There’s more to buying a TV than brand names

Then there is the fear of buying a TV set only to realise that it is not compatible with digital TV requirements – and you have to pay more for a set-top box for analogue-digital conversion.

So which one is right for you and your family? First, we are in the era of flat screens. People tend to pick the size of their flat TV based on the amount of space they have for it at home. This is not always wise.

Flat TVs take up much less space than CRTs (old TV models), so your new TV may end up a foot or two further away from your viewing position, making the picture appear smaller.

It’s also important to consider that large screens can reveal the weaknesses in standard-definition (SD) images, unless you sit further from them.

But with hi-def TVs, you can have a bigger screen and the same viewing distance without worrying about seeing blemishes inherent to the source. The recommended practice is that viewing from a distance of four to six times the height of the set works well for standard pictures.

Then you have to choose between plasma and LCD screen TVs. Plasmas use glass panels containing millions of tiny cells filled with a mixture of inert gases. Electricity excites the gases, causing them to illuminate the pixels across the screen.

Plasma, while arguably superior to LCD in terms of contrast and colour accuracy, is only viable on large (42in+) screens and has been dropped by all but a handful of manufacturers. Their prices have also dropped sharply.

LCDs can create brighter images than plasmas, which helps to offset any excessive room or ambient lighting in brighter than optimum conditions.

Also, look out for sets that are HD ready. These meet the requirements set by the European Information and Communications Technology Industry Association (EICTA), which includes at least one HDMI port, a component video input as well as a resolution of at least 1,024 x 768 pixels.

In this age, it is unforgivable not to ask for a set with Freeview tuner. As analogue TV broadcasts will be phased out this September (going by the recent court ruling), make sure your new TV has a digital tuner. Many now come with an inbuilt Freeview HD or Freesat HD tuner.

Also, a TV that has a slot for memory cards or a USB socket for a card reader will let you use your TV as a computer monitor or view images straight from your camera or phone.

SMART OR NORMAL

Finally, decide whether you want a smart or normal TV set. A smart TV is one that can be connected to the Internet to access content like streaming video, music, and entertainment apps, like Netflix, Skype, Hulu and Facebook, among others.

These TVs have built-in Ethernet or Wi-Fi connectivity to make this a reality, making them perfect if you plan on watching a lot of streaming content without tethering yourself to your computer. They are however more expensive than others sets.

Armed with these features, it is only a matter of choosing what brand appeals to you.

Sam Wambugu is a monitoring and evaluation specialist. [email protected]