When it comes to a TV for watching the big game, bigger is most definitely better. However, there are numerous other factors to consider before spending your hard-earned money on a new TV. Especially important is deciding on whether you want to use the television primarily for watching sports or whether gaming will play an important role as well.
Of course, when it comes to sports, the single biggest consideration is size – there is no point to having a brilliant TV that is so small it forces everyone at a Super Bowl party to get extremely friendly indeed.
Plasma
Traditionally the best TV for sports has been the plasma – with truer blacks and smoother refreshing than LCD TVs, plasmas are better suited to the fast action that forms such an important part of sports. The TVs also tend to be cheaper for the same screen size than their LCD cousins.
However, the energy consumption on a plasma TV is higher, and it generates more heat than an LCD. Due to the reflectivity of the glass screen, plasma’s are also better suited to rooms that are not brightly lit, as reflections off the screen can make viewing difficult.
LCD
LCDs have caught up on many levels, with increased refresh rates of 120Hz or 240Hz providing improved fast action performance. The matt finish on the screens also make these better suited to bright rooms, even though the lower contrast ratios generally found on LCD screens can have a negative impact on the clarity of the image in a brightly lit room. With the cost of electricity, an LCD TV might be a very good option for any home in which the TV is likely to see a lot of use, as it can use one third the power required by a plasma.
LED
A newer breed of TV, the LED TV, could bring together the best of both worlds, with even lower power consumption than standard LCD TVs. LED TVs are LCD TVs, with the only difference being that the backlight on an LED TV is powered by LEDs, not fluorescent backlights as in standard LCDs. This in itself makes no difference to the TV apart from making it run cooler and using less power. However, depending on the technology used, the TV can be made much thinner than a standard LCD or be given improved blacks.
Edge lit LED screens provide no advantage when it comes to picture quality, but can be made much thinner than standard LCD screens, creating a screen that is lighter and more compact. It also uses very little electricity when compared to Plasma or standard LCD screens, which could be important to anyone who has the TV on 24/7.
However, for improved image quality, a standard backlit LED configuration with local dimming can provide blacks that rival the performance of a plasma TV, while maintaining all the advantages traditionally associated with an LCD. The LEDs that provide the backlighting can be controlled in order to provide less light in dark areas of the screen, and although there can be some flare from the well-lit areas of the screen, the overall effect is very close to the blacks that can be obtained on a plasma.
However, as the latest technology, LED TVs are still more expensive than equivalent LCD and plasma models.
Input and output
Of course, picture output quality is dramatically influenced by picture input quality, which means that unless you input an HD signal, the screen output will still be low resolution. So if you plan on getting a big screen for the big game, getting an HD-capable cable box and signing up for an HD package should be a very serious consideration.
Also keep in mind that not all HDTVs are created equal – look carefully whether the TV you are interested in has a 720p or 1080p resolution, as the higher resolution TVs will be quite a bit more expensive, but give a far superior image especially when watching Blu-ray DVDs.
3D?
Another consideration is 3D TV, which to all accounts has not taken off to the extent that many TV manufacturers had been hoping. In fact, many tech publications are rating it among one of the top tech fails for 2010. A lack of available 3D content has had a lot to do with it, and even though ESPN has some 3D on a dedicated channel, there are rumours circulating that they are planning to re-evaluate the 3D channel, as there is no proven return on investment for the technology yet, while the difficulty of shooting in 3D makes it much more work. With limited content, people are not investing in the technology, and because of slow sales of 3D-capable TVs, networks are not investing in content. A vicious circle if ever there was one.
However, the most important thing when picking a TV for the big game is to know your budget and stick to it – the never-ending game of incremental upsells can have you buying much more TV than you really need, so decide on your requirements and stick with it. WH