Choosing a new TV - what do you want versus the specifications on the carton and brochure

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Each year without fail, even during the current epidemic, manufacturers have to introduce new features to entice us to part with our money for their latest models. However, how do we filter through the information thrown at us in the info brochures and by the sales staff?

Firstly ask yourself, what is your viewing diet? GIGO - garbage in, garbage out is the advice, so if your source is more low res, you can't make pearls out of pigs ears.. even the best video chips can't make a DVD look like UHD. Are you mainly watching youtube videos, or subscribe to the basic Netflix tier which does not have 4k streaming for example. To give another example, if you're merely watching or actually listening to the news, a top tier TV may be a pure waste of time. 

Then see what's your viewing distance, and make sure you use the TV to it's best performance. Using a 40 inch TV at 10 feet will not give you the kind of resolution and picture quality you are asking for. Also, using a viewing distance will be very beneficial, you'll be surprised how near you can sit to watch UHD:


Then you try to filter through all the data and feature set. If you are an AV enthusiast, you may have a top tier sound system, and having good TV speakers is moot and not worth paying for. 
How many HDMI inputs do you need, and how many need to be HDMI 2.1? Remember, not every company will tell you that their so-called HDMI 2.1 inputs may not meet all the specs or cause other issues due to the limitation of their processors.
eARC is a nice feature for lossless sound pass through.
But Atmos sound from the TV speakers is ridiculous, especially if you are not planning on using a sound systems or even a proper Atmos soundbar. 

Does the remote feel right in your hands and do you want physical buttons, and a backlight? Is an app important to you?

The operating system is also important, and look out for the responsiveness. Not all Andriod TVs are created the same, and some budget models struggle to deliver the apps you want or the insufficient memory can cause lagginess. However you can always add a media box to fix this. 

Finally check out the screens, and bring a video you are familiar with, and ask for the remote, then turn off the 'blaze' mode and switch to the cinema mode and see how it feels. Remember the showrooms are usually very well lit and do not reflect what your own rooms look like. Take note of reflections and do they bother you.

There are some practical considerations too: 

The weight of the TV is seldom a big issue but it may be for you if you intend to wall mount and use an existing mount. 

How hard is it to access the inputs? Is the power cable removable? Is the frame shiny and will that cause excessive reflections?

Then check the warranty, and does it cover on site service or do you have to cart it down, and it's not easy for a large TV. 

For those buying large units, do check the dimensions and see if it will fit in your apartment lift and is there any surcharge for carrying it up and any costs if there are stairs involved in your home.




After examining all the facts, then decide if all the new tech really makes a difference..
I'm not saying they don't, but it may be different for various users.. Likewise the wide color gamuts, the various new advancements in OLED help sell TVs, but do you see a difference with the content you use?



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 I have no financial interest or other interests in any of the items / events I write about.

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