It’s almost Thanksgiving! That means plenty of delicious food, great company and a lot of football. If you’ve got the turkey covered and the whole family is coming over, the only thing left is to be sure you’ve got the right TV for watching the games. Still using that 40” flat screen from Thanksgivings past? It’s definitely time for an upgrade. You know how they say Thanksgiving’s all about the size of the turkey? Football is all about the size of the…screen.
Many people go to a store, look at the TVs on display, and pick one. Sometimes you’ll get lucky, but many times not so much. A little research pays big dividends in terms of colors, resolution and size.
With 3 types of TV technologies available, a decision isn’t that difficult. OLED, QLED and LED are the current choices, but LED will soon be gone. OLED, or Organic LED is the top video display technology. It’s the only display with True Black Levels, which produces an outstanding image unmatchable by any other technology. Most TV technologies use a back light so that when you look at a black image, the pixels turn dark but the light behind still shows through. This creates more of a grey color than black. Not a big deal…except when watching dark scenes where black should be black and colors should be incredibly vivid. With OLED, there is no back light along with the ability to turn off every (millions!) pixel individually. This affords an outstanding image. Samsung’s QLED technology is close to that of OLED, but still uses backlighting so some image quality is still sub-optimum. Black levels are sacrificed so you’re not getting the optimum color experience. LED technology is currently available only on small TVs and will soon be a thing of the past.
You’ve also got to decide about some TV features. If you’re in the market for a TV that is 55” or larger, there’s a few key features you’ll want. A Smart TV gives access to streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, without needing a separate device to connect to the TV. A refresh rate of at least 240Hz will prevent sports and action movies from appearing blurry during fast movement. 4K resolution will allow you to see the highest level of detail until 8K becomes more mainstream and affordable.
When selecting screen size, the important factor is distance from the TV. Ideally, you want to sit far enough from the TV at a distance that is three times the height of the screen (for HD) and 1.5 times the height of a 4K Ultra HD TV. You don’t want to strain your eyes, nor be able to see every pixel on the screen.
As you consider all the above, it’s worth noting that the best TV is usually the largest screen that fits into your TV-watching space. 55, 65 and 75 inch TVs have become very affordable and will offer an outstanding viewing experience. Our suggestion is a 4K OLED TV with HDR from Sony or LG.
IDS offers TVs at pricing that is more competitive than Amazon or Best Buy. We also offer 10% off installation of any TV purchased from us.
If you’re ready for a TV upgrade—or even a home theatre space—contact us for a complimentary consultation. You’ll quickly be on your way to an outstanding viewing experience! Call us today at 516-625-6060 or contact us by email.