| Flat Panel Televisions have forever changed | | | | 1½ and 2½ times the size of the |
| the way we experience video at home. From the | | | | screen. For example have a 48-inch (4 feet) |
| space you can save with their sleek designs | | | | TV; the optimal viewing distance would be |
| to the excellent picture quality they | | | | between 6-10 feet away. |
| deliver, Flat Panel TVs offer great benefits | | | | |
| compared to the traditional tube televisions. | | | | How bright is the room I plan on placing the |
| | | | flat panel in? If you plan on putting the |
| Flat Panels can be mounted to your wall | | | | flat panel in a bright room that doesn't have |
| because of their thin and lightweight design. | | | | blinds, than you should consider getting an |
| They can also give you a more consistent | | | | LCD flat panel as their screens are less |
| picture across the screen from top to bottom | | | | reflective to light giving you less glare. |
| because of their perfectly flat screens. You | | | | |
| can get a much more accurate picture on a | | | | Will I be viewing things with static (still) |
| flat panel compare to a tube television | | | | images on the screen? Watching programs or |
| because they are digital displays, so they | | | | playing video games with a static image on |
| work by illuminating a grid of pixels. These | | | | the screen (like a news ticker) for long |
| pixels are made up of three sub pixels, which | | | | periods of time can leave you vulnerable to |
| are for the color red, blue, and green. | | | | burn-in with Plasma televisions. This isn't |
| Because of this, you can have millions, or | | | | an issue for LCD TVs. Though, if you plan on |
| even billions of possible colors that can be | | | | mainly watching movies with no static images, |
| displayed. The biggest drawback of buying a | | | | you should consider a Plasma TV to get more |
| flat panel TV is the price associated with | | | | life-like colors than most LCD TVs can offer. |
| it, though as with almost all electronics the | | | | |
| price is rapidly falling. | | | | Do I care about the energy efficiency of the |
| | | | flat panel? LCD Televisions are usually much |
| Currently Flat Panel TVs come with either an | | | | more energy efficient compare to similar |
| LCD or a Plasma screen. Choosing the right | | | | Plasma TVs. |
| type of flat panel can make a significant | | | | |
| impact on your enjoyment of the TV. It is | | | | Do I want rich, warm colors displayed on the |
| important to think about how you will be | | | | screen? Plasma TVs give you richer and warmer |
| using the flat panel before making a | | | | colors than most LCD TVs do. This makes the |
| purchasing decision. | | | | colors displayed on the screen more |
| | | | life-like. Plasmas also give you much deeper |
| Below you will find a few questions our | | | | black levels. |
| product specialists recommend our customers | | | | |
| to think about before purchasing a flat panel | | | | Both types of flat panels give you excellent |
| television. | | | | picture quality, and give you a much better |
| | | | viewing experience than would a traditional |
| How big of a screen size do I want? If you | | | | tube television. However, as we've discussed |
| plan on getting a screen less than 40 inches, | | | | above, one type will usually fit a persons |
| then LCD is your only flat panel option. This | | | | needs better than another based upon that |
| is because Plasma TVs generally are not | | | | persons TV watching/using habits. |
| created in screen sizes under 40 inches. | | | | |
| | | | Definitions: |
| The screen size you get should depend upon | | | | |
| how large the room you plan to place it in is | | | | Burn-In: When a monitor is left for long |
| and how far you plan to sit away from it. We | | | | periods of time with one stand-alone image, |
| recommend that you sit anywhere between | | | | the image can permeate. |