Deciding on the right HDTV for your home theater can seem overwhelming. But really, behind all the numbers and the technical terms, it’s about finding the one that fits you best. Try these two simple steps to jumpstart your decision-making process.
- Look at Your Space.
- Look at Yourself.
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 | Look at Your Space
You want your screen to make a big impact in your home theater room. But if you have to move your head to follow action on the screen, you’ve gone overboard.
Carefully assess the space where you want to create your theater. Look at the size and shape of the room, consider potential arrangements and grab your tape measure.
Experiment with possible seating locations and television locations. Measure between them as many times as necessary to get a solid estimate on minimum and maximum distances that your eyes will be from your HDTV.
This is a very powerful piece of information. Why? Because maintaining recommended viewing distance is essential to getting the most enjoyment out of your HDTV.
Note: If you’re thinking about a front projection system, your screen size is limited by your available projection space and your projector.
If you can’t afford as big a TV as your space suggests, consider arranging the room so that you’ll be sitting closer, or even using a smaller room.
If you had your heart set on a bigger display than can fit your space, take another look around the house. Maybe you have a larger room that could accommodate your dreams. |
 | Look at Yourself
Once you know the ideal size for your HDTV, deciding on the right display technology and resolution is next.
To make the best choices, compare the top HDTV technologies with both your viewing environment and habits in mind.
For example, are you creating a very cinematic home theater, or do you need to fit your theater into a busy, multi-purpose room? How far will you go to control light and sound quality with your décor choices? And what do you find most entertaining? If you are a gamer or newshound, some display types might make more sense than others.
Next, consider your HDTV content sources. If you love broadcast TV, what are your favorite channels or shows? Are you happy with DVDs, or do you dream of Blu-ray Disc? Understanding what the source is of your HDTV content will give you a firmer grasp of what resolution you want.
Finally, take a look at equipment recommendations based on how you might want to use your home theater in our home theater investment guide.
Bottom line? Different HDTVs make sense for different people. The more you know about what you want your home theater room to be like and what you want it to do for you, the more clearly you can assess the possibilities. |
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Find your HDTV, here.
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