Q1: Buying a television now is very different than it used to be, what are our options?
LCD screens are made in every size from 19″ to 65″ but plasma screens are available only in 42″or bigger. All new TV’s are HDTV (high definition) ready.
Fairly standard resolution on these screens (those larger than 32″) is 1080 p. (that’s lines of horizontal resolution). If it is smaller, it might be 720p which is less but okay on the little screen.
Plasma screens process quicker at 600 hz. LCD or the new LED/LCD’s are at 120 hz . Faster processing is good for faster moving pictures so it’s better for sports. Blacks are better on plasma screens which means the contrast is better or the color looks better to you. .
Q2: Besides screen size, what are some of the other considerations to think about?
– refresh rate is how fast the picture moves to the next image; A slower rate might have the possibility of a color drag or jitter as the pictures changes. Plasma screens have 1 msec delay while a LCD has a 4 msc delay which affects quality of picture and speed of processing.
– you should ask about how many different kinds of inputs the screen can accept: HDMI (you must have 2 or more of these), component, S-video, composite, coaxial cable) so you will be able to plug into it whatever you need to (including your old stuff).
– contrast ratio (brightest white to darkest black) – A higher contrast larger ratio would yield a clearer picture. Average is 2,000,000:1, some screens would have 5,000,000 to 1.
Q3: These technologies have been around for awhile, can we feel safe buying into them or is there anything on the horizon that we should know about?
LED a format of LCD is now available and will probably be the future. This technology has a brighter picture and the quality is better – and it is thinner which is important for wall models.
Q4: We used to be able to just buy a TV and plug it in but nowadays we need a computer engineer just to figure out which wires go where. Since this is so confusing, you have some suggestions about where to go to buy your set?
If you shop at the local family owned smaller stores which have been around for years, they offer lots of hand-holding, great customer service and in-house service departments along with decent prices. And that’s what has kept them open all these years.
Radio St-Hubert has been open for over 47 years and is still going strong, despite the big box stores, this business has survived with old-fashioned, patient good customer service and sales people who have been there a long time. Major brand names are stocked: for TV’s or DVD’s, it’s Panasonic, Toshiba, Sharp or JVC. For speakers you can buy Paradigm, Klipsch, Monitor Audio, Epos as well as high end sound equipment by Creek, Pioneer Elite, Cyrus, Integra, Moon, Sunfire, Sugden, Bel Canto and Anthem.
Look for the Sonos wireless home music system, Tivioli and short wave radios, satellite dishes by Illico and Bell Express View. Custom installation can be provided, you can buy hard-to-find connectors and cables, and there’s a reasonable in-house service department (no charge for estimate).
Location: 6278 St. Hubert St.
corner: Bellechasse St.
Phone: 514 276-1413
www.radiosthubert.com
If you are tired of playing games with the flyers and sales help at the big box stores, come to Maison du Son for helpful service and decent prices. Televisions, home theatres, audio systems (Sony, Toshiba, JVC, Sharp, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Epson projectors, NAD, Pioneer Elite, Marantz, Myriad), DVD players, audio furniture, satellite dishes and high quality radios (Boston Acoustics – iPod compatible) will all be sold to you with a guiding hand.
If you want a different model it can be ordered for you, there’s custom installation and a full service department here or at your home (if bought here, will assess problem free of charge).
Location: 1112 Mont-Royal Ave. East
corner: at Christophe Colomb Ave.
Phone: (514) 523-1101
Centrale Audio Video has been around since 1958, buying is a bit more intimate and sales help plentiful, enabling you to easily choose your TV ( Panasonic, Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Sharp), sound system (Paradigm, Marantz, Yamaha, Anthem), DVD, camcorder, satellite dish, camera or fax machine with their competitive prices.
Computers and their peripherals are sold, and they have their own in-house service department.
Location: 350 des Erables St.
corner: Highway 20.
Phone: 514-364-4980
www.centrale.ca
Q5: In 2011, we will all have to switching to cable. Will our old TV’s still work?
Yes. Older TV’s were analog, newer ones are digital. If you have an old analog one it will be missing a tuner. You will be able to buy a box to convert your analog signal to a digital one.
