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When you consider the impact television has had on the world, it is without a doubt, one of the greatest inventions of the 20^th century.  Regardless of whether you love it or loathe it, TV has had an effect on all of our lives and the TV has become a central feature in many living rooms throughout the world. 

Buying a Good TV

The TV set really has come a long way since it first became commercially available, but the basic set-up still remains the same.  Modern TV models still have a screen with speakers and some kind of receptor.  The classic glowing, rectangular screen is recognizable across the globe.

By 1992, the traditional cathode ray tube display television sets were completely supplanted by the arrival of flat panel display TVs and by the mid 90’s, LCD and LED TV’s were readily available. 

The age of digital television really began in the late 2000’s, with governments across the world setting deadlines for the end of analogue broadcasting.  The digital switch over in the UK started in 2007 and ended in 2012. 

Different Television Sets

For many years, all television sets used cathode ray tubes.  Over the last two decades, we have seen an explosion of different kinds of TV technology like LCD, LED and flat-screen plasma TVs.  Each kind of television set comes with its own set of strengths and weaknesses and will work better in a variety of circumstances.  Here’s a quick overview of the different types of television technology:

Cathode Ray Tube: As we mentioned above, cathode ray or CRT TVs for short were the only type of television set available from the 1930’s right up to the 1990’s.  This technology works by shooting electron streams through a vacuum, onto a fluorescent screen.  This technology requires space to work effectively, which is why this TV model is a lot bigger and heavier than its modern counterpart.

Plasma: A plasma television is lit by numerous tiny cells, which are filled with supercharged gases.  This is not dissimilar to the technology we see in fluorescent lamps.  These sets are much slimmer than the CRT television and offers high contrast and colour fidelity.

Liquid Crystal Display: LCDs create images on a screen by making use of the reflective nature of liquid crystals and a special backlight of cold-cathode fluorescent lamps.  This television model is far lighter than plasma televisions and also use less energy.  The newest LCD technology is the OLED or organic light emitting diodes.  OLED LCD televisions are the thinnest on the market and require no backlight.

Television Specifications

Resolution - HD vs 4K Ultra HD: Most HD TV sets that are 40 inches or above will have 1920 x 1080 pixels per inch.  A television set offering this kind of resolution offers great deal and is a great option for people not willing to shell out the money for an Ultra HD/4K TV set.  One of the problems with 4K Ultra is that there is very little compatible content.  In fact, no channels broadcast in 4K and there are only a handful of websites that stream such content.  Netflix does offer a number of programmes in 4K.   

Contrast: This refers to the difference between the darkest and the lightest images that your television screen can create.  Typically, this is determined by the darkness of the blacks.  After your resolution, the contrast is viewed as the most important element in helping to determine the quality of an image.  The deeper the blacks are, the stronger the colours will be, and the more they will pop out on the screen.

Refresh Rate: As is often the case, faster is better.  The refresh rate indicates how many times a second your picture is refreshed.  The minimal refresh rate is 60 times every second.  In some instances, you will find television sets where the refresh rate is 240 times per second.

Internet Connectivity: The vast majority of big-name television manufacturers will offer internet connectivity either via cable or wirelessly, using you home router.  This means that you will be able to access content stored on other devices in your home, as well as content on the internet from providers like Amazon Prime, Netflix and Youtube.

HDMI Connections: Most modern TV sets will have one or two HDMI ports.  This cable is very useful for playing something from your laptop and watching it in HD on your HD television screen.

3D support: Despite most television manufacturers offering 3D TV’s, this is still a fledgeling area.  We’re sure these types of TV sets will become far more popular in the not-too-distant future, which definitely makes it an option worth considering.

Accessorize Your TV Experience

You can easily enjoy a richer viewing experience from your TV and home cinema by purchasing the right accessories.  There is a huge range of TV brackets, stands and deluxe home cinema units you can pick and choose from to create your ultimate TV watching environment.  You can also purchase a number of different cables that can improve your viewing experience.  For example, you can purchase an HDMI splitter, which will enable you to plug more than one HDMI device into a port.  This is a popular option amongst gamers.   For those looking for an authentic home cinema experience, you should definitely consider an additional sound system.  You have your pick from home cinema systems, sound bars and sound bases.   

When to Purchase a New Television Set

There is a whole range of online sellers to look at when you are purchasing a new television.  It’s always worth taking a look at Curry’s and John Lewis, as well as supermarket giants like Asda and Tesco, as well as Argos and Amazon.

Some of the biggest producers of televisions are LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, Philips and Sharp. 

You will find TV deals and promotions throughout the year, but bigger savings can be found during the January Sales, as well as at the end of November when Black Friday sales start.

TV Deals and Promotions a Blast My Deals

You can take advantage of all the best deals on TV’s by keeping an eye out at Blast My Deals.