How to buy a TV

Think back to the last time you bought a TV. How did you research and decide on what to buy?



If you went into a big box retail store, I'll bet you went to the "wall of TVs" where you were able to look at dozens or hundreds of different TVs side-by-side. You probably looked for the screen that looked the brightest or most colorful.



Or, you looked at the specs (especially if you bought the TV online), and chose based on what looked like they had the best numbers.



Or, you may have asked the sales associate for help.



All of these are good starting places, but they also all have some pitfalls that you need to be aware of so that you can make the best decision for your specific needs.



Narrowing the choices

Given so many choices in TVs these days, you really need to weed out the obvious non-starters. The first thing most people do is to settle on the size. I talked about screen size in my last blog entry. Once you've done that, you still have a formidable array of choices. So the next logical step is to decide on your budget. Now you probably have a dozen or two screens to choose from.

The next step most people want to take is to decide between plasma and LCD. That's a pretty good decision point, provided you choose for the right reasons. Look back at my blog on Plasma vs. LCD to get some tips on that.

So now you've cut out about half of the remaining choices, and you're ready to get down to business.



Big Box Stores - the Wall of TVs

First, let's talk about the "Wall of TVs". Every big-box store that sells TVs has one of these. Acres of video displays all trying to catch your eye and get you to take them home. But how do you decide which one is right for you?



At this point, most people compare the screens side by side (or as close as they can, given the layout of the store). They look for brightness, color saturation, black levels, and motion blur effects. Sometimes they'll consider how the TV sounds, if they're not going to hook it up to a sound system.



But remember, this is a big-box retailer we're talking about. These guys are masters at showing off the most profitable TVs, while leaving the less profitable ones hanging in the wings.



So the first thing you need to know is that these TVs all have the brightness and color saturation cranked up to the maximum. Just like a shiny car or piece of candy, the brighter and more colorful an object, the more it will catch your eye. (Some manufacturers even go so far as to engineer the TVs for maximum brightness and color saturation, just for this reason.) Also, remember that you're viewing these TVs under the store lights. Generally, they're metal halide lights, which are very different than your lights at home, causing the picture to look different.



Black levels are harder to disguise, but remember that when the brightness is cranked up, the blacks will naturally wash out a little bit.



And then there's motion blur and smoothness of the picture. Remember that these stores connect all of the TVs to a single source device. This means the signal is split and split again many times, and that process can degrade the picture quality. So the TVs that look better may very well have fewer splits, resulting in a better picture through no fault of the TV. Of course, some stores will go so far as to have completely different source material designed to make a TV look its best for the TVs they want to push.



Online comparisons - overwhelmed by numbers

If you're shopping or comparing on the Internet, you obviously can't look at the choices directly. So you compare based on specs, right? Of course, whenever I look at specs for TVs, I see as many as 50-75 different specs listed. And not every TV lists the same specs. And many of the specs mean something different between different TVs. Other specs make you think that more (or less) is better, but that's not necessarily true.



For example, you may look at the refresh rate for an LCD TV, listed at 60 Hz, 120 Hz, or 240 Hz, or even 480 Hz. I was comparing specs for a client the other day, and had to really dig to find the refresh rate for one of the TVs she was interested in. But is the higher number really better? There's too much information on this topic to go over in detail here, so I'll do a blog in the future about this whole refresh rate subject. So let me just say that once you get to 120 Hz, there's really no need to go any higher, because the TV can accurately display all source material correctly.



Oh, and Plasma manufacturers don't want to be left out of the Hz game, so they have their own spec for that, called "subfield drive" usually quoted as 600 Hz. but this has nothing to do with refresh rate, and really isn't useful in comparisons.



Contrast ratio is another comparison factor that has very little basis in reality. Every manufacturer measures it differently, and there's no way to compare them.



There are literally dozens of specs that can really overwhelm you when comparing TVs online.



Sales Associates - how do they know?

So let's say you've decided to ask the nearest sales associate for some help in comparing. One of the things I've noticed in a big-box store is that most of the time when I ask for help, they simply go to the display and look up the specs, which you probably did already.



Another thing I've noticed is that sometimes the associate is knowledgable, but sometimes they come from the household appliance department. Or they're really new.



Most big-box stores have programs to train the associates in the products they're selling. Usually, it's manufacturer-driven training. Some brands are more agressive than others, and will fill the trainees' heads with lots of (dubiously useful) information - I know, I've sat through a lot of these classes.



Finally, remember that the sales associate may be on a "spif" program. This means if he/she can get credit for selling a certain brand or model, they get a cash bonus, often from the manufacturer. So they're incentivized to recommend the models that give them the best spifs.



Is there any good news?

Wow, that's a lot of doom and gloom! I'm not usually a negative kind of person, but I see so many friends and clients getting bad advice on what to buy that I really want to make sure they understand how the information they're getting can be tainted.



So how do you cut through this morass? I won't pretend there's a perfect alternative.



I will say, though, that when I do find a truly knowledgable person in any field, I tend to hit them up again and again for advice on what to do.



Like most custom installers, we spend a lot of time not just comparing specs, but looking at different TVs in real-life situations. We also spend a lot of time in training such as ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) classes to understand exactly how video and film pictures are created and distributed, and how that impacts picture quality. And of course, we try to understand what things most people will actually notice on their TVs. After all, a spec is completely irrelevant if you can't see a difference on the screen!



So my advice is to find a custom installer that you can trust, and work with him or her to figure out what's best for you. Of course, we'd love to be that advisor, so call us at 847.471.4420 or visit our web page. But even if we're not, we know that most of the people in this industry are very knowledgable.



Thanks -

Rob

Things to Try On Your TV at Home

I’m going to list a few things here, things I’d like you to try for yourself at home if you can. Some of these things are watching specific parts in a movie; some are listening for particular sounds in movies or music.

Play along, let’s see if you hear what I hear, let’s see if you see what I see. If you do, great! If you don’t, let’s find out how we can get you there.

1) Put in the “Lord of The Rings: Fellowship of The Ring”. It’s the first of the trilogy, and one of my favorite movies. Don't like Lord of the Rings? Call me, and we'll find one of your favorite movies to try this with.

In the first couple of minutes there is an epic battle between the races of middle earth. And not to spoil the movie or anything, but Sauron, the main “bad guy” is killed in the first couple of minutes.

When he is struck down, a shockwave radiates across the battlefield, and a devilish sound permeates the viewer. I can’t explain this sound, it’s akin to a low-flying plane, or an oncoming freight train.

This low pitched sound wave should evoke an emotion in you, it should be powerful and have a definitive and profound effect signalling the falling of a terrifying foe.

If you’re not floored by this sound effect, you’re not experiencing the movie as it was meant… and we should talk.

2) Watch any NFL football game. In every game, the camera will at some point fall on the coach, who, without fail, will be holding a piece of paper in front of his mouth as he instructs the quarterback via radio on what play to run.

Look at that piece of paper… can you see words? Can you READ them?

If you’re saying to yourself, “words? I thought that was just a piece of white cardboard.” You’re not watching in high definition… and we should talk.

3) Look at the back of your DVD player and your cable or satellite receiver and tell me what you see.

If you see an HDMI cable, good for you... HDMI is a great video cable; however it sometimes doesn’t transmit the best audio. If you want to know if it can get any better, give me a call.

If you see (3) cables and they are red, green and blue… great! That is also a good video cable, although in some ways it’s not quite as good as HDMI. They don’t transmit sound at all, so we would still want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your audio. If you are curious to see how it can be made better, give me a call.

If you see a strange plug, which almost looks like the plug on the end of an older computer keyboard or mouse; that is what we call an S-video cable. It is not high definition, and it can be so much better, let’s talk.

If you see a little yellow cable (usually accompanied by a white and a red one for sound… this is one of the most basic and barebones A/V connections there is. It’s not your fault, don’t worry… even Blu-ray players which produce beautiful 1080p images come with these cables INCLUDED IN THE BOX! This astounds me to no end. That cable can’t even carry the high definition signal which Blu-rays are intended for.

If you don’t even know what any of these cables are, that’s okay. Again, you can give us a call, and we’ll be happy to take a look.

In the world of video cables, it gets better, so much better than composite or S-video… let us show you.

4) Turn everything in your A/V system off. Now, pick something to do, watch TV, watch a movie, listen to the radio, or whatever else you like to do.

Count how many remotes you use, and count how many buttons you have to push to make it all happen.

If it’s more than one remote, and more than one button… that’s too much, at least in my eyes. After all, how do you ever explain to a houseguest, or the babysitter, or your in-laws, how to use your system? Entertainment systems should entertain, not befuddle. Let us show you how we can make things easier.

5) Turn on your TV, and use it to check your e-mail, watch YouTube, or visit a website.

If you can't do that, or didn’t even know it was possible, we can show you how!

Well that’s all for now, folks. If you would like to know more about anything I’ve brought up in this article, please feel free to give me a call at 847.471.4420, or email me at keith@inspired-electronics.com. It is a sincere offer, and something we take pride in.

Oh, and please visit our website at http://www.inspired-electronics.com/. You can find out more about what we do, sign up for our newsletter, and more.

We’re here to help, to teach, and to make home entertainment, well, entertaining!

Take care everyone!

-Keith

Plasma vs. LCD TVs

Not a week goes by where someone doesn’t ask me whether a Plasma or LCD TV is better. I’m actually getting that question more frequently than I used to.

Now, you’ll hear a lot of talk about Plasma vs. LCD TVs, and a lot of that talk is pretty outdated.

That’s why I’m going to give you my “2-3 years ago” answer, and then follow it up with my “today” answer.

And just to keep things fun, (and not to mention easy to read) I’m going to try to keep this very short and sweet. Imagine you asked me this question on an elevator, and we only have a few minutes to talk about it.

So, here’s my “2-3 years ago” answer:

At the time, I would have said that Plasmas are great because they come in larger sizes like 42” and above, and they handle motion smoothly with great black levels. This means dark scenes in movies don’t look washed out, they actually look detailed.

But plasmas were big and heavy, so mounts were generally expensive. They also sucked up power like crazy, and they didn’t typically come in higher resolutions. When you did come across a high resolution, they were pretty darn expensive.

LCD TVs were nice because they tended to have higher resolutions. So it was easier to find, say, a 1080p LCD than it would be to find a 1080p plasma. They were also lighter, came in smaller sizes and took up less power than plasmas. Some people said that because of that, they lasted a bit longer than plasma TVs.

On the other hand, they tended to have poor black levels, meaning dark images tend to look bright and washed out – think more grey than black. Many LCD’s also had a tendency to blur images during fast motion.

All in all, if you were looking for a “home theater” type of TV, to go with a dimly lit room, comfy chairs and surround sound, I’d have said pick plasma.

If you were looking for a bedroom or kitchen TV, secondary TV, or something to display your computer on, pick an LCD.

Now for the “Today” answer:

Take your pick. I mean, really, as long as you stick with good brands, and don’t opt for the cheapest TV out there, chances are very good that you’ll be happy with either plasma or LCD.

Some of the things I still mention:

- Plasmas still don’t come in smaller sizes, so if you want a kitchen countertop TV, it’s going to be an LCD.

- Although plasmas have gotten better, LCDs still take less power. In today’s environmentally-conscious world, that’s a real factor.

- Plasmas are still HEAVY!

- LCD’s have gotten way, way better with black levels. But I have to mention that the LCD’s that handle black levels great are generally more expensive than a comparable plasma, which has been doing it great for years.

- LCD’s have gotten much, much better at motion, especially with the introduction of 120 Hz TVs. If you haven’t seen one, give me a call. I will arrange to meet you at our showroom so you can see one in person. Seriously, my number is at the bottom.

Now if you really want to sit down and get bored to tears over the details, I’ll be more than happy to talk with you, but typically, the preceding is all I really say about plasma vs. LCD anymore.

I will say this again though; don’t be fooled by the tempting, cheap TVs out there. All my current generalizations about plasma vs. LCD pretty much go out the window when you’re talking about extremely low budget TVs… because they’re pretty much living in the past.

Ah one more thing… you know those articles where the author sits nicely on the fence and provides a nice balanced argument for both sides and doesn’t push his or her opinion on the reader?

This isn’t exactly one of those articles.

I’m actually going to go out on a limb here and proclaim my love for LCD TVs. I’ve installed plasmas and LCDs all over town, and while I have nothing bad to say about plasmas, I still personally choose LCD to grace my walls.

If you’re really curious as to why, give me a call at 847.471.4420 or email me at keith@inspired-electronics.com and we’ll chat.

If you'd like to learn more about what we do here at Inspired Electronics, Inc., visit our website at www.inspired-electronics.com.

Take care, everyone!

-Keith

Which TV is right for me?

Choices, choices and more choices. Let's face it; there are just a ridiculous number of televisions for sale out there. How can you possibly choose?

People often ask me what my favorite TV is, or similarly, what's my dream TV? This question is always followed by a long pause and a slow deep breath. It's not because I don't have an answer, matter of fact, I've got plenty, and there in lies the problem.

If Einstein has taught us anything, it's that everything is relative. My perfect TV may not be your perfect TV. The perfect television for your home may not even fit in mine and so on.

So how do we choose a new television?

Given that there really isn't an end all, be all, “greatest TV of all time” out there, we do the next best thing; learn and understand their major differences and how each will benefit you.

In fact, why don't we let them introduce themselves?

Hello! I'm an LCD TV
I'm a flat panel and I come in many, many different sizes and resolutions. You can find me in sizes ranging from 15” all the way up to about 57”. Sometimes you can find me as large as 65”, wow! You can put me on a table, or you can mount me on a wall! You can put me most anywhere because my screen is viewable from very wide angles.

Hi there! I'm a Plasma TV
I like the LCDs I'm a flat panel as well but I typically come in larger sizes than LCDs. Which also means I'm a bit heavier of the flat panel TVs. I have bright and vivid colors which are great for viewing movies but my screens have a slight tendency to show glare, so try to keep me away from a lot of windows.

Hello there! I'm a Rear Projection
...but most people refer to me as a DLP which stands for Digital Light Processing. DLP was invented by Texas Instruments and is just one way of making a rear projection. Others include CRT, LCD and LCoS.

I usually come in sizes from about 42” to 72”. As you can see, I'm a big television and I'm usually put on top of a table or stand, but sometimes I'm big enough to stand on the floor all by myself! I also offer the most screen for the dollar! If you like big, big screens but don't want to spend a whole lot of money, I'm the TV for you!

Howdy! I'm Front Projection!
There are two parts to me, a projector, and a screen. Projectors can be table or ceiling mounted. Screens can be ceiling mounted, wall mounted or even painted on the wall! The ceiling and wall mounted versions can be powered and lowered via remote control which is very cool! I can create HUGE screens for your home theater. If you love big screen movies but don't like going to the theater, check me out! I'm the best way to bring the enjoyment of cinema into your home!

Well there you have it! I'd like to thank all of the TVs for introducing themselves. As I mentioned before, each one of these choices have there specific benefits and no one has all the answers, but with a little help from a professional installer, like myself, you can be sure to make the right choice!

-Keith

Introduction

Welcome to the Inspired Electronics Blog! Being that this is the inaugural post of Inspired Electronics, I feel that an introduction is in order.

A little about myself... My name is Keith and I work as an installer for a Home Electronics sales and installation company appropriately dubbed, Inspired Electronics, Inc. (Thus the name of the blog.)

In my past professional life I spent seven years working for a large hardware store, beginning in high school and then to put myself through college. One of those years, the last of which, I played the role of a department manager.

I learned an incredible amount about home improvement in those seven years, adding to an upbringing at the hands of two handymen, my Father and Grandfather, I've become very comfortable around the home improvement scene.

However, growing tired of the big-store retail life, I decided to jump head first into a profession which I truly have a passion for; Home Electronics!

Enter Inspired Electronics, Inc. The owner, Rob Schultz and I are building our dream company so to speak. We love Home Electronics, and quite frankly I can't imagine a more entertaining way to make a living.

So, we have our business... So why the blog you ask?

Well, the thing about having a passion for what you do is that you want to share it with everyone. I love to teach others about what I do for a living, and I love to learn from others. The Inspired Electronics Blog is, I think, a great way to do just that.

This board is for everyone. If you find yourself searching through the Sunday ads to see whats new in the electronics world... if you read so deep into the press releases that you hear about products far before they're on the shelves... if you stare at your Home Theater and wonder what changes you'll make next... if you just plain old love shiny, blinking, loud and cool new stuff...

This blog is for you. Welcome.

-Keith