04.What to look for
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Built-in digital tuner means you don’t need to buy a set-top box to receive digital TV. All TVs on test are HD and have HD tuners.
- Look for easy-to-use sockets that allow you easy access to the connections for DVD players, cable TV and so on. If you're wall-mounting the TV, access is very important to avoid having to take it off the wall to change a plug.
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HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) is an all-digital connection for both sound and video in one cable. More and more gadgets come with HDMI outputs and we expect most will have them in the future, so it's worth looking for at least one HDMI socket. HDMI inputs are listed in the table.
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DVI/VGA input If you want to use your TV as a computer display, you’ll need one with a DVI input for newer computers or a VGA input for older ones. An HDMI socket will do if your computer has an HDMI output, but not many do at the moment. DVI-to-HDMI adapters are quite inexpensive to purchase.
- Look for a remote control that’s easy to read, with large, well-spaced buttons and clear labels.
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On-screen menus should be easy to read and understand without having to resort to the manual.
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On-board controls If you’re likely to lose the remote control, choose a TV with easily accessible controls on the TV itself.
- All TVs on test are wall-mountable. However, none comes with wall mounts, so you need to buy a separate kit.
Which resolution?
It’s easy to get confused in the HD world. High definition for TV sets refers to the number of pixels on the screen; anything above 1366 x 768p is generally called HD.
On the other hand, high-definition sources, such as Blu-ray and HD TV broadcasts, can be anything from 720 x 576p at the low end of HD broadcasting up to 1920 x 1080p.
The "p” stands for progressive, which gives a more stable picture than an interlaced picture (which usually has an “i” after the number). There isn’t really a simple definition for high-definition TV sets either. However, 81cm or smaller screens with 1366 x 768 pixels or more should be capable of delivering an acceptable image from an HD source.
The size of the screen must be taken into account, because this influences the size of individual pixels. The Comparison table has details on screen resolution.
The quality of the image is not necessarily tied to the number of pixels. Colour accuracy, smooth transitions between colours and blacks that don’t look muddy or lose detail are more important. The TV’s picture processor handles these functions, and more pixels may actually make it harder for the processor to deliver a good image.
In previous tests, we compared the performance of lower-resolution TVs against high-resolution models and found resolution has little influence on overall picture quality.
How much power do they use?
The Comparison table has details on how much power each TV uses. CHOICE has supported the introduction of energy labeling for TVs and we're please to see it having a positive effect in the market place.
Fine tuning
Digital tuners pick up the signal from free-to-air digital broadcasts. They tend to deliver a very good picture, nothing at all, or an image so badly broken up it’s unwatchable. However, even the poorest built-in tuners will usually handle most problems reasonably well.