This article serves as a shoppers guide to buying TVs and lists many of the considerations which should be taken when purchasing a new television.

The first consideration which must be taken when purchasing a new plasma TV or other high definition TV is resolution. Newer technology televisions are built with 1080p resolution, while older high definition televisions have 720p resolution. The higher resolution televisions often cost about 50% more, but have a significantly clearer picture than 720p televisions. The 1080p resolution also allows the owner to take full advantage of the clarity produced by other high definition products, such as blu-ray DVD players.

The size of the television is a huge driver of the televisions cost and should be carefully analyzed based on your room's situation. The average person sits 3 meters from the TV. From that distance a 50 inch television is perfect, if a 720p TV is selected. Since the 1080p TV has higher resolution, a larger TV would work well from the same distance.

Another television specification which should be taken into consideration is the television's contrast ratio. The contrast ratio measures the difference between the darkest black and lightest white which is produced by the television. Top of the line LCD televisions have contrast ratios of 5,0001, or higher if the screen is larger than 42 inches. If a television has a contrast ratio below 5,0001, dark images tend to look dark grey while light images look deteriorated.

A purchaser of a new television should also take the televisions connectivity into consideration. All HDTVs come with at least a standard AV input, and a component video output. To ensure they are able to use all of their high definition devices, HDTV purchasers should also ensure their television has DVI or HDMI connectivity. If it is desired to connect a laptop to the TV, then a VGA input connection will be needed.

The brightness of an LCD TV, LED TV, or plasma TV is also another specification which can have a large impact on the viewing experience. A good brightness rating is listed as 550 cdm2. If the brightness rating is listed below that, images will appear muddied even if the TV has a strong contrast ratio. A TV with a poor brightness ratio is also very difficult to watch in a bright room as the sun will outshine most of the TV's picture.

The manufacturer of the TV is also very important. Panasonic televisions, Samsung television, and Sony televisions are often among the highest rated LCD, plasma, and LED televisions. There are various other manufacturers who produce high definition televisions, but many of those televisions are less reliable and of lower quality than those manufactured by Panasonic, Samsung, or Sony.

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