TV Buying Guide for Your New Smart TV
TV Buying Guide for New Users. If You are thinking shopping for a TV would be simple, given that it’s a pretty mature product category. But buying a TV still involves many choices, some of which may be new to you. You’ll see plenty of Ultra HD (UHD), or 4K, TVs with greater promised picture detail than that of HDTVs, and improved contrast and color. There’s also a new 4K featured, called high dynamic range, or HDR, which promises brighter, more dynamic images, and more vivid, lifelike colors. So one question you’ll face is whether it’s time to move to one of these newer 4K UHD TVs, or stick with a regular 1080p set.
OLED TVS
You may also notice that there’s a newer TV technology, called OLED TV, that dominates our current TV ratings in the larger size categories. These sets are still pricier than LCD/LED models—though every year that price gap narrows—so you’ll need to decide if it’s worth splurging for a top-performing set. Also, every year top-performing LCD TVs get better, edging closer to OLED TV-like performance. Right now OLED TVs are available from only two brands, LG Electronics and now Sony, so you’ll have fewer choices than you will with LCD-based sets.
Once you know what type of TV you want, focus on getting the right size, picture quality, and a few key features. And make sure your new TV has the connections required for equipment such as a streaming media player or sound bar speaker. (Our full TV ratings, available to members, provide all the picture-quality evaluations you’ll need. Looking to get rid of cable or change providers? Check our telecom services reviews, covering triple-play bundles and internet, TV, and phone services.)
Screen Size
Perhaps the most important choice you’re going to make with a new TV is the size of the screen. TV screens are measured diagonally, and they range in size from fewer than 20 inches to more than 80 inches. However, not many people shop at the extremes. Televisions going into kitchens or small bedrooms might measure just 24 to 32 inches, but if you’re shopping for your primary TV, we recommend going bigger—say, a set with a 50- to 65-inch screen. You could consider an even bigger set for spacious family rooms or if you’ll be sitting very far from the TV.
While there are no hard-and-fast rules for determining the right size TV—personal preference, the field of view, and even visual acuity come into play—there are some general guidelines you can use. You can try one of the many online calculators that are available free, or apply the following, easy-to-use, equation.
While there are no hard-and-fast rules for determining the right size TV—personal preference, the field of view, and even visual acuity come into play—there are some general guidelines you can use. You can try one of the many online calculators that are available free, or apply the following, easy-to-use, equation.
Full HD TV
If you’re buying a 1080p set—and there are fewer choices now in larger screen sizes—the closest you can sit to your television, while still maintaining the proper maximum field of view, is 1.6 times the diagonal measurement of your television. So if you have a 60-inch screen, you’d want to sit at least 96 inches (or 8 feet) away. You can simply reverse the arithmetic if you want to start out with the viewing distance. Measure the distance from your couch to the TV in feet, divide that number by 1.6, and then multiply the result by 12 to get the screen measurement in inches. If you’ll be sitting 8 feet from where you want to put the TV, you’ll end up shopping for a 60-inch television. (You can make the math even simpler if you just measure everything in inches.)
UHD 4K TV
But these days, most larger-sized sets are 4K UHD models, and we think it makes sense to buy one since you’re no longer paying a premium for one. These TVs have higher-resolution 4K screens with more densely packed pixels. That means you can go larger, and your seating distance can be as close as the screen diagonal itself. So, for example, with a 65-inch UHD TV, you could sit as close as 5 1⁄2 feet from the set. Just remember that the goal is to create a comfortable, immersive viewing experience. You don’t want to be so close that you can’t see the whole picture or so far back that you miss out on the high-definition detail you’re paying for.
Budget for a Good TVs
You’ll also have to pay attention to your budget. It’s possible to find good TVs selling for a few Thousands Taka, while others go for several thousand, and there are many sets that fall in between those extremes. Screen size, features, and brand will all affect pricing.
Here are a few typical selling price ranges for several screen sizes:
18000 to 25000 for a 32-inch model
28000 to 58000 /-for a 40- to 43-inch set
54000 to 65000/- for a 49- or 50-inch set
6500 to 85000/- for a 55- to 59-inch set
9800 to 250000/-for a 60- or 65-inch set
Our full TV ratings are broken down by screen-size categories ranked by overall score, so it’s easy to see how well the TV performed in our tests and how much it costs relative to other sets of its size.
Here are a few typical selling price ranges for several screen sizes:
18000 to 25000 for a 32-inch model
28000 to 58000 /-for a 40- to 43-inch set
54000 to 65000/- for a 49- or 50-inch set
6500 to 85000/- for a 55- to 59-inch set
9800 to 250000/-for a 60- or 65-inch set
Our full TV ratings are broken down by screen-size categories ranked by overall score, so it’s easy to see how well the TV performed in our tests and how much it costs relative to other sets of its size.
Rule of thumb for sizing a 1080p TV: Screen diagonal = (Distance to couch, in inches) divided by 1.6. You can go bigger with a 4K, or UHD, set.
Choose Between HD and Ultra HD
These terms refer to the TV’s native resolution. A regular high-definition (HD) 1920×1080. That means it has 1,920 pixels horizontally and 1,080 pixels vertically, so it contains roughly 2 million pixels in all. Think of pixels, shortset is also a called a 1080p model because its screen resolution is for “picture elements,” as the tiny individual dots that make up the TV’s picture.
Ultra-high definition (UHD) TVs, also called 4K TVs, have screen resolutions of 3840×2160, so they contain 8 million pixels, or four times the number of individual pixels as an HD set. The more densely packed array of pixels in UHD sets makes them capable of greater picture detail. The benefits of a UHD TV are more apparent in larger screen sizes—say, 65 inches and above—or when you’d like to sit closer to the TV than you could with a 1080p set.
These days, purchasing a 4K TV makes a lot of sense, especially in larger screen sizes where it’s getting harder to even find HD sets. And you won’t have to pay much more for one because the price gap has narrowed. But you will still find 1080p and 720p TVs in the smaller screen sizes—say, 32 inches or smaller.
The good news is that there’s a growing amount of 4K content to watch, especially from streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix.
Ultra-high definition (UHD) TVs, also called 4K TVs, have screen resolutions of 3840×2160, so they contain 8 million pixels, or four times the number of individual pixels as an HD set. The more densely packed array of pixels in UHD sets makes them capable of greater picture detail. The benefits of a UHD TV are more apparent in larger screen sizes—say, 65 inches and above—or when you’d like to sit closer to the TV than you could with a 1080p set.
These days, purchasing a 4K TV makes a lot of sense, especially in larger screen sizes where it’s getting harder to even find HD sets. And you won’t have to pay much more for one because the price gap has narrowed. But you will still find 1080p and 720p TVs in the smaller screen sizes—say, 32 inches or smaller.
The good news is that there’s a growing amount of 4K content to watch, especially from streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix.
1080p TV
A high-definition TV, with 1920×1080 resolution, will be fine for most viewers, and you’ll save a bit of money compared with a similarly sized UHD set. Almost every 1080p set available is an LCD TV with an LED backlight, but there are also a limited number of 1080p OLED TVs. And right now you’re unlikely to find a UHD TV smaller than 39 inches. We’ve found that many viewers aren’t able to see the extra detail in a UHD TV from normal viewing distances until they get to very large screen sizes, say 65 inches or above. Just remember that resolution is only one of a number of attributes a TV has to get right to produce Excellent overall picture quality. Regular HD TVs remain an excellent choice for many consumers when you factor in price, especially in screen sizes smaller than 65 inches.
Ultra HD TV
Thanks to its higher-resolution 3840×2160 screen, a UHD TV (also known as a 4K TV) can display greater detail than a 1080p set when presented with high-quality UHD content. Images appear a bit sharper, with smoother lines on the edges of objects—depending on your viewing distance. The jump from regular HD to ultra HD isn’t as dramatic as the change from standard definition to HD, but many UHD sets attempt to enhance the image in other ways. For example, we’re starting to see TVs with HDR that provide a high level of contrast between the lightest and darkest images. Newer UHD TVs also widen the array of colors a TV can display, but exploiting these advantages requires specially produced content.
High Dynamic Range (HDR)
As we previously noted, perhaps the TV industry’s biggest buzzword is high dynamic range, or HDR. When done right, HDR boosts a TV’s brightness, contrast, and color, making the pictures on the screen look more like real life.
As you can see in the dramatized image below, when HDR is at work, you’ll see details that might not otherwise be obvious, from the texture of the brick on a shady walkway to nuances in the white clouds in a daytime sky.
on 4K and HDR, you can find several good—and inexpensive—options.
As you can see in the dramatized image below, when HDR is at work, you’ll see details that might not otherwise be obvious, from the texture of the brick on a shady walkway to nuances in the white clouds in a daytime sky.
on 4K and HDR, you can find several good—and inexpensive—options.
PHOTO: SONY
Decide Whether You Want a Smart TV
Like cat videos and Kardashians, smart TVs seem to be everywhere. These increasingly popular televisions can access online
Around 70 percent of the TVs sold these days are now smart TVs, according to market research firm IHD Markit. But if you’re considering a more basic TV or you already have a TV that lacks smarts, you can easilcontent, such as streaming video services from Amazon Prime and Netflix. Basic smart TVs may be limited to the most popular services, and others offer a vast assortment of apps. Many have full web browsers, and more sophisticated smart TVs can respond to voice commands, make program recommendations, and let you view content from your smartphone on the TV screen.y add internet capability using a separate streaming media player, such as an Amazon Fire TV, an Apple TV, a Google Chromecast, or a Roku player.
Around 70 percent of the TVs sold these days are now smart TVs, according to market research firm IHD Markit. But if you’re considering a more basic TV or you already have a TV that lacks smarts, you can easilcontent, such as streaming video services from Amazon Prime and Netflix. Basic smart TVs may be limited to the most popular services, and others offer a vast assortment of apps. Many have full web browsers, and more sophisticated smart TVs can respond to voice commands, make program recommendations, and let you view content from your smartphone on the TV screen.y add internet capability using a separate streaming media player, such as an Amazon Fire TV, an Apple TV, a Google Chromecast, or a Roku player.
Streaming Media Players
Streaming media players are a popular add-on for TVs, bringing streaming movies, TV, music and games to TVs that lack internet access. Even if you own a smart TV, you may consider a streaming player if it has features or services your TV doesn’t.
There are more than a dozen streaming player models, offered in two styles: set-top boxes, and stick players about the size of a USB flash drive. The most recent set-top box models include an updated version of the Amazon Fire TV, $100, a new Apple TV, $179, and the Roku Ultra; all support 4K video.
There are more than a dozen streaming player models, offered in two styles: set-top boxes, and stick players about the size of a USB flash drive. The most recent set-top box models include an updated version of the Amazon Fire TV, $100, a new Apple TV, $179, and the Roku Ultra; all support 4K video.
Smart TVs
Smart TVs, also called internet TVs or connected TVs, can be your bridge to a world of online content that you can access directly from the TV itself. Most smart TVs these days let you access multiple streaming video services, such as Amazon Prime, FandangoNow, Hulu, Netflix, or Vudu, plus one or more internet music services, such as Pandora or Spotify. Many smart TVs also let you go to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and several support casual games as well.
(Some sets may have all three.) Some TVs from the major brands will also connect to, and interact with, other smart home devices, allowing you to play music on smart speakers, raise or lower the temperature on smart thermostats, or adjust the room’s lighting on smart light bulbs, all from the TV.
(Some sets may have all three.) Some TVs from the major brands will also connect to, and interact with, other smart home devices, allowing you to play music on smart speakers, raise or lower the temperature on smart thermostats, or adjust the room’s lighting on smart light bulbs, all from the TV.
Check the Viewing Angle
Despite many improvements, most LCDs still have a fairly significant shortcoming: limited viewing angle. (OLED TVs have virtually unlimited viewing angles, just like plasma TVs did.) That means the picture looks its best only from a fairly narrow sweet spot right in front of the screen. We recommend checking the viewing angle by watching a TV from off to the side, and from above and below the main part of the image. As you move away from the center of the screen, the image can dim, lose contrast and color accuracy, or look washed out. And the degree of picture degradation varies from model to model. We’ve found that TVs that use “IPS” LCD panels offer wider-than-average viewing angles for LCD sets.
A television’s picture looks best when you’re sitting right in front of it. Check out the quality of the image from a variety of viewing angles.
Make the Right Connections
Don’t forget to consider a TV’s connections before you buy. You’ll want to ensure that it has the right type of inputs and outputs to support all your A/V gear.
Nearly all TVs now have side input connections, as well as rear inputs, which provide some flexibility for connecting source components to your TV. Inputs located on the side or bottom of the TV work best if you’ll be mounting a TV flat against a wall.
Nearly all TVs now have side input connections, as well as rear inputs, which provide some flexibility for connecting source components to your TV. Inputs located on the side or bottom of the TV work best if you’ll be mounting a TV flat against a wall.
HDMI Inputs
HDMI is now the most common technology for connecting cable boxes, Blu-ray players, streaming media players, and game consoles to a TV. However, many budget sets have only one or two HDMI inputs. When choosing your primary TV, we recommend that you look for at least three HDMI connections unless you’ll be connecting all your other components to a home-theater receiver or HDMI switcher. Some sets have an HDMI input marked “ARC,” which stands for “audio return channel.” This input lets you send sound back out of the TV to the connected component, such as a sound bar speaker, using the same single HDMI cable. If you’re buying a UHD TV, you’ll want to check that it has at least the HDMI 2.0 version of HDMI, which can support the 60-frames-per-second 4K video content and HDR. A newer version, which will support 8K video—yes, that’s coming—and faster frame rates, is likely to appear on new TVs late in 2018 or early in 2019.
TV Brands
LG, Mi, Panasonic, Samsung , Sharp, Sony, TCL, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse, Perfect, SHAN, Skyview, Hisense is a multinational manufacturer with headquarters in China. In addition to selling its own Hisense-branded TVs, it also markets TVs in the U.S. under the Sharp brand, the result of its acquisition of Sharp’s TV business, as well as a TV manufacturing facility in Mexico. The company offers a wide range of models at varying prices, including UHD TVs that include quantum-dot color technology.
