Technology
- Digital TV: The way that TV broadcasts are transmitted to your home. Older TVs may need a digital set top box to receive transmissions.
- HDTV: High definition TV is a digital system that produces better picture quality.
- IDTV: Integrated digital television sets have a digital receiver built in.
- Full HT TV: Has just over 2 million pixels comprising the picture.
- 4K Ultra HD TV: Has over 8 million pixels comprising the picture. The brightness of the colours, the sharpness of the images and the overall clarity of the picture are vastly improved.
- Smart TV: This feature allows you to access digital content such as catch up TV and streaming services from the internet via apps. However, if you want to record and store programmes for viewing later you will need a Freeview/Sky/Virgin box.
- LED (light emitting diodes) screen: Produces high resolution with good contrast, brightness and colour depth. Lightweight and compact, so easily situated in any room. More choice as easier to produce. Usually cheaper in price.
- OLED (organic light emitting diodes): The latest in TV technology produces deeper blacks and a smoother image, along with reduced motion blur, than LED. Lower energy consumption than LED. Screens generally thinner.
- Curved screens: Developed to deliver a more immersive viewing experience for everyone watching, regardless of their angle, as well as offering the latest colour and depth enhancing technology
- Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner and only includes the actual visible screen itself, not the surrounding frame.
- A 50” TV (2016) takes up roughly the same size as a 42” TV did back in 2008.
- Work out how far away from the screen you will be and use the viewing distances to decide on screen size.
- Up to 1.5m = 32" screen
- 1.5m to 2m = 32" to 39" screen
- 2m to 2.5m = 40" to 45" screen
- 2.5m to 3m = 46" to 55"
- Over 3m = over 56" screen
- The ideal position for high definition is from a distance equal to three or four times the height of your screen. (E.g. For a 42" screen showing HD signals, you need to sit about nine feet away.)
- Although TVs come with built in speakers, a sound bar can give better quality sound. Wireless sound bars avoid the need for trailing cables.
