Enjoying Great New Technology

You can buy a decent home theater system package that offers a high definition picture and enhanced sound that will please most viewers straight out of the box. These packages offer components that connect and synchronize with ease, providing less stress and decisions to make when buying a new system.

However, it's better to create a custom home theater system with a TV that is based on your viewing space and your individual preferences and habits.

Choosing the TV

Choosing a TV can be overwhelming because of the abundance of selection. However, it's relatively simple to choose the right TV to anchor your home theater system.

LCD or plasma?

Choosing among these types of TV largely depends upon the viewing space. If you intend to do much of your viewing in the evening or in a downstairs family room, plasma may be your best option. They provide a superior picture and truer dark colors than LCDs 

Plasma TVs also offer a wide viewing angle, which is beneficial in a larger space like a family room. 

However, their screens are very reflective and are not as suitable for a sunny or bright room. In addition, they tend to get warm after extended viewing. Not dangerously warm, but you can feel the warmth as you pass the screen, and they may add to the discomfort in an uncomfortably warm room.

LCD TVs (or LED TVs, which are essentially LCD TVs with LED backlighting on the perimeter of the screen), are better in brighter areas. While they appear brighter and more vibrant than plasma TVs, some believe that their colors are not as true as their plasma counterparts.

While UHD (Ultra High Definition) TVs can offer the best picture quality that is currently available, the limited amount of programming available in UHD may not allow you to use it to its full potential and to compensate for the higher price tag.

2D or 3D?

If you have no problems with wearing 3D glasses in your home, 3D TV offers the same immersive experience as in a movie theater. You must choose between two types of 3D systems.

Passive systems use the same types of glasses as in a movie theater, while active systems require the use of battery powered glasses that transfer images between your eyes at a rate of several times per second.

If you are fond of the 3D experience, you should make the slightly larger investment and purchase a 3D enhanced TV. There is an abundance of 3D programming available, and you can simply choose to turn off the option when you are watching regular programming.

Just remember to buy a 3D enhanced DVD player if you intend to watch 3D enhanced DVDS on your 3D TV. These players play both regular 2D and 3D DVDs.

Do you need a smart TV?

There are various components such as DVD players and set top boxes that offer Internet access and streaming capabilities.

If the purchase price of a smart TV is equal to the price of a similar TV and an enhanced second component with smart features combined, the latter option is preferable. You get the smart TV features along with an additional component for the same price.

Does size really matter, and is bigger always better?

The viewing area of your room determines the optimal size of your TV. Most electronic retailers offer size charts that compare the distance from your seat to the TV location and give the recommended maximum size for the area.

Although many consumers choose to "hang 'em high", placing their TV high on a tilted wall mount, the optimal height for your TV is straight ahead from your intended seated position, placing it lower to the floor and making a TV stand more suitable for the best viewing experience. 

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