An Hdtv can be a great addition to any home. However, you must be able to decipher what all the specifications mean. As a consumer, when purchasing a big ticket item like a Hdtv you need to be knowledgeable about what features you would like in a television like this. In the following page, I will break down the basics to hopefully give you an understanding of what it is you are purchasing when bringing home your new big screen TV.

These tips and such will be added from my own personal experience when I was shopping for my Hdtv. First of all, don't be intimidated by all the numbers and technical terms. HDTV's come in what I like to call three picture qualities they are:720p,1080i,and 1080p. The lowest number equates with the lowest display resolution. As the number increases, the display resolution gets better. With a 1080p television for instance, you can experience the "full HD" effect which is the best picture quality available today. BLu-Ray disc allow you to view a movie in this type of display resolution. As far as I know, much of today's Hdtv is broadcast in 720p resolution. That's not to say that you do not want to get a 1080p because in the near future it is likely that 1080p will be broadcast as well.

The next thing I think is important when watching a HDTV is the television's processor. Today's market offers two: 60Hz and 120Hz. These numbers basically tell you how many picture frames are displayed in one second. The greater the number, the more frames per second. Therefore, if you are like me and love college football when your favorite team's tailback has busted through tackles and is headed for the end zone it looks as if he is running beside you. The flow of the picture should be smooth and not blurry even though he is running fast. This is what the 120Hz TV is all about, a fast moving object. It does not matter what type of media it is you are watching, the objects should not blur much if at all. A 60Hz TV has a slightly lower display rate and the picture is not supposed to be as smooth or clear. So, if you watch a lot of fast paced movies,sports, or other shows I would not recommend getting the slower display rate (i.e. 60Hz).

The final two things I would consider would be: the PC connectivity and the HDMI inputs. With virtually everything HD or headed in that direction, Hdmi inputs are a must and an advantage. if you have several you can hook up multiple HDMI compatible sources. Some examples would be a PS3,a DVD player with HDMI capability,Blu-ray player,Wii, etc. Just keep in mind that the more players and game systems you want to hook up, you will more than likely need an Hdmi input for whatever device you have.

Other things worth mentioning, consider the size of your room when purchasing a tv. Don't get a tv that is too big for your room. Also take into account how far your will be seating away from your tv. A rule of thumb is sit about twice a far away as the screen is wide. The farthest position away should be no more than five times the width of your screen.

On a side note, I personally have a Sony Xbr4 120hz tv in my den which I love. However, I have a Samsung in the other room which I also love and it is the minimum spec 720p 60 hz tv. From my own experience,there is a slight difference in picture quality. If i had it to do over would I purchase a 720p 60hz tv for my den as well? Probably not. Although the 720p tv is very good, it just does not stack up to the 1080p with movies and sports. In conclusion, if you watch hundreds of movies and lots of sports I'd go with the 120hz 1080p tv. If you just use the HDTV for general viewing I'd go with the 720p 60hz tv because in these instances you can not see much difference.