HDTV Review: Sound, Picture, Cost, Which Is The Best HDTV In The Lot?

We always want more from life, be it more for our money or more of 'me' time. The same goes with our good old friend of all, at all times - our homely television. Its not a surprise anymore that this faithful box of technology has joined the race of mobile phones and computers. Infact, it has happened so quickly, that buying a big screen TV is no more a luxury. The latest hot topic on this subject is High Definition TV-HDTV.

What is HDTV?

Put in a layman's language, High Definition refers to the technical term used for the excellent available quality of digital picture displayed on any television. Indirectly, it refers to the resolution of your TV and HD is the highest quality of resolution available in the market, for now!

The resolutions start from 480i and move upwards to 720p and the highest resolution available is 1080p. If you find a sticker on the TV showing 1080p, thats a Full High Definition TV. Ultra HD or True HD also mean the same. We would all have a full HD if we could afford it. But price has taken a back seat leaving the customers in a quality dilemma while HDTV shopping.

During the times of our grandparents, having a box at home was more than enough. Now, we want to buy an idiot box which can not only display the best quality pictures and details, but also product superb surround sound. Whats next, well time will tell. For now, lets see whats best in HD TV.

High Definition HD is only a feature of a TV. We have all heard about the big screen TVs, LCDs and plasma screens. HD is now available in all sizes and various models. Choosing the right one may be a daunting task, if you want to enjoy those privileged HD programs aired on television.

First you need to make up your mind on whether you want a LCD TV or a plasma TV?

If you are an action or sport person, go plasma for better picture. Its more a family TV which can function best in your lounge with lot of natural light. However, they do consume more energy. If you are looking for a TV for your bedroom, LCD works good. Its slim and easy to move out and has its own inbuilt light to display the pictures.

Now, lets go shopping.....whats in the market?

The top brands which most of us shortlist are Vizio, Westinghouse, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, LG, Samsung and Panasonic, not in any order.

There are always specials available in the stores and you might also bump into a generous salesmen if you are lucky. Given that price is not one of the factors determining our purchase, lets just get a feel of what these brands are upto in our households. Factually a grape represents the bunch, right.

There are so many brands and sizes, it all seems confusing and makes it worse if you are not a 'technical' person. We want to get the best and our money's worth. These reviews may answer some of your doubts and could also help you decide or delete some shortlisted ones. When you walk into a store, all you hear is a big list of features and all the good things about the big displays. We hear very little about the problems or what the TV cannot do, which is what we want to get into. Here we go....

Vizio HDTV:
While some complain about the interference of onscreen menus, some say the menus are hard to read. There is also feedback on flat sounding speakers.

Westinghouse HDTV:
Unattractive, unpredictable and annoying, these are some of words associated with this brand. Some also say - the manual is pretty poor and speakers are not the best. There have been some cases where the TV just freezes. In case you did not know it does not come with a USB port.

Toshiba HDTV:
People who took Toshiba home say - 'overbright images' and also a few issues on discoloration of the pictures. Some are not happy with the remote either. Not regarded as a top performer, earns a rating of 3 out of 5.

Sony HDTV:
Channel jumpers will definitely not be happy with this as the picture goes unclear to blurred while changing channels. Floating around is also a feedback on the poor quality of parts and to make it worse they are expensive to replace.

LG HDTV:
There have been talks about minor sound quality problems. After having the TV in the lounge room for two months, some have seen the picture just disappear for whatever reason and one can understand why they call it a 'rip off.'

Panasonic HDTV:
Some failure cases have taken place relating to faulty components. Others say there seems to be a problem in dislaying red and green colors. Comments on this brand by some are 'do not buy this' and their explanation is limited features and poor sound.

Samsung HDTV:
Definitely not a good choice for a well lit room as some do not like the glossy screen and others say its too reflective. Also, a view that the remote is not very user friendly.

Sharp HDTV:
Talking about sound, some are of the opinion that the quality is just ok and others say both sound and picture quality is poor. Some extreme cases say their TV broke down after a week and the remote is big and bad.

You might want to consider these factors as well, in case they just slipped your mind-

* number of warranty years
* size of the room
* country of manufacture

Most often we are left between two TVs to choose from. Compare and prioritize their problems before making a decision. If you are leaning towards one brand, ask yourself if you can live with the limitations. If you can, its not worth confusing yourself anymore.

Point not to be missed, is that not all the bad experiences can be related to the brands. Some views put forth as faults are actually user related. Either the default settings have not been changed after installation or you are expecting a HD picture quality from a non HD channel. Reading the instruction manual before starting the installation can also save you some pain and worries in the future.

Clearly, there is no such thing as best HD TV. Finding one which will suit your wallet, your household and your needs, keeping the above opinions in mind, can be the best thing to happen.