How to choose a TV: everything that is usually silent in stores

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Find out what to look for other than the diagonal and the resolution.

1. Check the available space

The size of the TV depends on the available space in the installation location. Therefore, first of all, it is worth assessing whether the new device will fit there. Measure the dimensions of a cabinet niche or wall space and write it down. Later, this will help to understand whether the selected TV will fit in or if you have to slightly moderate your appetites.

2. Match the diagonal

The larger the screen, the stronger the immersive effect. But just buying the biggest TV with all your money is not entirely correct. Indeed, the choice of diagonal is influenced by the distance to the screen and the quality of the content, and these parameters are closely related: the closer to the display, the more realistic the picture and the more noticeable all the flaws.

The optimal distance is considered to be a distance of 1, 2–2, 5 diagonals: this is what the manufacturers recommend.

For example, for 40 inches it will be about 1.2-2.5 meters, for 65 inches it will be 2-4 meters. Provided that the room is wide enough and you plan to watch high-quality digital content, you can focus on this formula.

If there is not a lot of space, and the signal is not always in high resolution, you will have to find a compromise, taking into account the dependence of the diagonal, distance and content quality.

• If you want a bigger diagonal- take care of a good signal or sit away from the TV.
• If the room is small- decrease the diagonal or increase the signal quality.
• If the content is of questionable quality- move away from the screen or take a smaller diagonal.

3. Decide on the resolution

The display resolution directly affects the level of image detail, of course, provided that the signal is of good quality. In 2020, four standards are available on the market, but HD is almost never found, and 8K is still considered exotic. In fact, you have to choose between Full HD and 4K.

The rule "the more the better" again does not work here, since a TV with a high-definition screen can open up completely only if there is an appropriate signal. The whole choice comes down to understanding the content in which resolution you plan to watch more often.

• HD (1 280 × 720) - morally outdated, but at the same time it is an ideal option for watching terrestrial TV channels and TVs with a diagonal of up to 32 inches. It is found only in the most budgetary models and is suitable only for a summer cottage or kitchen.
• Full HD (1,920 × 1,080) - is gradually being replaced by more progressive 4K, but at the moment it is still in demand and remains the most popular. The vast majority of content is available in 1,080p.
• UHD or 4K (3 840 × 2 160) is a growing format that will become the main one in the next couple of years. Ideal for YouTube videos, movies, TV shows, games. For TV channels it will be worse than Full HD.
• 8K (7 680 × 4 320) is a recently introduced standard that is twice as high in 4K resolution and four times as Full HD. There is no point in buying in the next 3-4 years, since there are only a few models available on the market, and all content is limited to a dozen videos on YouTube.

4. Select the matrix technology

In pursuit of realistic color reproduction, high brightness and contrast, manufacturers are constantly experimenting with displays. Now all TVs have three main types of matrices: LED, QLED, OLED. Each of them has both advantages and disadvantages, so you should choose based on your preferences.

LED

Liquid crystal technology. In fact, the same LCD (LCD), but backlit not on fluorescent lamps, but on LEDs. This made it possible to significantly save space and produce thin devices, so manufacturers took the type of LED backlighting into the name. It has taken hold, although the matrices do not differ from the older ones.

LED panels are currently the most common. They have two varieties, which differ in the arrangement of the crystals in the matrix.

• IPS - in such panels, liquid crystal molecules are always parallel to the plane of the display and scatter light to the sides. Due to this, very good viewing angles and color reproduction are provided, but contrast suffers, and blacks in low light are more like dark gray.
• VA - in these matrices, the crystals are located perpendicular to the screen, which allows you to completely block light and gives a deep black color. However, this at the same time degrades the picture when changing the viewing angle: horizontally, the shades are distorted, and vertically, the detail of the shadows.

Both technologies are used in entry-level models. LED ‑ IPS can be recommended for a variety of content for the whole family in natural light and for video games. LED ‑ VA is the best choice for those who prefer to enjoy movies and TV shows alone or together in the evenings.

QLED

QLED matrices are, in fact, an improved version of the previous technology and have nothing to do with OLED. But with the filing of the same manufacturers, they were singled out in a separate category. This term is used by Samsung, LG calls them Nano Cell, Sony calls them Triluminos.

The difference between this technology lies in the use of blue LEDs for backlighting. They form the red and green colors missing for the RGB palette due to an additional layer with quantum dots. All this gives a brighter and more saturated picture.

QLEDs are more expensive and should be considered on a mid-budget.

Although most manufacturers already install them in all models except the initial ones.

OLED

A fundamentally different, more modern technology based on organic light-emitting diodes. They do not need additional illumination, since they themselves emit light when current is applied, being able to completely turn off. This allows OLED TVs to boast superb color gamut and contrast, perfect blacks and just a few millimeters in thickness.

The disadvantages of such matrices include brightness that is inferior to their LED counterparts and a very high price.

In addition, OLED screens are susceptible to "burn-in" - the appearance of residual marks on static images, such as the interface in games or TV channels dies.

OLED matrices can be recommended in cases where the purchase budget is not very limited, and the main content will be films and TV series. For games, it's better to choose QLED.

5. Consider the type of backlight

All TVs, except OLED, use LED matrix backlighting. Currently, manufacturers use two technologies: Edge LED and Direct LED.

The first assumes the arrangement of LEDs around the perimeter of the screen, while the matrix itself is illuminated through a diffusing panel. This option is cheaper and allows you to achieve a thinner case.

In Direct LED, the LEDs are installed directly behind the matrix and are evenly distributed over its entire plane. This design, although it turns out to be thicker, gives a more uniform backlight without glare and allows you to extinguish certain areas of the screen to achieve deeper and more natural blacks.

6. Decide on the sweep frequency

This parameter shows the screen refresh rate in one second and is measured in hertz (Hz, Hz). So, 60 hertz means that the image will change 60 times per second. The higher the frequency, the smoother action scenes such as sports broadcasts or video games will appear.

60Hz screens are enough for most content, including TV shows, movies and TV shows. 120 Hz can only come in handy if you plan to connect to a TV console and play video games.

7. Select your operating system

Only the most budget models are now sold without any OS. In principle, this is even good: you can save money, and if you wish, you will be able to implement smart functions at any time by purchasing a media attachment.

Most TVs on the market have some sort of Smart platform. They all offer a minimal set of software, which includes a media player, YouTube, online movie theater clients and an app store. The differences are mostly visual, but not only.

• WebOS- LG's own development. Nice shell with a minimalistic, intuitive interface and good optimization. The disadvantages include closedness and a meager set of applications in the store.
• Tizenis a variant of Samsung's smart platform. It is able to do about the same as webOS, and by and large differs purely visually. An exclusive feature - support for the Samsung Smart-Things smart home system for the Internet of Things.
• Android TV- a special version of the OS from Google, which is used in TVs from Sony, TCL, Philips and other manufacturers. In terms of interface and speed, it loses to WebOS and Tizen, but it boasts a lot of applications from Google Play, including games.

8. Explore Connectors and Wireless Standards

Now the number of ports on TVs has been reduced to a minimum. Video and audio are transmitted over HDMI so in fact you just need to make sure there is enough for all your devices. However, there are several nuances that are worth paying attention to.

• HDMI - the most important connector. There should be at least two of them, and preferably three or more - to connect a media console, game console, soundbar and all other devices. For 4K 60 Hz output, ports version 2.0 are needed, and for 4K 120 Hz, version 2.1. Often there is only one such connector, the rest are older.
• USB - it is better to have at least a couple: for flash drives and a mouse, gamepad or keyboard. Also check if there is support for USB 3.0 and what is the maximum disk capacity.
• Ethernet - a cable connection is preferable because it will provide higher speed and reliability compared to Wi-Fi.
• Digital optical out - optical output for acoustic systems. It will be needed if you are going to use speakers with this connection option.
• Wi-Fi - Wireless connection is convenient for those who don't want to mess with cables. However, if the broadcast is congested, there may be stability issues.

9. Check the sound

All TVs with built-in speakers have approximately the same sound quality and volume. Do not dwell on the number of speakers and their power, because you can significantly improve the sound by connecting even the simplest speakers or soundbar.

The test is essentially limited to listening at a loudness above average.

There should be no bounce of the case and wheezing of the speakers.

10. Rate the remote

It is also important to check the usability of the supplied remote control. Especially if a TV with Smart TV and the remote control will be used not only to turn on the screen, but also to navigate the menu.

The more expensive models have a built-in gyroscope that allows you to control the cursor by tilting the remote control, moving through the menu in the manner of a mouse. Sometimes there is even a QWERTY keyboard on the back.

Some remotes have support for voice search, which is very convenient: just say the name of the movie or function into the microphone, and the system will immediately display them.

11. Find out the type of tuner

Premium TVs come with all types of receivers, but some models may not. If you plan to watch TV, be sure to check the type of built-in tuner.

• DVB ‑ T / DVB ‑ T2- provides reception of digital terrestrial channels on a conventional antenna.
• DVB ‑ C / DVB ‑ C2- required for digital cable television.
• DVB ‑ S / DVB ‑ S2- needed when connecting to a satellite dish.

12. Explore additional features

Manufacturers are developing technologies and introducing new features, but not always useful ones (some are just another trick of marketers).

Of the useful chips, the following can be distinguished:

• HDR - High dynamic range function, available mainly on 4K TVs. In films and games, with appropriate support, it makes the picture as contrasting and rich as possible, adjusting the brightness of certain areas of the image.
• Bluetooth - useful for using wireless headphones, as well as mobile devices for broadcasting media content.

Definitely unnecessary and useless in 2020 are:

• 3D - the once fashionable technology has now finally sunk into oblivion and is no longer used in modern televisions. You can meet her only in models lying around in warehouses.
• Curved display - curved screens just look interesting. In fact, there is only one harm from them: you can only look sitting strictly in the center, since even with a slight deviation, the picture is distorted.

This material was first published in January 2017. In March 2020, we updated the text.