There are several misconceptions about certain aspects of the home theater set-up, or just setting up a good flat screen TV with or without a sound system. When you first decide to get a flat screen you need to do your homework. Start by knowing the facts about flat screen TV's in general.

Plasma TV's, for example, use more energy and have potential for screen "burn-in". A good brand LED will suffice in any situation, use much less energy, and will not have the potential for images ever burned in on your screen. Basically, LED's were made to rival plasma picture quality without the ill- effects plasma offers and LED's are much lighter. LED's provide the same "Flat" picture plasmas were designed for. It has to do with back-lighting An LED is basically an LCD with back-lighting, hence LCD/LED labeling on some products. LED and LCD selections will far out-number plasma selections.

 

When searching for your flat screen, go to your leading TV retailer's website (i.e. BestBuy.com is a good source) and do a search for LED or flat screen TV's. Your top selling brands will appear first (Samsung, LG, Sharp). Pick your size preference and features (3D, Smart TV, etc.). Once you get into the search and find your choices, read reviews and ratings of those customers who have actually bought and used the product. A lot of critics who provide reviews of products go into a store and review the products side-by-side features. You need to know what customers find when they actually purchase the product, take it home and use it. Look at the ratings (how many stars) and read the reviews. Once you find what you want, decide where you want to buy it. Look at and compare pricing on the web. Before you decide to buy on the web, beware of the low-prices many web dealers offer. Also check out their reviews before you give them your hard earned money! Remember, if you buy online, stick with a reputable dealer. You may have to return your purchase...check out the return policies and details.

A word about HDMI cables. As a home theater installer I have seen many of my customers go to stores to buy their TV's only to have the salespeople sell them high priced HDMI cables, telling them that the TV will not perform correctly unless the buy these $125.00 cables...

 

If you buy an HDMI cable for more than $20.00 shame on you. You local Walmart or Home Depot sells the same type of cable for a WHOLE LOT less! Only buy these upper priced HDMI cables if you need a center-piece or something to display on your wall. These higher priced cables will be hidden behind your TV. Nobody's going to see the pretty metallic colors or the gold plated ends...and these things will not give you a better picture! The truth be known, HDMI cable were designed for use with BluRay.. You can use a set of RGB (Red/Green/Blue) cables to get the same high-def picture on your new flat screen except on BluRay. You definitely want HDMI cables for your BluRay.

Note: HDMI cables carry both audio (three channel Dolby Digital) and video (HD) in a single cable. Component cables (RGB) carry only HD video and require audio cables between your source and the TV. RGB cables will not provide HD quality signals from your BluRay.

Now let's cover 3D. There are two types of 3D technology. Active and passive. Active is what Samsung and Sharp uses. This requires electronic shutter glasses. Passive is what LG and some other manufactures use. This requires a pair of specially made polarized glasses. The same as they use in theaters.

 

I bought my first 3D TV after reading reviews on both. I can tell you that the preferred type was the passive. Some active reviews complained of seeing the shutters moving. The pairing of the glasses with the TV was sometimes a problem. Plus extra active glasses can cost you a bundle.

With the passive technology, you just switch the TV over to 3D and put on the glasses! What could be easier?

Is there a quality advantage?...does one look better than the other? That's personal preference. I'm a Samsung TV fanatic. I bought an LG Smart TV because of the 3D it offered. I couldn't be happier! You need to try it for yourself.

Arm yourself with knowledge before you shop. I pride myself in helping customers make the right decisions before spending their hard earned money. Remember, these opinions are based solely on my experience and research. I am not and "audio" or "videofile". I don't claim to know all the answers, but hope to help all my customers in making solid choices based on what I have learned.