Choosing an High Definition Television

HDTV is becoming more and more common around the world, with a few exceptions like Sri Lanka. Unfortunately we are still stuck in the Analog age. But that has not prevented HD Television Sets, Xbox 360s and Blu-ray/HD DVD Players getting in to the country.

Therefore it is suitable that we prepare for the future, which has already arrived in other countries. After all, we can have a much more enjoyable experience with HD on our Xbox 360. And it gets better if you hook up a HD DVD extension drive to the Xbox, and watch some imported HD DVDs. Even watching cricket on a Standard Definition Television will look nice (although not very clear from nearby).

Here are some famous and trusted Television makers, and their local dealers:-

• Sony - Siedles
• LG - Abans
• Samsung - Sinhagiri
• Panasonic - Softlogic
• Singer - Singer Sri Lanka

Now, there are four types of HDTVs currently available in the market:-

• Tube based HDTV (CRT)
• LCD Flat-Panel HDTV
• Plasma HDTV
• Projection HDTV

Tube based HDTV

This is the good old, space taking Cathode Ray Tube Television, like your old one. But it has 4 times more pixels to provide a HD experience. These are currently the cheapest HDTV Sets around today. But due to the space and energy requirement, I do not recommend this.

LCD Flat-Panel HDTV

This is the slim, beautiful television set that may look like your computer monitor. These are more expensive, but the Eco-friendliness, space requirements and beauty will be worth it. They may also be more reliable than CRTs. Recommended for sizes under 50".

Plasma HDTV

These are similar to LCD HDTVs but have better clarity, sharpness and colour quality. But this comes at a price. Plasma screens are best suited for screens over 50", as they become cheaper than LCDs at that level.

Projection HDTV

A Projection HDTV is based on Front Projection or Rear Projection.

Front Projection uses a separate projector to project the image on to the screen. These are not really suitable except when you want an extremely large size, since the image need to be correctly aligned with the screen (sold separately).

A Rear Projection HDTV is fully built into a single case. It can be made of a CRT, LCD or use DLP or SCoS. Click here for more information on these rather complicated systems. The advantage is they have a larger screen size, and become cheaper than Plasma or LCD at over 80". But it is best suited for a theatre room.