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Choosing a 13” LCD TV |
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If you’re interested in buying a 13” LCD TV you’re in good company. A 13” LCD TV is a popular choice for consumers who want a small set with a great picture. A 13” LCD TV is small enough to fit almost anywhere, yet has a large enough screen that you can easily keep up with the action. When you’re looking for a 13” LCD TV, there are a few considerations you should keep in mind. Let’s take a look at a few.
1. Picture Quality: A number of 13” LCD TVs have outstanding picture quality. Models like the Sharp LC-13SH4U 13” LCD TV display excellent picture quality even when placed near bright light sources, making them a great choice for use in a kitchen or office. Many models offer the TV Guide On Screen electronic program guide to make finding favorite programs easier.
A higher-end 13” LCD TV will come with a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), which is the new interface standard for digital audio and video. HDMI provides an easy, single-cable connection to digitally transmit both audio and video signals for high resolution images and sound, as well as suppressed signal noise. A built-in DVI-I terminal permits virtually noiseless picture transmission to your 13” LCD TV via digital-to-digital software and hardware, including DVD players, set-top boxes, digital tuners and PCs.
2. Viewing Angles: Find a 13” LCD TV with as large a viewing angle as possible. For example, the Sharp 13” LCD TV mentioned earlier provides 170 degrees horizontally and vertically of viewing angle. The resulting picture allows you to move around the room as you please without losing image quality. 3. Plug and Play Capability: Find a 13” LCD TV that is considered “plug and play.” Plug and play televisions are Digital Cable Ready (DCR). DCR televisions contain a slot for receiving unscrambled analog, digital basic, and digital premium cable television programming, including HDTV, without the need for a set-top box. As a result, if you purchase a DCR TV, you won’t need a cable converter from your cable provider. If you’ll be placing your 13” LCD TV in your kitchen or in a place where space is limited, doing without a cable converter will save you clutter and free up valuable counter or cabinet room. In some cases you will need a CableCard, which your cable company can provide. 4. Carefully consider a 13” LCD TV with HD. High definition TV is coming: many programs are already in HDTV, and in the future most broadcasts will be in HDTV. If you don’t buy a 13” LCD TV that’s HDTV-ready, then you’ll have to upgrade in order to get the enhanced picture quality HDTV offers. If the ultimate in picture quality is important to you, consider a 13” LCD TV that’s HDTV-ready. Also keep in mind that an aspect ratio of 16:9 is the aspect ratio of HDTV, so if you want the best quality from your new TV, consider a 13” LCD TV with an aspect ratio of 16:9. While many 13” LCD TVs have an aspect ratio of 4:3 (which is the aspect ratio CRT-based televisions use), some models do have an aspect ratio of 16:9, and they’re worth investigating. |
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