. Cool, huh?

The picture quality leaves very little to be desired, yet the high style and cutting edge technology are the strong points of this fantastic UNB 6000 series TV sets!

The pictures ilustrate the 55 inch ($3149. 10) model, yet the technical data presented go for the 46 inch ($2429. 10) and 40 inch ($1979. 10) as well. By the way, these prices are from Amazon and they are below competition! Take advantage while you can. You can also find used ones in perfect condition at a steal price!

To discover more technical goodies about this amazing TV, just go on and read below!

Click On The Image To Buy Samsung UN55B6000 55 LED TV!

Here is a quick rundown for people that feel a bit lost. Answer is: NO!, OLED and LED, are not the same thing! Simply claimed, LED screens are the link between current LCD and the OLED, expected to come out in a few years. Common to all 3 though: images are shown on a slab made of points, juxtaposed sub-pixels actually, red, green and blue.

Light is emitted by a tube as wide as the display is. There are usually four tubes, either parallel or placed on the sides. The tube emits light behind the color cells. One can guess from this intentionally simplified illustration, the issue this could produce: the closer more cells are to the tube, the brighter. On this drawing, the top line will be more clear than the bottom one. This basically raises concerns of color consistency on the screen where variations of 30 pc in light power are commonly found between two points intended to show the same color!This is not a dead-end. Makers of top-end displays are now more conscientious to light distribution. In some monitors, rare and very pricey, variation did reach 15% between a clear point and another darker one. The latter thus has a tendency to a dark gray to a particularly told gray for bad screens, instead of precise black. It is just “magnifique”. The consistency is perfect (when the screen is adequatelyly setup), and to obtain an absolute black on a sub-pixel, just switch it off. This let’s you play much more finely with colors, at the sub-pixel level , whereas with a tube a whole quarter of the slab is influenced at a time, or five hundred thousand sub-pixels at once (on a Full HD panel) when power is varied. These are only prototypes and final products are not prepared just yet for the high price . How much would the same 32-inch TV launch at? Beyond any reasonable affordability most likely. So if OLED is not ready just yet, what’s the alternative for now.

Now tubes are removed from LCD screens and replaced by white LEDs spread out behind the LCD slab. Making a technology where only the LCD back-lighting has been modified. But the diagram does show the principal constraints of the backlit LED. The more diodes, the better homogeneity will be. Nonetheless, homogeneity concerns remain. As with LCD tubes, light leakage thru the black dots of the image persists. It can get better when the monitor notes that the image displayed is dark. It then decreases the brightness of the LEDs that illuminate the dark area. This results in conspicuous changes in lighting from one image to another.

Assuming assume a total of two hundred diodes providing backlighting to a Full HD panel measuring 1920 x 1080 pixels. We would then have 1920 x 1080 = 1778 Mega pixels, or 5. 33 million sub-pixels. Each diode would thus funnel light to 5. 33 million / 200 = 26,667 sub-pixels per diode. Summarizing:

Getting ripped off on a Cheap LCD TV happens to the best of us. Even the tech-savviest of us can’t always keep up with changes and upgrades to the new gadgets on the market. But are these new upgrades really worth the extra cost that manufacturers claim? Here are some things to keep in mind when purchasing your next HDTV.

The contrast ratio is a measure of the TV’s capability to display distinctive shades between the darkest blacks and whitest whites. “Native” and “Dynamic” are the two most common methods of measuring contrast ratio. Back in 2005, most decent HDTVs were running somewhere below a 1,000:1 native contrast ratio. It wasn’t until Samsung began advertising up to 3,000:1 contrast ratios that the word “dynamic” became a common contrast ratio measurement. Soon after, all the big LCD manufacturers started to use the dynamic measurement in self-defense. By 2008, a new measurement of dynamic contrast ratio came to the HDTV market; the arrival of the 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio became the new hype. However, cheap LCD TV makers inflate their contrast ratios scores all the time. They do this by changing the absolute brightness of the entire screen or darkening the entire screen on scenes that are already very bright or very dark. This new trick could inflate a native contrast ratio of 3,000:1 to a false ratio of 10,000:1. Realistically, you cannot get that inflated dynamic contrast ratio without altering the actual contrast ratio. When it comes to contrast ratio a higher number is usually better, but since companies differ in their measuring, there is no exact number for a “good” contrast ratio, so don’t pay extra just to get the model with the highest number. These days, instead of contrast ratio being the big hype, refresh rate seems to be getting the most attention. The standard refresh rate is 60Hz, while the new LCDs are offering a 120Hz or even 240Hz. Even with a good LCD TV sale you will definitely see an extra cost for a 120Hz over a 60Hz, sometimes up to a few hundred dollars, but is it really worth it? Standard movies are shot at 24 frames per second. Since 60 is not divisible by 24 you end up losing a few frames out of a hundred, whereas 120 and 240 are divisible, so no frames are lost. Before you go buying a 120Hz TV make sure you see it in action first. You might find that for the extra cost, it doesn’t offer much of an extra benefit. I personally own a large 120Hz LCD TV and I can honestly say I never use the 120Hz or “smooth motion” feature. TV shows can end up looking like cheap soap operas and gaming hardly offers any visible difference. The response time of an HDTV is generally more important if you’re a gamer. This is a measurement, in milliseconds, of how quickly pixels change from black to white and back again, with the lower number being better. Most new LCDs offer a 5 to 6 millisecond response time; but some companies can be deceptive by measuring with a “gray to gray” response time. Avoid these false stats by choosing a big name company.

I know you’ve heard a lot of talk about whether or not an HDTV is 1080p or “full HD. ” However, depending on the size of the TV, you usually have to be sitting pretty close to a 1080p set to notice the full advantage over a 720p set. The average distance of between a person and a TV in America is 9 feet. To be able to notice the actual detail (with the human eye) in a 32 inch 1080p set, you would have to be sitting 4 ft 2 in (or closer) from the set. If you’re on a budget, a good rule of thumb is that if the TV is smaller than 42 inches, you might want to consider a 720p instead. Also keep in mind that channels broadcasting in HD don’t even use 1080p. So take into consideration what you will be using the TV for. Bluray and some video games use 1080p, not regular HD broadcasting. When you’re finding LCD TV deals, it might be tempting to save some money by buying the cheaper no name brands; on the other hand this could end up costing you even more in repairs or replacements once the factory warranty expires. Many of the no-namers don’t even offer a post warranty service or parts available. Not all HDTVs were made perfect; having that warranty could save you the cost of a replacement TV.

Make sure you do your research to find a great Cheap LCD TV when discounts are offered. You can find a coupons and special sales for the best LCD TV prices all the time when you buy online.

Yet another new TV technology!. . . . . . It’s a real headache having to choose whether to go for an LCD or Plasma flatscreen, then along comes another. . . . . . . OLED. So what’s so good about OLED, why is it worth our attention and eventually our money?

It’s hard to believe that the first televisions started as a spinning disc and neon lamp that gave a blurry image the size of a business card. These early televisions started to become available around 1928 and 1929, and looked a bit like a dresser with a tiny porthole inside it. American engineer Philo Farnsworth transmitted the first television image in 1927 – a simple transmission of only sixty horizontal lines. The image transmitted? Fittingly, a dollar sign.
Dollar Signs Transform into Dollars
When Philo Farnsworth died in 1971, televisions were already standard fixtures in American households, and color televisions were beginning to become ubiquitous – by 1972, half of American households owned color television sets. A race was underway to sell more televisions, better televisions, and higher resolution televisions. That race hasn’t stopped yet: more recent advances in television technologies include the plasma screen TV and the LCD TV, along with a host of other new technologies that are currently competing for the title of the latest and greatest television screen technology.
Plasma Screen Televisions
It was in 1983 that IBM invented the first plasma screen monitor, but it wasn’t until 1992 that the Japanese company Fujitsu introduced a 21-inch, full color plasma screen display. Two years later in 1994, Panasonic Corporation began an effort to produce plasma screen televisions on a large scale.
Plasma screen displays were the primary displays used for high-definition TV, or HDTV, until the early 2000s. Until that time, it was widely believed that plasma screens were the best screens for large displays (above 40 inches), and LCD screens were believed to be suitable only for smaller televisions.
LCD Screen Televisions
LCD stands for “liquid-crystal display”. Much thinner than traditional television screens, sales of LCD television screens only recently (in 2007) surpassed the traditional CRT or cathode ray tube television screens that have been in use since the 1950s. CRT television sets are heavier, larger, and in some ways more fragile than its new plasma and LCD screen cousins; for most who follow the advance of television technologies, CRT screens are ancient history.
Relative to other television set technologies currently on the market, LCD television sales are quickly accelerating. Once dominant large-screen plasma TVs are quickly being pushed out of the market by LCD screens.
LCD screens are not without their disadvantages. Anyone who’s ever had to watch a television show on an LCD screen from a funny angle understands that LCD screens do not display well at certain angles. LCD screens also use a great deal of power, and when they are disposed of they can release a harmful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, nitrogen triflouride. Nitrogen triflouride, or NF3, is potentially far more harmful than carbon dioxide. LCD screens also contain mercury, leading to a growing concern over what exactly happens to LCD screens that wind up in landfills and dumps around the world. For television consumers with an environmental conscience, therefore, LCDs are less desirable than plasma screen TVs or even traditional CRT television sets.
The OLED – an LCD Competitor
Samsung, Sony, and other companies are working on OLED television sets, which might be the next big thing in television technology. OLEDs are ultra-thin – some as thin as a sheet of paper – and offer a far clearer picture than LCD screens. Sony has plans to sell 11-inch OLED screens in 2009, with the a display only 3 mm in width; Samsung, Philips, and Neoview Kolon are also hoping to introduce their own OLED products soon. But LCD screen producers shouldn’t sweat yet; OLEDs are still very hard to make beyond a 27-inch size.
The Future of Television Technologies
Less than seventy years after Philo Farnsworth’s transmission of a dollar sign, over one billion televisions populated the planet. In most developed nations, the ratio is one television to every citizen. Regardless of how the battle between television technologies play out, consumers can know without a doubt that television technology will march on, at an increasingly rapid rate of advance. The sky is the limit in the face of rapidly increasing television technology, and soon even the sky itself might not be out of bounds.

Samsung won the Cnet Editor’s Choice award for HDTVs for three months out of 2008, and consistently get excellent consumer reviews for their televisions. Today we are looking at the LCD TV brand of Samsung, checking out what sets it apart from the rest, and what you can expect from a Samsung set. We are also checking out some of their top-rated television models in Australia. Samsung = LED technologySamsung is one of the brands most often associated with LED technology. Pop ‘LED television’ in Google and check the ‘Pages from Australia’ option, and you’ll find five of the top ten results mentioning Samsung as a brand. They are considered online to be equivalent in quality to Sony LED televisions, but much lower priced. Common Samsung featuresEvery television manufacturer develops their own version of common technologies. In the Samsung LCD TV brand, you’ll often find features like: * Mega dynamic contrast – ultra-high dynamic contrast ratios resulting in good picture quality for low lit scenes * Colour Enhancer Pro – enhances the saturation of colours on screen to deliver more realistic pictures * 100Hz Motion Plus technology to remove edge blur * 40% lower energy usage compared to equivalent sized LCD models in the past. Make sure you compare it to other current models as well though! * Crystal Design – this refers to the ultra-slim design of the televisionPopular Samsung LCD television modelsIn order from lowest priced to highest priced, here are some of the Samsung LED and LCD television models that consistently make it into people’s favourites lists, and get excellent feedback. SAMSUNG LCD TV 22?/55CM (LA22B450) – $ 591. 00One of the best priced Samsung models available, people love the model for the brand backing and range of features compared to the price ticket. This LCD television model includes: * Dynamic contrast ratio (helps improve picture quality and clarity) * HD tuner * DNIe+ image processor – a slightly less advanced version of the Fine Motion Advanced and Colour Enhancer Pro features on their LED models * Game mode – gives better picture quality in high-motion TV viewing situation like for sports, playing Xbox, and watching action movies. * Wide Colour Enhancer 2SAMSUNG LCD TV 32?/81CM (LA32B450) – $ 880. 00The cheapest 81cm television that maintains good quality in television features guides will usually be a Samsung. If it’s size you’re after, this LCD television model offers a lot of bang for your buck. It has the same features as the LA22B450 model – the screen size accounts for the difference in price. SAMSUNG LED TV 32? (UA32B6000)  – $ 1,655. 00The uninitiated often pass this Samsung model over in favour of it’s sister above, which is the same size but half the price. There is a massive difference in future-readiness represented by that single letter in their title – LCD versus LED. In this LED model you get all the Samsung-specific technology we looked at in the beginning of the article: * Mega contrast ratio * Motion Plus * Colour Enhancer Pro * Crystal Design * The energy efficiency of LEDThey are extremely easy to wall-mount, and won’t be superseded any time soon. SAMSUNG LED TV 55? (UA55B6000)BONUS LCD PROMO – $ 4,167. 00These LED televisions are mainly differentiated from those above by their size – one of the largest screens commercially available in Australia are these 55? monsters. You get a bonus 22?-26? LCD television when you buy this one – one of the best television features guide bonuses we’ve seen yet! Takes your total screen size for dollar to upwards of 77? – plus all that hot technology from the UA32B6000 is yours.

Viore is one of the new brands, which has recently entered the HDTV market. Though new in the industry, it seems to have created a good reputation for itself in the customer-oriented market. The Viore TV reviews (with positive feedbacks of the existing users) bear testimony to its progressing trend. Offering a wide series of HDTV models, ranging from small 19 inches to larger ones like 42 inches, the Viore has something for all. The Viore models are preferred by many TV enthusiasts who are not brand conscious and are ready to try new products hitting the market.

Featuring all the standard features of an HDTV model, the Viore brands ensure its users good viewing experience. Be it picture quality, audio effects or other features, the Viore HDTVs are reasonably good.

Why Viore model?

If you plan to buy a HDTV model for your home, then Viore is just one of the options that you can try. Viore may not exactly match-up with other superior TV brands but looking at its reasonably priced rate; it definitely is worth a try. Its success can be gauged from the fact that it has managed to garner positive reviews from its users. The Viore reviews reveal it all.

Understanding the diverse requirements of the today?s consumers, the Viore models are expertly designed and offered in varying specifications and features. Availability of wide variety of models is one of the added advantages that ensure the consumers do not have limited choices. One can easily go for a model that matches with their requirements and preferences.

Bearing almost all the qualities of high definition models, the Viore TVs are a perfect blend of good performance and style. Available in sleek design, the TVs incorporate TFT active matrix display format that makes viewing pleasurable for the users. Adding to its plus points are its easy and handy installation and customer-friendly features.

You can learn more about the brand from Viore TV Reviews

Know More about the Viore Brands

Investing in a new brand is not always a bad option. Though people prefer investing in products that already have a good market reputation, trying new brands can also be satisfying. The Viore is a new brand that aims to cater to the diverse requirements of the contemporary users. Incorporating latest technology and design features, the Viore TVs are available in different specifications and prices. Viore HDTV Reviews offer all the information about these Viore models that any prospective buyer would like to know.

All the details including technical features like display format, tuners included, image aspect ratio, number of HDMI ports and other operational aspects are provided by these reviews. Moreover, some reviews also include comparative study of the brand with other brands; this comparative analysis gives a comprehensive picture of the product including its relative strengths and shortcomings.

An unbiased source of information, the Viore reviews are the best guide for the consumers interested in buying a Viore model. Apart from offering a complete detail of the products specifications and functional features, the reviews also include reviews of the existing users. The personal experiences shared by the users help the prospective buyers to make a confident decision.

HDTV is becoming a mainstay in U. S. homes. The Consumer Electronics Association said in June that it expects 16 million high definition televisions will be sold in the United States this year, raising the total number of HDTVs sold here to 52. 5 million.

To put that into perspective, TV ratings specialist Nielsen Media Research estimated in August of last year that for the 2006-2007 television season there were 111. 4 million television households in the United States. Even taking into account that some households own more than one HDTV set, it?s clear that HDTV has transitioned from an interesting peculiarity to a mainstay of TV viewing. In fact, the CEA forecasts that by the end of the year 36 percent of U. S. households will have an HDTV.

Digital signs ?many of which are based on the same sort of flat screen LCD and plasma technology as the HDTVs in U. S. homes- find themselves afloat in this growing sea of first-hand experience with high definition and a rising level of expectations.

Savvy marketers using digital signage networks will acknowledge the proliferation of high-def sets in the home and work to upgrade their networks and the content they display to high definition. Why? Because that?s what their customers who own HDTVs say they want.

Last week, Nielsen Media Research released the findings of a poll of HDTV owners that revealed a wide chasm between their attitudes towards the quality of image they see on their screens and the amount of HDTV programming they can watch. Asked to rank their satisfaction on a scale of 1 to 5 (with ?5? meaning ?excellent? and ?1? meaning ?poor?), almost 48 percent of respondents said the quality of the image on their screens deserved a ?5,? while only 11. 7 percent ranked their HD program selection at the same level.

Conversely, the ratings and research organization found only about 3 percent rated their HDTV picture quality as poor (?1?) or below average (?2?), while more than 21 percent considered their HD programming selection to be a ?1? or a ?2. ?

I believe these findings reveal how critical it is for marketers to not only begin getting serious about upgrading their digital signage networks to HD, but also underscore how critical it is for them to play back high definition content on the HD displays that are part of those newly upgraded networks.

So much of marketing and advertising is intertwined with creating perceptions and feelings on the part of customers and prospects, that to ignore the increasing presence of high definition televisions in the homes of Americans is to risk being seen as pass

IntroductionIn six short sections, we’ll help guide you towards making informed choices on buying the plasma TV you need for your home theater or living room, tradeshow application, business or retail display, or executive and corporate boardroom. The sections in this Buying Guide are arranged in an order and progression that we feel is most helpful in imparting key information towards a plasma TV purchase. First, we’ll take a look at the kind of environment in which you are setting up the plasma display. Next, we’ll see what kind of content you intend to watch on the TV and what sort of A/V devices you’ll be using to determine the plasma type for your needs. Then, we’ll check out important plasma specs you should know about and installation issues to pay attention to. Lastly, we’ll take a quick look at pricing and other cost issues that you may want to consider. Ready? Let’s begin. The Plasma TV EnvironmentCalculating the Correct Distance In setting up the environment for your plasma TV, a primary consideration is to determine the screen size to match the floor plan or available space where the plasma will be displayed. Plasma monitors are measured diagonally across the screen, just like any other television set. You can typically choose from the following sizes: 32″, 40″, 42″, 46″, 50″, 61″, or 63″. Bigger is not always better, and a certain distance must be maintained between the plasma TV and the viewing area for optimal viewing experience. Sitting too far away diminishes the overall impact. Sitting too close, however, could also present its own problems as when you start seeing the screen’s “structure”; i. e. , the dots or pixels that make up the plasma display. The right distance depends on the size of your TV. – For 32″ to 37″ TVs, 6 to 10 feet from the screen is needed. – For 42″ to 46″ TVs, 10 to 14 feet from the screen is needed. – For 50″ TVs, 12 to 16 feet from the screen is needed. – For 60″ and larger TVs, at least 15 feet of space from the screen is needed. In determining the appropriate TV size for you, you should also consider the space required to install the unit itself. When recessing a plasma display unit, allow at least 3 inches of open space at the top of the unit and adequate ventilation space of at least 2 inches behind it as well. Remember, too, that most plasma displays do not have built-in speakers, so you’ll need to allow space enough to attach speakers. Viewing Angles: More on TV Placement Viewing angle is another factor that affects the viewing experience. Today’s plasma TVs offer viewing angles approaching (and sometimes exceeding) 170 degrees. This is much better than viewing angles for LCD displays and rear-projection TVs, and the wide viewing angles for plasma displays translates to a bright, clear picture for anyone in the room no matter where they’re sitting. Room Lighting and the TV Picture Lighting is also important in the area where your plasma TV is set up. Plasma TVs generally do a fine job in rooms with regular indoor lighting, but optimal viewing may not be possible in areas with too much direct sunlight. Thus, windows that let in direct sunlight should have easily adjustable blinds or curtains that can eliminate reflections off the screen. Light from a window behind the TV also makes it difficult for the eyes to adjust to the very brightness of the screen, and window treatments are recommended in such cases. A little bit of controlled background lighting could also be helpful, as the background light gives the black portions of the picture a deeper, darker look. Altitude May Increase Noise Levels If you live in Denver, Santa Fe or other areas above 6,000 feet, be aware that some plasma displays may start exhibiting operational noise. This is due to increased pressure on the gases contained in the glass substrate of the plasma, a phenomenon that makes the unit work harder to cool the display element. Check to see if the manufacturer has a maximum altitude rating if you are setting up the plasma in high-elevation areas. What You Can Watch on Your Plasma TVYou can choose between HDTV (High Definition TV) and EDTV (Enhanced Definition TV) for your choice of plasma display. Which type you prefer depends on the kind of material you intend to watch on the plasma. EDTV is the perfect entry point into digital television, with a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio and an image resolution that is 200% better than today’s analog televisions. On the other hand, HDTV has up to four times the resolution and colors compared to EDTV, offering the ultimate visual and sound experience. At present, only a limited number of programs are broadcast in true high-definition format (all major networks broadcast HD counterparts to their regular analog-signal broadcasts). In fact, if you plan to use a plasma HDTV for regular TV programming, you may be surprised to find that regular TV programming may even appear slightly worse, as the big screen exaggerates the flaws in standard TV programs. DVD images from most of the currently available DVD titles on the market today also do not fare as well on true HD plasmas. In fact, these DVD images appear better on EDTV plasma units, because the image resolution of a widescreen DVD (nominally 740 x 480) more closely matches the actual resolution (852 x 480) of the EDTV plasma display. Why bother with a High Definition TV at all, you may ask? Because HDTV, paired with a true High-Definition or high-quality source, can produce truly stunning images. With a progressive-scan DVD player paired with, say, any of the recently released HD-DVD or forthcoming Blu-ray DVD titles (encoded in true HD format), your plasma HDTV can come to spectacular life and bring out unrivaled image quality. And as more TV programming becomes available in High-Definition format with the looming of the FCC deadline for switching to all-digital broadcasting, plasma HDTV sets will have more TV content to show. One thing’s for sure: Your HDTV won’t be obsolete anytime in the next few years. Devices for your Plasma TVWith today’s plasma TV models, almost all of them will have multiple inputs that allow connection of various devices, with 32″ or larger screens having inputs for connecting six or more different A/V components. Which video components do you have now, and which do you plan to add in the future?At the very least, you’ll probably want to connect your antenna or cable box, plus a DVD player and perhaps a VCR. Other possibilities include a satellite TV receiver, video game system, or TiVo hard disk recorder. And if you use a camcorder, you will definitely want a set of front-panel A/V inputs on your new TV. The newer plasma TVs will include digital inputs such as HDMI or DVI, which can accept HDTV signals from your cable box or satellite (and even some DVD players) in an all-digital format. Some plasma TVs also include a VGA or DVI PC input, which allows your plasma unit to pull double-duty as a PC monitor. Connection tip: If you route your video signals through your home theater receiver, you can connect even more video sources. Most home theater receivers provide Composite Video inputs and outputs to enable video switching, making it easy to choose from among your video sources. If yours does, you may be able to connect your video components to your receiver, which will then send the selected video signal to your TV. Many receivers have S-Video connections as well, and some even include Component Video switching. Plasma TV Specifications When comparing plasma TV sets, it’s important to know what to look for to make sense of the specifications you’re presented with. Below is a quick rundown on the necessary specs that you need to weigh before making that all-important purchase decision. Resolution: Resolution is a determining factor in selecting a plasma TV. Do you want HDTV or EDTV? HDTV, with a resolution of at least 1024 x 720, is the ultimate visual and sound experience, but what is available for viewing on HD is currently restricted to a few HD channels on cable, as well as the newly emerging and necessarily few DVD titles from the HD-DVD and Blu-ray DVD formats. On the other hand, most of the currently available DVDs actually play better when viewed on EDTV, because the image resolution of a widescreen DVD (nominally 740 x 480) more closely matches the actual resolution (852 x 480) of the EDTV plasma display. Choosing the type of plasma TV that you want, therefore, is a question that should be considered along with the type of content you frequently watch or will be watching on your plasma. Inputs: A plasma television should work with any existing video component with standard A/V, S-Video, or Component Video outputs. In addition, most plasma TVs have DVI or HDMI connections for use with high-definition sources. Some plasma TVs also have VGA input connections that allow them to be used as monitors for a PC. At the minimum, look for the following specifications on a plasma connection: DVI-I or DVI-D, Component, RCA or Composite, and S-Video. Take into consideration your current component set-up such as your satellite system, cable box, DVD player, and external stereo components and see what kind of inputs or connectors they use. Tuner: Check your plasma to see if it is HD-ready or HD-integrated. An HD-ready plasma TV is essentially a monitor that needs an external tuner source before it can function as a TV. An HD-integrated panel has a tuner built into the set and is ready for use. If you receive your HDTV programming via cable or satellite instead of over-the-air, you may not need a tuner at all, as you will be using the set-top boxes provided by your cable/satellite service to receive HDTV programming. Check with your cable or satellite providers for more details. Some cable/satellite companies do away with set-top boxes and provide their subscribers with cable cards instead. Check with your cable/satellite provider if they provide cable cards and the cable-card type that they offer, and then check the specification on the plasma for cable card slots. Contrast Ratio: Contrast ratio is the measurement that determines the variation between the whitest and darkest parts of the image. This is an important specification, since plasma TVs with a low contrast ratio will make dark images look muddy and gray while making light images look washed out. A good measure of contrast ratio is 1,000:1 or higher. Anything less than 1,000:1 especially on a set that is 42″ or larger may not provide optimal viewing experience. Brightness: Without sufficient brightness, your image will look muddy and soft even in a dark room. Viewing distance, screen size, and ambient room light will also affect the need for more brightness capability. A brightness rating listed at 550 cd/m2 or higher is good, but don’t get bogged down with the technical number listed. Instead, make sure that the screen is bright enough for your needs as you conduct your own visual inspection. Panel Life: Look for a minimum of 60,000 hours of panel life in your plasma specifications. This is the rating on how long it would take before your panel has half the brightness compared to when it was new. A 60,000-hour spec translates to approximately 20 years of viewing at 8 hours per day. (This approximation may vary, depending on the source and type of content, settings, environment, and use of your plasma TV. )Anti-burn-in/Pixel Shift: Burn-in refers to the remnants burned on to the screen after a static image has been left on the plasma for a long period of time. To minimize or prevent burn-in, determine if the plasma panel utilizes burn-in protection, such as power management settings, full-time picture or pixel shift (both vertical and horizontal) technologies, or automatic screensaver functions. Speakers: If you plan to use an external surround sound system, you won’t need audio speakers, but most plasma TV sets include speakers that rated anywhere from 7-12 Watts Pre-amp which is much better than that of conventional TVs and sufficient for most viewing. Check your plasma’s specifications to see if it comes with speakers and if the speakers are removable. Universal Remote: A universal remote can take the place of having one remote, so that it controls all the various components of your TV system, such as the DVD player, audio, cable/satellite etc. If you plan on buying a universal remote, check to see if it’s supported by the plasma set of your choice to make sure the plasma accepts universal remote devices. Power Consumption: Power consumption for plasmas range from 240 watts to over 500 watts, If you’re concerned with how much energy a plasma set may use, check its specifications to determine power consumption. Units tend to have higher wattage requirements as the screen increases. A good rule of thumb is to compare similar-sized units together; units with higher wattages tend to use inferior components as a rule. Installation and Mounting OptionsThere are basically two options for installing a plasma TV: Displaying it on a table stand, cart, or similarly equivalent horizontal surface; or hanging the Plasma TV (on a wall or from a ceiling, using wall mount fixtures). One of the major benefits of plasma TV is the flexibility of mounting and installation options that are available. However, because of the sheer size of the TV, mounting presents its own sets of issues that need to be taken into account. For wall (or ceiling) mounting, you will need two people (ideally), with at least one having enough experience to determine the strength of the wall, what is behind the wall, and the proper hardware to use; e. g. , anchors, screws, etc. The last thing you need is to have your new Plasma TV fall off the wall and smash into bits because of improper wall mounting. Professional installation is highly recommended in this case. Below are various TV mounting options you might consider: Table Stands are popular for displaying plasma units. These units, however, are not one-size- fits-all appliances. Sometimes one is included with the TV itself; other times you have to purchase the stand separately. Most consumer-oriented plasma TVs come with their own matching table stand, used whenever there is enough tabletop space to support the TV. These units are custom-made to manufacturers’ specifications, as each plasma display has its own requirements on how the stand fits the plasma. The table stand allows for maximum flexibility, as nothing is permanently affixed to the wall. (Add graphic) Plasma TV Carts are typically used in business applications for trade shows and in-house presentations. Table carts are often used in a courtroom setting or to mobilize up to the edge of a boardroom table for maximum visual presentation. The table cart may include a platform for placing a DVD player, laptop computer, or VCR. (Add graphic) Flat Wall Mounts maximize the space-saving benefits of plasma technology. This is generally the least expensive option, and it adds less than two inches to the total depth of the plasma unit. It is used in home theaters, living rooms, or company boardrooms to achieve and maximally offset the sleek appearance that plasma displays are known for. (Add graphic) Tilt Wall Mounts let you place your plasma TV above eye level, keeping the unit out of the way but allowing it to be readily viewable from anywhere in the room. A tilt wall mount typically allows 15 to 20 degrees of tilt (depending on the brand of the wall mount). This option is often used to install plasma displays above fireplaces and in bedrooms, and is also used for overhead displays in retail or industry (with or without an attached ceiling bracket). The tilt wall mount adds from 4 to 6 inches to the depth of the mounted display. (Add graphic) Articulating Wall Mounts use swivel arms to render the plasma unit flush with the wall and out of the way when the unit is not in use. Pulled out, this mounting device allows you to turn the display 120 degrees to either side and as much as 10 degrees up or down. It adds between 3 or 4 inches to the depth of the plasma mount (depending on the manufacturer of the wall mount), and is used for maximum flexibility in sports bars, library studies, and commercial display operations. (Add graphic) Ceiling Mounts enable you to mount your plasma TV where you want it in case a wall isn’t available. This option is generally coupled with a tilt mount, so that the display can be adjusted downward for easier viewing. Lengths of ceiling mount poles vary according to customer needs, but standard lengths are from 24 to 43 inches. Ceiling mounts are usually used for airport displays, checkout counters, hospital rooms, and bedrooms. (Add graphic)Pricing and Other CostsPlasma TVs are expensive, but they do fall into a few distinct categories. Below is a rough guide to retail and online pricing for plasma units (current as of this writing, May 2006). – $1,000 to $1,500 buys you a plasma TV up to 42″- $1,500 to $3,000 buys you a plasma TV up to 50″- More than $3,000 buys you a plasma up to 65″Also: – Under $1,500 buys you a refurbished EDTV plasma- Under $2,000 buys you an EDTV plasma- More than $2,000 buys you an HDTV plasmaIn addition to the cost of the plasma TV itself, you may want to factor in the price of accessories, such as cables, surge protectors, additional audio equipment, furniture, and room treatments to arrive at a realistic cost outlay for your plasma TV purchase. Lastly, be aware of “standard” charges that apply to your purchase: a sales tax when the TV is bought at a brick-and-mortar establishment; shipping charges (especially if the TV is bought online); and delivery and/or set-up charges. Check and compare the manufacturer warranties for various plasma TV brands; extended warranties are always extra.

Consider This When Thinking About Buying Big:

1. Choose the Right Screen Size for your Room

Your seating distance will determine your sense of picture clarity and detail as well as the quality of the viewing experience. If all you watch are true HDTV images, then you can sit as close as twice the diagonal screen size? about 8 feet away for a 46-inch or a bit more for a 50-inch diagonal screen. But sitting that close may not be practical, because until the final conversion to all-HDTV broadcasting is completed (that?s at least 5 years away) a lot of your TV viewing may well be conventional analog TV, and those images may look fairly crummy up close. (Remember early big screen TVs?) If you watch regular non-HD TV sitting too close to a big screen, you?ll see all the flaws.

2. Flat Panel or Box

Those futuristic and very cool plasma and LCD flat panels that are only a few inches thick are appealing, but budget, screen size, and your need for optimal HDTV clarity are big factors you must consider. To get full HDTV resolution on a plasma panel means getting a 50-inch diagonal screen, and that?s expensive (about $3,000 USD and up). If you are willing to abandon the flat panel and accept a more conventional box (one that?s no more than 14 inches deep), you can get full HDTV resolution for a fraction of that amount. A 50-inch diagonal DLP rear-projection set that?s only 14 inches deep and weighs about 75 pounds would be $3,200. Also, you will still get a bright, stunningly good HD picture, minus the ultra-cool flat-panel appeal, of course. If you still like the flat panel and are willing to accept good but not true HD picture quality, you can save a lot of money on a smaller LCD or plasma display.

3. Do You Really Need HDTV Resolution?

Let?s say you won?t give up on the thin flat panel display, that you simply must have it. If you are satisfied with DVD clarity? it?s called Standard Definition (480 lines).