In today’s market, buying a new television can be overwhelming due to the plethora of options available, each boasting different technologies, features, and sizes. Whether you’re a film buff, a sports fan, or someone who loves binge-watching series, the right TV can significantly enhance your viewing experience. This guide will help you navigate through the complexities of modern TVs and find one that fits both your home and your viewing habits perfectly.

Understanding TV Technologies

1. LED TVs:
   • Pros: Energy-efficient, with a wide range of sizes and affordable options. Good brightness and color accuracy.
   • Cons: Contrast and black levels are not as deep as OLEDs.
2. OLED TVs:
   • Pros: Best-in-class black levels and contrast ratios, with excellent color accuracy and viewing angles.
   • Cons: More expensive than LED and can suffer from burn-in with static images.
3. QLED TVs (Quantum Dot LED TVs by Samsung):
   • Pros: Brighter than OLEDs, with vibrant colors and better longevity without the risk of burn-in.
   • Cons: Black levels are not as deep as those on OLED TVs.
4. 8K TVs:
   • Pros: Ultra-high resolution offering incredible detail, ideal for large-screen experiences.
   • Cons: Limited 8K content is available, and they are significantly more expensive.

How big a TV should I get?

Choosing the right size TV depends on several factors, primarily the size of your room, how far you'll be sitting from the screen, and your personal preferences. Here’s a quick guide to help you determine the best TV size:

1. Viewing Distance

The ideal screen size can be determined by how far you sit from your TV. A common rule of thumb is that your viewing distance from the TV should be about 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal width of the screen. For instance:

• If you sit 5 feet away from the TV, a good size would be between 24 inches and 40 inches diagonally.
• If you sit 7 feet away, look for sizes between 42 inches and 70 inches diagonally.

2. Room Size

Consider the scale of the room to maintain a balanced decor:

• Small Rooms: A giant TV in a small room can be overwhelming and might not provide the best viewing experience, as you’ll need to move your head to see different parts of the screen. For smaller or medium-sized rooms, a 32-inch to 50-inch TV might be more appropriate.
• Large Rooms: Larger rooms can accommodate bigger TVs (55 inches and up) without making the space feel crowded. Larger TVs are also ideal if you often host movie nights or sports viewings with groups.

3. Content and Resolution

• HD Content: If you primarily watch content in 720p or 1080p (HD), a massive TV might make the images appear less sharp due to the lower resolution.
• 4K Content: With 4K, you can go for a larger screen without losing image quality, even if you sit closer to the screen. This is because 4K TVs have higher pixel density, which supports clearer, more detailed images even on larger screens.

4. Usage

• General Viewing: If you're using the TV for general viewing, including broadcast TV, streaming, and DVD viewing, a screen that fits comfortably into your space and budget is adequate.
• Gaming and Cinematic Experience: For an immersive gaming experience or cinematic feel, larger screens can enhance the visual impact. Ensure the TV has a good refresh rate and low input lag if it's for gaming.

5. Test Before You Buy

If possible, view the TV in a store or a setup that mimics your home environment to get a feel for different sizes. What looks good in a showroom under bright lights might look different in your living room.

What should I know about TV resolution?

TV resolution is one of the key aspects that determines the quality of the image displayed on your TV screen. Understanding the different types of resolutions can help you make a more informed decision when purchasing a new TV. Here's what you need to know:

1. Types of Resolutions

• Standard Definition (SD): SD resolution is 480p (720x480 pixels), which is adequate for smaller TVs or content that doesn’t require high detail, like standard TV broadcasts or DVDs.
• High Definition (HD): HD is significantly sharper than SD. It comes in two varieties:
• 720p (HD Ready): 1280x720 pixels, providing a decent picture quality suitable for TVs up to about 32 inches.
• 1080p (Full HD): 1920x1080 pixels, currently the standard resolution for broadcast, streaming, and Blu-rays, offering good detail on TVs up to around 55 inches.
• 4K Ultra HD (UHD): With a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, 4K UHD offers four times the pixel count of 1080p. It provides stunning detail and clarity and is becoming the standard for new TVs 40 inches and larger. It is ideal for viewers who can access newer 4K content available via streaming services, UHD Blu-rays, and certain satellite/cable providers.
• 8K: The newest resolution on the market is 7680x4320 pixels, four times the number of pixels as 4K and sixteen times that of 1080p. While 8K TVs offer the highest resolution available, there is currently very limited content made for 8K viewing, making these TVs less essential for most buyers.

2. Considerations for Choosing Resolution

• Viewing Distance and Screen Size: The benefits of higher resolutions are more noticeable on larger screens and when you sit closer to the TV. For instance, the sharpness of 4K becomes appreciable on TVs larger than 50 inches if you're sitting at a distance where these details can be discerned.
• Content Availability: Consider what you mostly watch. If most of your viewing consists of HD broadcasts or non-4K streaming, a 1080p TV might suffice. For streaming 4K content from services like Netflix or Amazon, or if you have a UHD Blu-ray player, a 4K TV is preferable.
• Future-proofing: Investing in a 4K TV can be a smarter choice even if you don’t currently consume a lot of 4K content. As more content becomes available in higher resolutions, your viewing experience will improve without needing another upgrade.
• Cost vs. Benefit: Higher resolution TVs are usually more expensive. Weigh the visual benefits against the cost, especially considering the types of media you consume most frequently.

3. Additional Features Related to Resolution

• HDR (High Dynamic Range): HDR enhances picture quality by boosting the TV’s contrast ratio and color accuracy. The brilliance and depth of images on HDR-compatible TVs are significantly superior, especially on 4K or 8K models.
• Upscaling: Good upscaling technology is crucial if you opt for a 4K or 8K TV but still watch lower resolution content. Upscaling software helps enhance the picture quality of lower resolution content to look better on high-resolution screens.

What should I know about TV resolution?

High Dynamic Range (HDR) is a technology that significantly enhances the visual quality of the picture on your TV or display by increasing the contrast between the lightest and darkest elements of an image. This technology results in a much more vibrant and lifelike picture, bringing greater detail in both bright and dark areas of the picture, and offering a wider range of colors.

How HDR Works

HDR works by expanding the range of both contrast and color significantly compared to standard dynamic range (SDR) televisions:

• Contrast Ratio: HDR increases the maximum brightness of the display while maintaining deep, detailed blacks. This greater contrast range helps in revealing more details in both the darkest and brightest parts of the picture.
• Color Accuracy: HDR displays can produce more colors and more accurate colors than non-HDR displays. This means the colors you see on screen are more vibrant and closer to real life, especially visible in areas like skies, water, and landscapes, as well as skin tones.

Types of HDR

There are several different standards of HDR available, each supported by various manufacturers and content providers:

• HDR10: The most widely adopted HDR format. It uses static metadata that sets one level of brightness and color range for the entire video.
• HDR10+: An improvement on HDR10, this format uses dynamic metadata that can adjust brightness and color levels frame-by-frame or scene-by-scene, offering better detail and accuracy.
• Dolby Vision: Similar to HDR10+, Dolby Vision supports dynamic metadata but is often considered superior because it supports higher brightness levels and potentially even more colors. It also imposes stricter standards for certification.
• Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG): Developed for live broadcasts, HLG does not use metadata but rather adjusts the picture according to the ambient lighting conditions of the viewing environment, making it well-suited for live sports and daytime programming.

Viewing HDR Content

To truly benefit from HDR, you need both an HDR-capable TV and HDR content:

• HDR-Compatible TVs: Check if your TV supports HDR and which type (HDR10, Dolby Vision, etc.). The TV needs to be capable of displaying enhanced brightness and a wider color gamut.
• HDR Content: This can come from 4K Blu-rays, streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube, or even from gaming consoles such as the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and newer models. Ensure the content you are watching is mastered in HDR format.

Considerations

• Brightness Environment: HDR content is best viewed in a controlled lighting environment where you can appreciate the enhanced brightness and color range. Very bright rooms might diminish the visible impact of HDR.
• Hardware Capabilities: Not all HDR TVs offer the same level of performance. The peak brightness and color volume that a TV can achieve will significantly influence the effectiveness of HDR, so it’s important to check the specifications.
• Content Availability: While increasing, HDR content is still not as ubiquitous as standard definition content. However, it is rapidly growing, especially among premium digital content.

In conclusion, HDR represents a significant step forward in improving the realism and immersion of television and film watching, offering a richer, more dynamic viewing experience that better mimics human visual perception.