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CHOOSING A TV

Man oh man,i thought choosing a tv was easy.It was,believe me, in the good old days.All you had to decide was the screen size.Not any more.there are a plethora of choices,brands and features.

i decided to upgrade my 21 inch Akai, bought almost a decade back(still going strong).So visited my friendly neighbourhood showroom.Mistake.The salesman there is just that.....a salesman.His intention is to make a sale.He is either ignorant of the technology or wont tell you if it dose not suit him.so i went back to the net and there as usual the information was more then required(at least for me).Here i will try to summarise and simplify, what i found.

CLAIMERS(AS AGAINST DISCLAIMERS)-
1.all this has been compiled from, various source ion the net.NOTHING EXCEPT THE FIRST PARA,PRESENTATION AND FEW WISE CRACKS ARE ORIGINAL.
2.There is nothing in here for the techno-geek.However This should be sufficient for a average couch potato with a tight budget.

TYPES OF TV

1.CRT-cathod ray tube

a.semi flat-give it a pass

b.truly flat-rs 10000(21 inch) to rs 65000(29\32 inches)

2.LCD-rs 17000(20 inch) to 500000(52 inch)

3.PLASMA rs 74000(42 inch) to 3200000(70 inch)

4.PROJECTION
a.crt rear projection-rs 40000 to rs 80000
b.LCD rear projection-rs 75000 to rs3,50,000
c.DLP projection-rs 125000 to 275000
4.LCOS rear projection-rs 250000 to 350000

So which one for you?well,here each one to himself.However,the following points may point you in the right direction.

1.If you are on a tight budget(BELOW 40000),go for CRT because whatever said and done crt's give the best picture quality.A high end CRT is any day better then a low end plasma\LCD.Dont believe me?go to your nearest showroom and see for yourself.the main disadvantage is the bulky size.So if you are looking for anything below 30 inch,go for HDTV CRT.

2.if you want a looker and a performer and money is not a problem,go for plasma.However be aware that plasma tv lifespan is limited and your power bill will zoom....upwards.

3.if you want a looker and a average performer go for LCD(Lower end models have a ghosting effect because of slower refreshing rate).However if you have a big family be aware that it has a limited viewing angle.Till now the fight in your house was for the best chair..henceforth it could be for the best position...ha ha.

4.one more thing to keep in mind is the price drop.Plasma\LCD prices are dropping by the month,if not by the day and the technology is improving by the month.So if you dont buy the latest model,your tv will be outdated in a year and to rub salt to injury,that model will be available at a much lower prize then you payed.

So now you have decided on the type of TV,now for the features.here is a list of features which are a must.Most of these will be present in high end models.Specifically look for this if you are going for a CRT or a low end plasma\LCD.

1.100 hz-This refers to the picture refreshing speed.most CRT'S are 50 hz.The hundred hz ones, refresh pictures twice as speed 50 hz.
THE RESULT-LESS FLICKERING,LESS STRAIN TO EYE

2.PROGRESSIVE SCAN-This means the pixels on the screen are refreshed in order.This as opposed to interlaced scan(here the even lines are refreshed first and then the odd lines) gives a much smoother image.
THE RESULT-SHARPER,SMOOTHER,MORE DETAILED IMAGE,ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR FAST MOVING IMAGES AND TEXT.

3.HDTV-This refers to the screen resolution.HDTV'S have a resolution of 720p or 1080i(p stands for progressive,i for interlaced).Why HDTV,when the transmission are analog you may ask?well,whats wrong in being future ready.In the US all broadcast's will be HD buy 2009(BY LAW).We will follow suit,in another 4-5 YEARS from now, max.besides there are HD DVD.BLUE RAY,X-BOX(all latest video games) which give out HD signals.
Best of all DVD's(progressive scan dvd's) can look great in HDTV.

4.AUTO VOLUME LEVELER-This is a MUST,if you are watching through cable and are a habitual channel surfer.Otherwise you will have to constantly assure ur mother\wife\girlfriend that the volume increase is because of the different volume levels of different channels and you are not def(soon you will be,if this feature is not there,ha ha)

5.BLUE BACK-when the signal goes phut,the tv goes mute and screen becomes blue.Helpful if
a.you have a inverter and your cable operator dose not have.
b.if you and ur operator live in different time zone......of the power cut.

6. PIP-A must if you have to share your TV with a cartoon addicted kid or a soap addicted(of the saas-bahu type)wife and you dont mind watching the match in mute mode.However be aware that this works only with direct cable and not with DTH or set top boxes.

7.INPUTS-there are any number of inputs,but the following are a must
A.RF-quality is LOW but is required to hook up your cable,over the air antenna,very old VCR.
B. S-VIDEO- quality is MEDIUM,required for your old DVD'S,old satellite boxes,old game consoles etc.
C.COMPONENT VIDEO(as opposed to older composite video which is of lower quality)-quality is VERY HIGH. it is of 3 types.interlaced,progressive and broadband.atleast a progressive one is a must to take advantage of your progressive scan DVD,HDTV receivers.
remember component video has a yellow jack along with 2 audio jacks well as composite video has 3 jacks(red,blue and green).Dont confuse the two.
D.RGB/HVI-D/HDMI-quality is highest.Useful to connect the computer and other HD source.However no CRT in India has this input.

4.combo filters-these are a must.although there are quite a few of them,digital comb filters are considered the best.

5.sound-If audio is very important to you,go for a home theater system because no tv,whatever their claim,can equal or even come near a dedicated audio system.

So ,now we know which type TV and what are the must have features.Now for the last but the most crucial step of actually going and buying the TV.As they say "beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder".So go down there and see for yourself,which set you are most comfortable with and then decide.
TIPS-
1.first switch off the TV and see it.darker the screen,better the tv.
2.Take your DVD(yes,your DVD) ,connect it to various tv and compare.That will give you the best picture.

happy buying and happy surfing.

THE WAIT

SILENT SCREAMS,NO ONE TO HEAR
UNFULFILLED DREAMS,UNKNOWN FEAR
IS THIS THE END,IS THIS THE BEGINNING
IS THIS "WAIT" NEVER ENDING

TIME MACHINE

What would you do if you had a time machine?visit the past, or go to the future?look at the beginning ,or look for the end?walk with the dinosaur or talk to the cyborgs?talk to your great grandparents or play with your great grandchildren?

Ah,it would be past for me.I would rather dwell in the past then be stuck in the future.History with all its lies and exaggerations has always fascinated me.History has always been written by the "strong" and the "winners".Truth is out there and i would love to explore it

just imagine the possibilities. The truth would be out.Everything from dinosaur to dodos,from jesus to Hitler,from krishna to Aurangazeb,from kurukshetra to panipat would be demystified.The possibilities are mind-boggling and the results could be far reaching.

SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO?