10 Bone-Headed Mistakes Plasma TV Shoppers Must Avoid!

This brutally frank article points out ten major pitfalls that buyers of Plasma TVs can easily to fall into. It strips away the lies told by con men, the confusion spread by geeks and the bumbling interference you’ll get from supposedly helpful know-it-alls as you search for the perfect Plasma, LCD or DLP TV.

Shopping for a Big Screen TV means avoiding lots of people trying to dazzle you with new technology.

You have to side-step slick TV salesmen talking about "DLP", "EDTV" or "1080i". You have to outsmart internet con artists selling "gray market" Plasmas. And you have to ignore bone-headed advice from Fred, the neighborhood know-it-all.

Mistake #1: Don’t Buy A "No-Name" Plasma TV!
The most important decision you can make when buying a big screen TV is to decide not to buy a "No-Name". A device as complex as a LCD, Plasma or DLP TV must be manufactured with the finest components by dozens of expert technicians working in multi-million dollar plants. "No-name" companies use none of those.

Mistake #2: Never Trust A "Seeing Eye" TV Salesman!
If you walk into a TV showroom and don’t know EDTV from HDTV, some slick salesman will smile and eat you for lunch! Don’t let salesmen make choices for you, or you’ll end up with some outdated TV his boss wants to get rid of. Or you’ll end up with screen burn-in on your new Plasma when your son hooks up his Playstation 3; or suffer with a dim display in your brightly lit living room. Do a little research before you make a purchase; it’s not difficult.

(If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used above – DLP, EDTV, LCD – Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")

Mistake #3: Don’t Buy From A "No-Name" Retailer!
It’s important to buy your Plasma TV from a reputable dealer selling brand name merchandise. The return of a faulty $2000 Plasma TV won’t bankrupt Wal-Mart or Sony; but could devastate a Mom and Pop electronics store. Try to make major purchases from a major retailer’s website; make sure they offer a good return policy and have brand name Plasmas at a discount price.

Mistake #4: Don’t Fall For Plasma Internet Scams!
We’ve all seen what look like great deals on Plasma TVs online. But exactly what is a great deal? It means getting GREAT MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE. It’s not a great deal if you get CRAPPY MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE! You don’t want your "new" Plasma to be a returned or refurbished item. Avoid "gray market" or "B stock" merchandise, and avoid sellers who aren’t authorized retailers.

Mistake #5: Don’t Play Video Games On A Plasma Television!
The chance of screen burn-in on a Plasma TV has been greatly reduced by improved technology, but not eliminated. Computer programs, video games, stock tickers and station logos can burn permanently into the screen, ruining your expensive TV. LCD and DLP TV screens cannot suffer screen burn-in, ever.

Mistake #6: Don’t Let A Know-It-All Pick Your TV!
Your neighbor Fred says he’s an expert on Big Screen TVs, and volunteers to help you buy one. Fred may be a good guy. . . he may even know the difference between DTV and DLP. But Fred may also be a Boob blowing smoke out the rear of his shorts. How can you tell? Rely on the only person you can trust to look out for your interests . . . you! Listen to Fred, but take him with a grain of salt . . . and do your own research!

Mistake #7: Don’t Try To Bring Home A Plasma TV By Yourself!
There was a time you could go to Circuit City, buy a 19-inch color TV, throw it in the back seat and take it home . . . those days are over! Shipping a Plasma TV to your home is the only sensible way to get it there; it’s too big, expensive, heavy and delicate to be shoved in the trunk of a car. Your retailer will arrange shipping for you; make sure that insurance and order tracking are included in the deal. Don’t sign for delivery until you’ve inspected your TV for damage.

Mistake #8: Don’t Install A Plasma TV Without Help!
A Plasma TV, although thin, is actually very heavy. A 50-inch Plasma TV can weigh over 160 pounds. Mounting a Plasma TV on it’s table stand is a three person job; call some strong friends over. The delivery people will put your TV on the curb, or in your living room, depending on what you paid for. They won’t install your TV on a wall mount, that service costs $200-$300.

Mistake #9: Don’t Fail To Connect A Dolby Sound System!
You shouldn’t settle for the sound coming from your TV speakers. Attached to your TV, a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier sends six separate channels of sound through speakers in front of, on both sides of and behind the viewer. Home Theater Systems start as low as $250 and go into the thousands; they include an amplifier, five speakers, wire and a sub woofer. Dolby 7.1 is even more advanced with eight sound channels.

Mistake #10: Don’t Forget To Budget For Peripherals!
For full enjoyment of your new Plasma TV, you’ll need lots of other stuff: HDMI cables for each peripheral, surge protectors, a TV stand or wall mount, a HDTV DVD player and digital cable for High Def broadcasts. You’ll also need a Home Theater System with at least Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and a comfortable viewing area. I’m not trying to scare you . . . a modest system can cost less than $300, A good system between $800-$1000 and a Top-of-the-Line system $1500 and up.

Well, there you have it . . . the 10 Biggest Bone-Headed Mistakes you could make when shopping for the perfect Plasma TV! Avoid them like the plague!

Good luck . . . I hope you find the Plasma TV that will thrill your family for years to come!

It’s as easy as 123!

About The Author

Ike Ridley is the avid videophile and self-confessed "Movie Nut" who created the website the 123 Guide To Plasma TV . To visit us, click the links or paste this URL into your web browser:

http://www.123-guide-to-plasma-tv.com/

Ike has moved to the Caribbean where he clicks away on his laptop under a palm tree.

Click Here for tips on buying discount Plasma TVs!

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Top HDTV Models from Best Brands

There are various brands which are offering HDTVs at affordable prices with the latest features and technology. The first thing to find the best HDTV is to know the basic facts about it. HDTV can come with LCD or plasma monitors. Here are a few popular models and their specifications for the new HDTV buyers.

Are you out looking for the best buy on HDTV? There are various brands which are offering HDTVs at affordable prices with the latest features and technology. The first thing to find the best HDTV is to know the basic facts about it. HDTV can come with LCD or plasma monitors. Here are a few popular models and their specifications for the new HDTV buyers.

Samsung offers you many versions of HDTV screens. Samsung’s HL-T5087S DLP HDTV is one of the best products from Samsung. This product is well-built and slim. Its rear projection DLP user manual is good and extensive, and the remote is intuitive. The energy-efficient 50" screen features a powerful, long-lasting LED light engine that turns on almost instantly. Full HD 1080p resolution and Samsung Cinema Smooth technology deliver a wide range of brilliant colors, with bright images and a crisp definition. The blackest of blacks, brightest of whites and nuanced tones are yours with a 10000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The sound is great, but if you have the resources to add a 600W 5.1 surround system, you will hear the difference.

The Panasonic TH-50PZ77U is the 50" class 1080p plasma HDTV with anti-glare filter, EZ sync HDAVI control and built-in GalleryPlayer-capable SD card memory slot. Panasonic believes to provide the latest in HDTV technology in its models. This television has the most beautiful picture display with deep, rich colors, very good viewing angles, and detailing in the blacks that an LCD can’t touch. The TV is a bit heavy and this prevents it from accidentally falling. Overall, this is a remarkable TV.

Toshiba is another favorite in the market with a screen size ranging till 47 inches and embedded with Cinespeed LCD panel and Pixel pure technology for good picture and sound. It builds upon its heritage by delivering the industry’s most innovative, high-quality solutions. The Toshiba 57HM167 has great picture, amazing sound quality and an attractive design. It looks great in 720p and just think, if EA sports would have made the game in 1080p for ps3. If you want a "Full HD" at a very reasonable price, then this is it. Very easy to use TV with great options.

The S Series is the latest offering from the Sony Bravia line of high-performance and sleek styling LCD TVs. Sony BRAVIA KDL-32S2000 32" LCD panel features the latest in Sony’s unique S-PVA technology, which delivers vivid and accurate colors along with wide viewing angles and a blazing 8ms response time. Other features such as PC input allow the user to connect a PC for viewing content in a 16:9 high resolution environment. And with integrated HDTV capabilities, you can enjoy digital programming with enhanced audio and video reproduction. While the KDL-32S2000 is value priced, it also offers an elegant flat panel design that can be placed anywhere at home.

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Plasma Television Buying Guide by Microtek Lab Inc

Calculating 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.

More on flat televisions here.

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.

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.

What You Can Watch on Your Plasma TV

You 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.

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.

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Panasonic Ready for Sanyo Takeover

Deal would mean formation of Japan’s biggest electronics maker

Panasonic, the Japanese electronics firm, is poised to launch a bid for rival Sanyo in a deal that would see the formation of the country’s biggest electronics maker. Panasonic will announce its plans later this week, according to media reports, and begin negotiations with Sanyo’s three major shareholders, Goldman Sachs, Daiwa Securities SMBC and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group. They aim to complete the deal by April next year.

Together, the two electronics firms would have revenues of 11.29tn based on forecasts for the current financial year, higher than the 10.9tn forecast by Hitachi, Japan’s biggest electronics maker in terms of sales. Under the agreement, Panasonic would buy nearly 430 million preferred shares in Sanyo, each of which can be exchanged for ten common shares, giving it a 70% stake in the company worth about 620bn.

Reports said today that the presidents of Panasonic, the world’s biggest maker of plasma TVs, and Sanyo, the global leader in rechargeable batteries, had agreed in principle that Sanyo would become a subsidiary.The tie-up would strengthen Panasonic’s position in the expanding global market for lithium-ion batteries and put it in direct competition with Sony for contracts with makers of electric and hybrid cars. It would also have access to Sanyo’s expertise in solar power cells, while its smaller rival would be able to take advantage of Panasonic’s huge customer base.

Sanyo was forced to issue 300bn in preferred shares in 2006 to Goldman and the two Japanese banks after a fall in earnings, blamed in part on earthquake damage to its microchip plant.

Panasonic’s ambitious plans for global expansion have been boosted by the financial crisis and recent plunges in Japanese stocks. Its interest in Sanyo is rumored to have intensified as it watched shares in the struggling firm sink by almost a third over the past two months. It may eventually attempt to acquire all of Sanyo’s shares and make it a wholly owned subsidiary, reports said.

The for-cash sale would also help Goldman Sachs as it attempts to reassure creditors and stabilize its balance sheets. Sumitomo Mitsui, too, is in the hunt for revenue after lowering its profit forecast for this fiscal year by 63% last week.

Sanyo registered net profit in March for the first time in four years after its new president Seiichiro Sano – the first to have been appointed from outside the founding family in the firm’s 60-year history – targeted growth areas such as rechargeable batteries and solar panels. But it has struggled in the face of competition from more than ten other electronics firms, including Sony and industrial conglomerates such as Hitachi and Toshiba.

Panasonic sources were quoted as saying that the jobs of Sanyo’s 100,000 employees would be safe.

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Digital Plasma TV: Enjoy movie theatre experience in your room

If you want to have a movie theatre experience in your own room then digital plasma TV can help you in this regard. People who would like to have a bid wall mounted screen and money is not a problem for them, then plasma TV would be viable option for them. On the other hand, those who would like to go for a small or medium sized screen then LCD TV or LCD digital TV would be right option for them.

In the case of a plasma screen, it works by lighting up of gases like xenon and neon, which are sandwiched between two glasses. So, you would find these screens to be very bright and having good contrast. In addition to this, it has wide viewing angle, which will help you in having a good view from the side as well.

There are certain tips which you should keep in mind before buying a plasma TV. You need to take suggestion from your family member or from any of your friend before buying a plasma TV. A research work can help you in selecting the plasma TV, which you are exactly looking for. Before going for it, you should make a decision regarding the size of plasma TV in accordance with your room. Once you make up your mind, regarding the size of the of the plasma TV, then you should start looking for a bargain deal with major plasma TV providers like NEC, Hitachi, Sharp, Zenith, JVC TV etc.

No doubt, buying a big screen plasma TV is not an easy task. However, you should make a review of various plasma TVs available with different companies, which will help you to build up your confidence level while buying a digital plasma TV. If you are looking for a flat plasma TV then you can look for it with the manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer and many other such brands.

Another important thing is the placement of your plasma TV in your room? It is advisable to maintain a minimum distance of twice the width of your plasma TV screen. On the other hand, the farthest distance should not be more than five times the width of your screen. You should place the plasma TV in accordance with your eye level.

These tips would certainly help you in buying and placing it in a perfect place in your room, which will let you to enjoy the movie theatre experience in the cosy comfort of your own room.

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