2015 Television Buying Guide Searching for a new television? With a variety of displays, features and technologies, it can be a bit overwhelming. This TV buying guide will help you understand the latest technologies, specifications and features. You can use this information to make a smart purchasing decision to fit your TV viewing needs.
At a glance TV Technologies Specifications and Features Sound Systems Wall Mounts Terminology 2
A guide to choosing a TV you ll love watching for years What to consider before you buy: Think about what you like to watch. Is it mainly TV shows and movies or fast-action sports? Are you a serious gamer? Do you want Internet capability to stream content or stay connected to social networks? What size is the room where the TV will be located? The distance you will be sitting from the TV screen will impact the screen size. Where in the room will you place your TV? What is the room s lighting condition? Multiple windows or other bright lighting sources can affect picture quality, so choosing the right technology is important. 3
TV Technologies Your television is the center of your home entertainment system. Comparing displays will lead you to examine many different manufacturers, screen sizes and resolutions before you make a decision. To help you, we have compared the three most popular types of television technologies that provide affordable and clear picture quality. Display Types OLED TVs deliver an extremely high degree of color accuracy, great contrast, wide viewing angles and low power consumption. Very thin and lightweight, OLED TVs create deeper blacks and pristine whites. Advantages of OLED TVs Organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, is the latest display technology that lends itself to both Full HD 1080p as well as the new 4K Ultra HD resolution. OLED TVs are considered organic because their light-emitting materials contain carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and a few other organic elements. These materials glow when charged with electricity, so there is no need for additional backlighting as found in LCD TVs. OLED TVs can recreate every color in the visible spectrum for rich and true-to-life colors. Perfect for sports and movies, they offer fast refresh rates to ensure virtually blur-free action sequences. OLED televisions are energy efficient with an ultra-thin design. Picture contrast, black levels, color saturation and viewing angles match or exceed the capabilities of plasma. The result is breathtaking, with almost 3-dimensional images for an incredible viewing experience. OLED lends itself to both Full HD models as well as the new 4K Ultra HD resolution. LED TVs are extremely slim, lightweight, and energyefficient even at larger screen sizes. Your picture quality will be very bright with better contrast and deeper blacks. Advantages of LED TVs Delivering excellent overall picture quality, LED (Light Emitting Diodes) televisions have an extremely thin profile to allow easy placement in any viewing space, and they work well in all lighting conditions. These TVs are actually part of the LCD TV family, but the LEDs are available in a choice of edge-lighting or full-array backlighting. OLED combines the best qualities of plasma and LCD. Like plasma, it is self-illuminating and needs no backlight. 4
The majority of LED televisions feature edge-lit backlighting, which means the LEDs are in the sides of the TV, facing in toward the screen. These signals transfer across the television, resulting in images with vivid colors and sharp images. LEDs with full-array backlighting are considered to be the best. They feature a grid of LEDs spread out behind the panel. This technology produces a more uniform backlight with the highest possible contrast and the best performance with dark scenes. To dynamically light up specific portions of the screen and dim other parts, many LEDs offer a feature known as active dimming or local dimming. Available on edge-lit and full-array backlit LED televisions, local dimming will automatically adjust the backlight of your LED television to significantly improve the contrast and color. LCD TVs are lightweight, energy-efficient and offer reliable HD performance. The screen is backlit by CCFLs (cold cathode fluorescent lamps) to illuminate the picture. Advantages of LCD TVs Offering quality HD performance at an affordable price, the main difference between LED and LCD (Liquid- Crystal Display) technologies is the light source. Using CCFLs, LCDs produce bright colors and perform best in well-lit rooms. While not as ultra-slim as LED HDTVs, they still offer a thin profile and energy efficiency. Progressive vs. Interlacing Scanning Technology Progressive and interlaced scanning are the two basic ways in which video images can be rendered on a TV. Scanning refers to how images are drawn or painted on an electronic screen. The picture on the screen is made up of horizontal lines. With interlaced scanning, the picture is divided into half with even- and oddnumbered lines. The lines are drawn in an alternating method: half the picture appears on the screen at a time and the other half follows an instant later. To display an image, the TV draws all of the odd number lines from top to bottom, and then proceeds to fill in the even lines. With progressive scanning, the system draws every line on the screen in just one pass rather than in two passes. The result is a faster refresh rate for a smoother, film-like picture quality that has finer detail and fewer flickers. Progressive scanning offers twice as much picture information as an interlaced picture. Virtually all of today s digital TVs are progressive-scan displays, with screen resolutions of 720p, 768p or 1080p. Interlaced scanning was designed specifically for use with the older CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) televisions. 5
Specifications and Features Screen Size and Viewing Distance Viewing distance is an important consideration when selecting an HDTV for your room. Sitting the correct distance from your TV is an important part of optimizing the viewing experience. If you sit too close to your HDTV, you ll likely see individual pixels instead of a nice, blended image. Sit too far away, and you won t be able to see the increased detail that high-definition brings to your living room. Use the chart below as a guideline for choosing which screen size is best for your room size and viewing distance. It shows a range for each screen size as it depends upon the type of material you will frequently watch. High-quality video, such as Blu-ray, highdefinition cable, satellite, or over-the-air programming, allows you to sit closer to see all the picture detail. This chart also applies to HDTVs with 1080p resolution for recommendations on screen size. Keep in mind that the new 4K Ultra High Definition can show four times the detail of a 1080p screen. The pixels are incredibly tiny so you can sit even closer to an Ultra HD TV than a standard HDTV. RESOLUTION >4K 4K 1080P 720P SD 10 0 8 1 4 1 4 1 11 1 11 3 4 > 3 4 16x9 Screen Size (Diagonal) 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 1 4 2 7 1 11 3 11 2 7 5 2 3 3 6 6 3 11 7 10 4 7 9 1 5 2 10 5 5 10 11 8 6 6 13 0 7 2 14 4 2 7 3 11 3 11 5 10 5 2 7 10 6 6 9 9 7 10 11 8 9 1 13 8 10 5 15 7 11 8 17 7 13 0 19 6 14 4 21 5 3 11 6 7 5 10 9 11 7 10 13 3 9 9 16 7 11 8 19 10 13 8 23 2 15 7 26 6 17 7 29 10 19 6 33 1 21 5 36 5 > 6 7 > 9 11 > 13 3 > 16 7 > 19 10 > 23 2 > 26 6 > 29 10 > 33 1 > 36 5 120 7 10 15 7 15 7 23 5 23 5 39 9 > 39 9 Ideal Distance How to use this chart With a 50 1080p display, if you are closer than 9 9 you will see more detail than a 720p display, but if you are more than 6 6 away, you couldn t see any more detail on a 4K display. 6
TV Screen Resolutions Comparing 2160p vs. 1080p vs. 720p Screen resolution is the picture quality and level of detail you ll see on the TV screen. It describes the sharpness of the TV picture usually in terms of horizontal lines of pixels. With higher resolutions, you see more crisp details in the image. 2160p 4K Ultra HDTV 3840 x 2160 Pixels Considered the future of television, 4K Ultra HDTVs produce four times the resolution, roughly 4000 pixels across, for spectacular viewing. To be precise, a 4K TV screen is 3840 pixels across by 2160 down, for a staggering 8,294,400 total pixels (4 times the resolution of Full HD 1080p). A 4K UHD picture looks incredibly detailed, especially showing true 4K content. Choose an Ultra HDTV and you are essentially future-proofing your TV purchase so it will not become obsolete. Keep in mind that there isn t much 4K content currently available, but even non-4k content gets an image boost with Ultra HD upscaling. Sources and requirements for 4K content Netflix requires subscription to their platinum plan. Amazon provides some streamed video content in 4k included with Amazon Prime and some movie content in 4k available through Amazon Instant Video. Additional paid content available. YouTube allows user-uploaded 4K content to be streamed at no charge. To view a resolution greater than 1080p, simply select Original in the quality pull down menu from a 4K video. M-Go provides limited free content for owners of select Samsung 4k UHD TVs; most 4k content (movies and TV shows) available for additional rental/ purchase fees. Ultraflix, which is the first dedicated 4k streaming channel available on UHD 4k TVs provides limited free content; most 4k content (movies, sports, TV shows, concerts) available for additional rental/purchase fees. Xfinity requires a TV subscription to the parent service to enable streaming. Direct TV requires a TV subscription to the parent service to enable streaming. 1080p Full HD 1920 x 1080 Pixels Televisions with 1080p Full HD resolution ensures you ll get great picture quality along with plenty of entertainment viewing options. Most TV channels have HD versions available, so unlike 4K, you won t have to wait to really enjoy those crisp, gorgeous visuals. And the 1080p TV experience doesn t stop with live television. You ll also be able to watch your favorite movies or play video games in high definition. 720p HD 1280 x 720 Pixels While 720p resolution isn t as clear as 4K Ultra or Full HD, it offers a good entry into the world of high definition. If you are looking for a television to use in a bedroom, office or kitchen, this is perfectly suitable. Particularly on 32-inch displays and smaller, 720p resolution offers a budget-friendly option for basic television viewing. 7
Screen Types For a truly versatile viewing experience in your living room, you may want to consider HDTV models with upgrades such as a curved-screen design, 3D and Smart TV technologies. Flat or Curved Screens While the majority of LED HDTVs feature a flat screen, one of the most recent innovations is the curved-screen design. Featured on premium Ultra 4K HDTVs, a curved TV screen has a slightly rounded look and offers wider viewing angles. Curved screens offer superior picture quality and cut down on ambient lighting reflections to create a starker contrast between blacks and whites, as well as more vibrant colors. Watching a curved screen can give a 3D effect, even when the source is 2D. This concave design curves the edge of the image toward the viewer to enhance the visual perception of depth. By curving the screen slightly forward, the TV images seem to wrap around you and draw you into the on-screen action. 3D vs. 2D To experience 3D TV you ll need a television capable of displaying 3D, 3D glasses and a 3D video source to feed your TV, a 3D video signal (such as a 3D-capable Blu-ray player). A television with 3D technology functions like any standard HDTV with regular 2D programs. Switch the TV into 3D mode when you want to watch 3D broadcasts or a 3D movie from a Blu-ray disc (which requires a 3D Blu-ray player). High-tech 3D glasses are required and may not be included with the television. Without them, you will see blurry double images. Glasses are not needed for regular 2D content. Active or Passive Glasses for 3D Technology Active 3D uses battery-operated glasses that have shutters that turn on and off very rapidly so that each eye receives its own separate image. If the images aren t kept completely separate, you may see ghosting or double images, even while wearing the glasses. They can display full 1080p resolution to each eye when viewing a full HD source such as a Blu-ray disc. Passive 3D technology uses glasses that are more similar to the ones you use in movie theaters. They use a polarizing film on the TV so there are no shutters on the glasses. As a result, 3D images look brighter with less ghosting effects. Passive glasses are less expensive and can accept prescription lenses so eyeglass wearers don t need to put them over their prescription glasses. However, because the way the technology works, the television s vertical resolution is cut in half (from 1080 to 540) when viewed in 3D mode, reducing the amount of viewable picture detail that may also produce more jagged images. How Active 3D Glasses Work 1. The lenses in a pair of active-shutter glasses switch between black and clear first the left eye is blocked, then the right eye, then the left, and so on. 2. This occurs in sync with the TV, which is itself alternating left and right images at two slightly different angles. 3. It happens so quickly that the brain sees both angles at the same time, thus creating the perception of 3D, just like in real life. 8
Smart TVs and Devices Smart televisions and devices can deliver a wide range of instant entertainment through specialized apps. You can stream movies, videos and music, access social networking sites, get the latest news, weather and financial data, watch sporting events, and more. Select smart products can combine your TV channels, compatible DVR, apps, the Internet and your home network into one searchable experience (capabilities vary by device). For example, type in the name of a TV program, movie or subject, hit search, and quickly see the time and channel it s on, plus any related video content that s available on the Internet. Smart TVs with a Web browser let you browse the Internet just like you do with your computer. Higher-end models feature sophisticated user interfaces to help you navigate through the online content and even make recommendations about what to watch based upon your viewing history. Types of instant entertainment include: Streaming movies and TV shows* from Netflix (subscription required) and CinemaNow (rental/ purchase fees) Streaming music from Pandora, Napster and SiriusXM Watching movies from YouTube Accessing social media sites including Facebook and Twitter Studying your fantasy sports info Reading news, weather and sports *Please note that select networks may block devices from streaming full episodes from their websites. Streaming Devices Enjoy a similar instant entertainment experience without buying a Smart TV with the latest streaming devices. If you have recently purchased a television without Smart TV technology, then choose one of these smart-capable products to start streaming entertainment: Set-Top Boxes (such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, Apple TV) Blu-ray players Gaming consoles Home theater systems Audio products You will need only one smart product to get instant entertainment, although having multiple products may give you a wider range of services to choose from. Internet Bandwidth Even with a smart TV or smart device, the speed of your Internet network is going to be crucial for streaming HD movies and videos. Without the proper speed from your Internet provider, your HD content will likely keep stopping and starting due to buffering. If you have multiple devices using the Internet at the same time (TVs, computers, tablets, mobile phones, etc.), your speed requirements for streaming HD content can increase to 10Mbps or more. Use these equipment and bandwidth requirements to obtain better streaming performance: Choose a wireless-n router or wireless-n plus router. For 1080p, at least 5Mbps download speed is required when using a single device. For 4K Ultra HD, you need about 10Mbps of dedicated bandwidth. 9
Sound Systems Your new television will deliver an amazing picture, but the built-in speakers may not do full justice to the image. Ranging from very simple, space-efficient designs to full-blown home theater systems, you have several options to greatly improve the quality of your TV sound. Sound bars are designed to upgrade your sound from your TV s built-in speakers. Long and narrow, a sound bar speaker is usually hung on the wall under the television. They require minimal space, set up and wiring. The enclosure contains several speakers in one thin enclosure that you connect directly to your TV with no need for a receiver. Most models offer builtin amplification which means the only other gear you ll require is a DVD or Blu-ray player. Some models include a subwoofer, preferably wireless, for deep bass and easy placement anywhere in a room. Sound bases (also known as TV pedestal speakers) are much thicker and designed to be placed in a cabinet underneath the television. If you do not intend to hang your TV on a wall and don t mind the sound base raising the TV height a couple of inches, then this may be a good option for you. With more room in the cabinet, a sound base typically has larger drivers, better builtin amplification and the ability to include bass drivers. If you don t want to use a separate subwoofer but want decent bass, then consider a sound base over a sound bar. Stereo speaker systems are a great way to get dynamic, engaging sound in small rooms and tight spaces. They typically require relatively little wiring and offer easy speaker placement options. You can get a stereo receiver with all the connections you need for your components. Choose a pair of bookshelf speakers to save space, upgrade to floor-standing speakers for rich sound with your music sources, or add on a powered subwoofer for thrilling bass with your home movies. Your choices are endless. Pre-packaged surround sound systems can deliver genuine, multi-speaker surround sound without a lot of bulk. Also known as HTIB (Home Theater in a Box), these systems usually include five compact, roomfriendly speakers (two front, one center channel, and two surround speakers), a control center (a receiver with a built-in DVD or Blu-ray player) and a subwoofer you can tuck in a corner. Some models also offer radio tuners, built-in ipod docks, and wireless connectivity for rear speakers. Surround sound systems with separate components produce the best possible home theater sound, but also generally requires the most space. These systems typically involve five or more small to large speakers, depending on the individual system. You ll also need a subwoofer, a home theater receiver, and a DVD or Blu-ray disc player. Wireless speakers offer easy connectivity, but keep in mind that some surround speakers may require you to run wires across the room for hook up to your system. 10
TV Wall Mounts Wall Mounting your Flat Panel TV Mounting your flat panel TV on a wall provides a smart solution for performance, safety and style. In addition to saving space and offering a clean look, a wall mount can help you find the best viewing angle and sound quality possible. The flat panel s slim and lightweight design makes it easy to securely hang it on a wall to prevent tip-over injuries and accidental bumping. It will also free up floor space and create clean look in any room. Wall mounts are available in a variety of designs and capabilities to suit your viewing needs: Full Motion Designed to provide the most versatile viewing of your TV from multiple areas in a room range of viewing options, a full motion wall mount lets you extend, tilt and swivel the panel. Move the TV away from the wall, tilt it up or down, or tuck it away next to the wall for a neat appearance. Tilt/Pivot Find the perfect viewing angle without glare using a tilt/pivot mount. You can pivot the screen away from windows to avoid reflections. You can create a clear view wherever you re seated by adjusting the TV up or down. Low Profile A super-slim mount allows you to hang the TV close to a wall like a piece of art. When your main viewing area is in front of TV, it s best to mount the screen at the optimal height for your viewing arrangement. Hung almost flush with a wall, a low profile mount complements the sleek look of the TV and maximizes space. 11
Terminology Contrast Ratio Contrast ratio is the difference between the brightest a TV can be and the darkest. It describes the range of brightness levels a set can display. A higher ratio means that your TV can display a wider range of colors, resulting in a more vibrant, realistic picture. You ll see more subtle shadows and hues, and thus better detail. Beyond the capabilities of the TV, other factors such as room lighting, screen reflectance, picture settings and the TV content can affect the actual contrast ratio you see on the screen. To determine the contrast ratio, take the brightest white on a screen and the darkest black, compare the luminosity and you get the contrast ratio. Most TVs today have a contrast ratio of 5000:1 which means that the brightest white is 1000x brighter than the darkest black. Also, the amount of ambient light and reflected light in a room will change the perceived contrast ratio as well. In a sunny room or one with overhead lighting, the screen will reflect the light, making the darkest black a bright gray and therefore the contrast ratio drops significantly. In most cases higher contrast ratio rates is better, but take into consideration the room lighting conditions as it will affect the contrast levels. I/O Ports Input/output ports allow you to plug into a world of audio/video components. Here s how they work: HDMI carries both the picture and sound on one convenient cable to make home theater setup simpler and cleaner using HDMI connections. It is an all-digital cable and the best connection available for your HDMI-ready home theater components. The more HDMI inputs your HDTV has, the more components you ll be able to connect directly. HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) allows devices connected to your TV through HDMI ports to communicate back and forth with your TV. The devices have some control over the TV, and the TV can have some control over the devices. For example, you can control your Blu-ray player through your TV remote or devices can automatically change your TV s input when they need to work. Manufacturers often use a branded name to refer to the supported HDMI-CEC option. HDMI-ARC (Auto Return Channel) allows for convenient control of power, volume and other features from your TV remote. You can use HDMI- ARC to connect all of your sources (Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, set-top boxes, etc.) to your television and send the audio signal out over the same cable. This way, the TV is the hub and only one remote control is needed. The left image is correct as seen on a display with a good contrast ratio. The right is a worse contrast ratio, with a higher black level as well. 12
USB allows you to connect flash drives so you can view photos or play music. Components (blue/green/red ports) are useful for connecting some cable boxes and slightly older gaming consoles. Composite (red/yellow white ports) allow for standarddefinition video via composite cables. Many older devices use composite, and some newer ones still have the option to remain compatible with older TVs. It can be used as an option when no other inputs are available or supported. Refresh Rate Expressed in Hertz (Hz), the refresh rate describes how many times per second a picture is refreshed on the screen. Simply put, the higher the Hertz, the smoother the picture. The more times the screen is refreshed every second, the smoother the image is in terms of motion rendering and flicker reduction. If your TV viewing includes fast-action sports programming and gaming, televisions with 120Hz or higher refresh rate produces a picture with less motion artifacts and reduces the motion lag (image blurring). With 60Hz, viewers may notice a slight motion blur during fast-action scenes. Plasma televisions with 600Hz refresh rate create their picture in a very different way so there is no motion drag or blurring issues. However, this rate cannot be directly compared to LED and LCD TV refresh rates. TV Tuner A TV tuner allows signals to be received on your television to access different channels. It converts signals into pictures and sounds. The oldest type of tuner was simply the dial used to change channels and allow the television to pick up different analog signals broadcast over the air. A basic tuner is available in most TVs. Although when a TV needs a cable/decoder box that is purchased or rented from a cable company, a tuner is not always required. Tunerless HDTVs are designed to receive HD and standard TV signals via set-top boxes (cable or satellite). It converts signals into pictures and sounds. Tunerless HDTVs are suitable for those who already have a settop HD tuner or do not intend to receive over-the-air broadcasts. These models will be introduced in the near future by select manufacturers. WiFi (Wireless Connectivity) Virtually every current Internet-ready TV includes builtin WiFi. With WiFi, you don t have to run an Ethernet cable to the TV. As long as you are within the coverage of your home network, you should have no trouble streaming content wireless to your TV. WiFi televisions include integrated web menus to give you instant access to streaming entertainment such as Netflix movies, Pandora music, and much more. WiFi-Ready televisions are found on older models and require an adapter to connect wirelessly. Now that the Internet is completely integrated, televisions with builtin WiFi have become the standard. 13