Big really is beautiful

Walk through the TV showrooms of Noel Leeming or Harvey Norman these days and you'll soon become acquainted with ugly terms like "LCD", "contrast ratio" and "HDMI".

They describe the technologies that go into TVs and while you are more interested in the images your TV plays rather than how the TV itself is put together, it's a good idea to have at least a vague idea of the different TVs available before you put yourself in the hands of a commission-hungry salesman. Here's a starting point – there are two species of flat-screen TVs on the market – plasma screens and liquid crystal displays (LCDs)

The various TV makers have drawn a line in the sand to indicate what technology they think suits different TV screen sizes.

That line has effectively been drawn at 42 inches. Screen options below this size are generally of the LCD variety. At 42 inches and above, plasma technology is a better option for screen makers. In the popular 26 inch and 32 inch categories, LCD is cleaning up. The optimal screen size is now 42 inches but ever larger screens are on the market for those with heftier budgets. So apart from size, what's the difference between LCD and plasma?

Due to the different way LCD screens are put together – a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two sheets of glass as opposed to the electrically-charged gas plasma cells used in plasma screens, they tend to offer a brighter picture. Some would say that LCD offers a crisper picture because the screens have higher native resolution than plasma TVs of the same size.

But plasma screens generally have better contrast – making the black in scenes of a movie look darker. LCD technology is improving to the extent that it's hard to tell the difference from plasma when it comes to contrast and detail. Plasma has a wider viewing angle than LCD screens and though LCDs used to be plagued with screen blur, refresh rates are so low now that the screen will refresh to keep the action smooth. Check the refresh rate of LCD screens before buying - the lower the better.

Overall, both LCD and plasma will deliver a beautiful picture, especially from a high-quality source such as a DVD or the Xbox 360. Try before you buy, sit in the showroom and get the salespeople to do some blind tests for you to see if you can spot the difference between LCD and plasma.

By early next year, New Zealand broadcasters will be transmitting digital free-to-air programming allowing for better picture and sound quality, and hopefully, more TV channels. A digital set-top box will be required to pick up digital TV – the Government says you'll be able to buy one for $200, plus the cost of installing a small satellite dish or UHF antenna if you don't have one already.

Further down the track however, high-definition TV will be available. High-definition delivers more information in broadcasts than the standard analogue pictures we receive now, but such broadcasts are years away from reaching our screens. But high definition DVD players are already on the market, offering superior quality when coupled with a high-definition screen. It's important to keep high-definition viewing in mind when buying a flat-screen TV.

HD-ready TV screens do not necessarily have a digital TV tuner built in so require a digital set-top box to deliver high-definition TV signals. True HDTV screens have a digital tuner built-in. The difference is academic at the moment as we don't yet have access to digital TV. But when buying a new TV, check that it can display high-definition images. At least make sure it's "HD-ready". If you can afford a little bit extra go for the screen with a HD tuner built in.