Five questions to ask

Television sets are getting flatter, cheaper and more hi-tech— and there are a lot more of them.
Peter Familari looks at which one fits your room— or budget— best
AUSTRALIANS are shrugging off the economic downturn and buying a record number of big, expensive TVs.
In the first quarter of the year, consumers snapped up 500,000 plasma and LCD TVs. This is nearly 6 per cent more than the same period last year, figures from GFK Marketing show.
DigitalTVis driving the surge in TVsales as viewers migrate from older analogue tube models to new high-definition sets.
Most are aware of the government’s plan to pull the switch on analogueTVtransmission in Australian capital cities by 2013.
Selected country areas will lose analogue next year with the region around Mildura set to move to digital in the first half of 2010.
The area is already experiencing a shortage of digital TVs and set-top boxes as locals snap up sets in a bid to beat the deadline.
Melbourne is also running low. Many popular models have been hard to find since January. Industry insiders say manufacturers, fearing a severe economic downturn, ordered fewer TVs from their factories than they ordinarily would.
Even so, Victorians are continuing to buy high-definition plasma and LCD TVs in record numbers. Most shop around until they find aTVthat meets their budget without skimping on build quality, features and after-sales service.
Myadvice to consumers is simple: don’t stray from the mainstream brands. They have the money to support a service centre and a good supply of spare parts.
The first tier of established brands are Panasonic, Sony, Sharp, Pioneer, Toshiba, Samsung, LG, Grundig, Metz and B&O.
Philips, NEC, Fujitsu and Hitachi are also first-tier brands that no longer supply TVs to us. Pioneer will sadly leave the market by 2010.
Second-tier brands offering great value for money and solid after-sales service are TEAC, TCL, Hisense and Daewoo.
The best of the best TVs are full high-definition plasmas built in Japan. Next best are full highdefinition LCD TVs, also built in Japan.
Plasmas and LCD TVs built by the Japanese brands in their own factories in Asia are also top value.
Features worth having include full high-definition picture quality of 1920×1080p pixels forTVscreens 37 inches and above.
Other must-haves include a builtin high-definition tuner, HDMI connections for Blu-ray players, gaming consoles and high-definition camcorders.
But there’s a continuing big question mark about 100 Hertz and 200 Hertz picture processing, said to produce a smoother picture.
Audition your new set with a decent Blu-ray movie. Try Sin City, Valkyrie, Ice Age 2, Underworld, The Last Samurai or The Dark Knight.
Despite the hype theTVchannels churn out, high-definition digitalTV programs can’t compete with a well-recorded Blu-ray movie.

We’re going to buy a new TV and want to go bigscreen. Which is greener, a plasma or LCD TV?
It depends on the particular plasma or LCD (liquid crystal display) TV.
The Seattle-based environmental website www.grist.org suggests:
• Energy Star TVs. Requirements for televisions became more stringent last November, and Energy Star TVs are touted as “up to 30 percent more efficient than nonqualified models.” So they are an obvious good choice. The Energy Star website (www.energystar.gov) lists all certified models in a comparison chart and also provides an energy savings worksheet.
• Screen size. When perinch consumption is measured, LCD televisions are more efficient than plasma. Screen size is key to power consumption; a smaller plasma, for instance, will be comparable to a larger LCD. A 42-inch plasma TVcan cost as much to operate as a 25-cubic-foot refrigerator. Some plasma manufacturers are working on the issue. Panasonic, for example, is showing a more efficient plasma TV in its 2009 line, but be sure to compare.
• Think aboutmanufacturing impacts. LCDs contain a bit of mercury, and their manufacture uses the potent greenhouse gas nitrogen trifluoride (NF3); plasma screens can contain lead (although Panasonic has apparently found a way around that).
• Be aware of phantom energy use. These TVs can drain power evenwhen off, especially if they are hooked up to cable, satellite or a gaming station. Get around that by unplugging the set and its components or by plugging the TV into a power strip and turning off the strip.

720p HD LCD TV

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VIZIO VOJ320F was designed to buck the trend of traditional black accents most commonly portrayed in consumer electronics today. The VIZIO “Java” colorization blends a more modern hue that is suitable for any decor. While impressing with overall design characteristics, VIZIO packs the VOJ320F with technology including full high definition 1080p processing power, 3x HDMI inputs and over 16 million colors to impress.

From the ManufacturerManufacturer’s Review (April 26, 2009)Part of Sharp’s E67U series, the 32-inch LC32E67U LCD HDTV offers an exceptionally detailed Full 1080p picture, improvements in energy efficiency and a dazzling new design. It features Sharp’s Superlucent Advanced Super View (ASV) panel for a dramatically bright and crisp picture with reduced haze and reflectivity. The Superlucent panel applies an ultra-smooth finish that minimizes gloss while intensifying panel brightness and (more…)

From the Manufacturer
The LG70 series are the ideal HDTVs for home theater enthusiasts. If they prove one thing, it’s that nobody demands more from LG products than LG itself.Key Features Full HD 1080p Resolution 15,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio 4x HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color Intelligent Sensor 24p Real Cinema AV Mode (Cinema, Sports, Game) Clear Voice LG SimpLink Connectivity Invisible Speaker System USB 2.0 (JPEG, MP3) ISFccc Full HD 1080p ResolutionDisplays HDTV programs in ful (more…)

Manufacturer’s Review (March 30, 2009)Experience the beauty of Full HD 1080p with the Sony BRAVIA 32-inch XBR9 HDTV. Perfect for your bedroom, office or kitchen, this flat panel has a 40,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio which produces deep blacks in darker scenes. Motionflow 120Hz refresh rate technology delivers crisp, clear images while gaming or watching sports and fast-action movies. Additionally, you can connect your camera or USB-enabled MP3 player and view photos or listen to your (more…)

32″ LCD, 720p, PC input, 2 HDMI, Dynamic contrast ratio 10,000:1, Viera Link

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From the ManufacturerManufacturer’s Review (April 23, 2009)This 32-inch LCD HDTV sports a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio that creates breathtaking images while a fast 6ms response time contributes to smoother-motion action scenes. It also features our classic black bezel with a new twist–the bottom bezel and neck are transparent, creating a more modern look. Wondering which LCD HDTV is perfect for your home? The answer is crystal clear. The LN32B460 has all the features you need in (more…)