Which LCD TV?

For those of you still undecided as to what TV type you really want (e.g. plasma, LCD, etc), take a look at my other hub Which TV?, which runs through the essential characterstics of the different TV types.

If you've decided that you really want an LCD TV, this hub goes through their main features.

Screen size: this is actually measured diagonally across the screen (e.g. bottom left to top right), not horizontally across the screen. Therefore, a 32" TV for example is actually less than 32" across, but the actual casing may be bigger than 32".

Integrated Tuner: Does it have a freeview tuner on board? Most LCD TVs will, but it's worth double checking, as there's no point getting your new TV home and realising you need external equipment.

EPG: Electronic Program guide. This is really worth finding out how it works as some EPGs show you a thumbnail of the actual TV show as you scroll through the channels, while others don't. It depends whether that bothers you or not.

Sound quality if no external speakers. Some LCD TVs are reported to sound a little tinny, as obviously there's less space (and resonance) to house big speakers, so it's worth checking out the sound. I have an LG 26" TV, which I got mostly due to the good sound quality, though larger TVs with good sound quality also include manufacturers such as Bravia and Sony.

Number of inputs. What kinds of inputs are there? You have to think about what you're going to be plugging into your TV. Mostly LCD TVs are multifunctional displays, meaning they have HDMI inputs as well as SCART etc, and other options. A typical setup might be a DVD recorder/player and games console, which might necessitate 2 scart inputs.

Power consumption. I put this one as something to really look out for, as power consumption is such an issue, both for our pockets and climatically.

Aspect ratios: until widescreen becomes the norm, the 4:3 aspect ration will still be broadcast by a lot of TV stations. Most LCD sets are designed to operate in the 16:9 range though they adjust the picture automatically to the 4:3 ratio. Mostly this looks OK, though sometimes there is distortion.

Physical depth of screen: if you're going to mount your screen on a wall this is worth looking into, and see what they provide in the way of brackets for installation etc.

Active or passive matrix: because of the way pixels are turned on or off, active matrix systems tend to give a cleaner picture over all, with less blurriness.

Light source: looking out for a set where the bulb creating the actual light can be replaced, is probably worth looking into.

Resolution information: high resolution doesn't necessarily mean a good picture. You need to look at how well it handles contrast and color. I cover that in more detail in this hub which looks at the different TV types.