Plasma TV Buyers Guide

So you want to buy a new Plasma TV but you don't know where to begin?

This is a problem for many as they make the move from the old style tube TV to the newer brighter plasma or LCD TVs. The are so many new numbers that are very important to understand and take into consideration. Not to mention that the new breed of high definition televisions has also brought a pretty noticeable price jump as well, so we must be aware of what is a good deal and what is worth paying more for.

To start off, I wanted to let people know that there are a couple things to consider right off the bat when it comes to plasma TVs.

Plasma TV Basics

1. Plasma TVs cannot be turned on their sides, ever! This is just due to the nature of the plasma that is inside the screen and if you plan on moving your new TV often, plasma is probably not for you.

2. Darker Picture, yes the picture on a plasma screen is actually darker than a LCD display, for real movie addicts this is really a plus, because you will not find a truer black on a movie screen than a plasma TV. However, if you have your plasma TV in a room that has a lot of external light you may notice that the screen does not show up as well, if you have a theater room setup, you will not be disappointed in the laser sharp colors and noticeable light and darks on screen.

3. Glare, the cover of a plasma TV is shiny, so again, these plasma TVs are made for true movie and sports enthusiasts, so if you have your setup in a room that sunlight does not see, you will never have a problem, if you have the plasma TV in front of a bay window, you will notice some glare on the screen.

Now that being said we are going to get into the nitty gritty of plasma TVs and what to look for and what you can not pay attention to, when you walk into the show room at your local electronics store.

Plasma TV Buying Tips

1. Plasma TV Price

Well, we know that everybody is on a limited budget to a point and if you are bargain shopping, you should stop looking at plasma TVs right now. I know it sounds rude, but we are just being honest, there are no cheap plasma TVs, unless you want one so small that you may as well be using a computer monitor.

2. Plasma TV Screen Size

Here is where most shoppers start when they are looking for a plasma TV and it is a good place to begin. Is bigger, better? Well from my personal experience, I would be glad to serve you a big helping of YES! The size of the screen is the most important factor to me, after all any picture quality is going to be a huge upgrade from an old tube style TV. However there is a point where you may be better off getting a projector for your movie room instead of a super huge TV. A 50" plasma screen is pretty overwhelming at 6'-10' viewing distance, however if you want true THX quality, it is suggested that the viewer sit only 8' away from a screen this size. So if you are looking for a true movie experience from you plasma TV, then you have to go huge or sit closer than you would think.

Now, I will note that I have a 50" plasma TV in my living room and I measured 16' from the TV to the sofa and I am very satisfied by the display and size. So really you will have to start off by deciding, are you going for the theater experience with your plasma or are you simply getting a new TV, so you don't have to go out and buy one of those annoying converter boxes? Once you have came to that conclusion, we can move on.

3. Plasma TV Inputs

We all know what inputs we have right now and you should be able to check your DVD player or game system to see what you will need to be able to plug-in. So you would think that deciding what inputs the plasma TV that you will purchase needs. But, on the other hand, if you are going to make a sizable investment like this, you should also consider future investments and what new media you may connect to the plasma TV.

There are 2 things I suggest you make a must on you new purchase and those are; plenty of HDMI inputs and USB connectivity.

The reason that I say this, is that HDMI inputs are soon becoming the next standard as far as video connectivity and you may as well be ready even if you do not have anything that uses them yet. USB connections are great for cameras, video cameras, mp3 players, USB drives and if you a computer nerd like me, you gotta have one!