[quote]It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends upon his not understanding it[/quote]

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]et’s get one thing straight; I love TVs, and all that is TV technology, but there’s so much to consider before actually buying a unit. An average joe would look at details like screen-size, resolution, 3D capability, smart features and class. That’s only the half of it. Using the time-honored tactics of obfuscation, misdirection, and a little bit of fear, the people who try to sell you TVs can hit you with some heavy-duty lies. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that all TV salespersons are incompetent, but they sure do know how to spice thingsup. When it gets down to it, you want a bang for your KD, so being prepared can only be a good thing.

Tip #1: “This TV has a million-to-one contrast ratio.” – No it doesn’t! For good reason, customers are shying away from Plasma TVs. However, they completely disregarded that Plasma TVs have the highest contrast ratios. And that’s a fact. So when you’re discussing an LCD or LED television, always keep that neglected plasma in mind.

Tip #2: “This TV has better sound.” – Let’s face it. No TV sounds good. So what they’re really telling you is “this TV sounds less bad than that other one.” Fact: if you want to treat your ears, invest in a sound-bar or home theatre system.

Tip #3: “TVs break all the time. You need a 3 year extended warranty.” - Another example of this is “TVs come in for repair all the time.” From a rhetorical standpoint, this is a rather brilliant argument, except it isn’t, and here’s why. Lots of TVs come in for repair, but even more TVs stay put at home mounted on the wall, where they belong… DUH! Plus TV technology gets outdated pretty quickly. So by the second year of owning that TV, you’d probably be in the market for a different one anyway.

Tip #4: “LED TVs have the best picture quality.” - Nope. First of all, there’s no such thing as an “LED TV.” Every LED TV is just a standard LCD TV that uses LEDs (light emitting diodes) to create light instead of the “old-fashioned” cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL). LCDs have their positives, like light output and lower energy consumption, but when it comes to a direct picture quality comparison, plasmas have better black levels, better contrast ratios, and better viewing angles (for those not sitting directly in front of the TV).

• LED
• LCD
• Plasma

Tip #5: “If you want the best picture and sound, you need the best HDMI cable.” - That statement annoys me the most. There is no picture or sound quality difference between any HDMI cable. None. At all. So if you spend 3KD or 300KD, the image and sound will be 100 percent exactly the same.

[quote]Don’t be fooled by the jargon, spin, or word on the street. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll be able to get the best TV at the best price.[/quote]

About Ahmad S

Ahmad Shahroor is a self-proclaimed ‘techspert’; though he has proved it to be the case on countless occasions, his title is currently being challenged by Ahmad Taha; a battle no one cares for. A devoted Real Madrid CF fan, Ahmad thinks that electronics and football should not mix. His irrefutable love for all that is PC technology goes unquestioned. He is currently on his 35th attempt at trying to use his soccer ball as a router…

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Televisions are not what they used to be, thank goodness. I remember, back in the day, my grandparents had the Mac-Daddy of all Toshiba TVs sitting on the floor of their living room. It provided enough room on the top-surface to house a stereo, speakers and pictures of all 27 grandkids as well as a mesmerizing sound as it heated up and the picture came into focus. Comparing a Toshiba TV then to a Toshiba LCD TV now, is nostalgic but not a challenge. Today, televisions are flat enough to hang on the wall, make no noise when turned on, and are capable of providing an at-home theatre experience that my grandparents still aren’t ready for.

[quote] Comparing a Toshiba TV then to a Toshiba LCD TV now, is nostalgic but not a challenge. [/quote]

• 40Inch LCD TV
• 40 Inch LCD TV
• 46-inch HD LCD TV
• iPod Touch
• Xbox 360
• PS3
• Nikon S100
• Nintendo 3DS XL
• LG HT906TA Home Theatre System
• MiPow Powertube

First of all, Grandpa would never grasp 46 inches of screen automatically adjusting for contrast and brightness based on the image. But maybe he wouldn’t need to know what 10-Bit Video Processing technology or 3D colour management means to appreciate the greatness of how far technology has come from the TV on the floor. Come to think of it, they actually might appreciate the 20 W audio output since hearing isn’t one of their strong suits anymore. Regardless, I know that 27 video playback formats make watching TV in 2012 an ultimate indulgence.

Available at www.xcite.com [button link="https://www.xcite.com/toshiba-40pb10e1-40-inch-full-hd-lcd-tv.html" variation="red"]SEE IT![/button]

About Ahmad S

Ahmad Shahroor is a self-proclaimed ‘techspert’; though he has proved it to be the case on countless occasions, his title is currently being challenged by Ahmad Taha; a battle no one cares for. A devoted Real Madrid CF fan, Ahmad thinks that electronics and football should not mix. His irrefutable love for all that is PC technology goes unquestioned. He is currently on his 35th attempt at trying to use his soccer ball as a router…

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