A closeup of a plasma TV’s pixels. Geoffrey Morrison Editors’ Note: An updated article entitled Why Ultra HD 4K TVs are still stupid was published on January 28, 2013. The latest TV technology buzzword is “4K.” This magical alphanumeric represents a quadrupling of the now-standard 1080p resolution found on Blu-ray and most HDTVs. Have no …
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Buying a new TV for your football-watching party? Sure something big is a must, but there are different features and specs to consider when buying a TV for the big game. Plasma or LCD? Online or in-store? These are just some of the questions I’ll answer after the jump. 1. Viewing angle If you’re buying a TV for a big …
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CNET Reader LJM asks: Does the quality of the materials used to make a cable influence the picture or sound quality? Specifically, what about gold-plated connectors? Good question. For years, cable companies have touted gold-plated this and oxygen-free that. There are two different aspects to consider with these marketing-based claims. The first is the cable itself. All cables (with the …
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The onslaught of marketing this time of year is unsurprising, but no less unpleasant. Advertising of products can be a useful tool, informing the public of the latest and greatest. Where it becomes offensive is when it includes blatant lies, misleading truths, or perpetrates a myth. Don’t be fooled by these deceptive practices, in this (admittedly first) edition of Myths, …
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Most people don’t like watching TV in the dark. The problem is that flat-panel TVs tend to reflect light in the room; even if you have a matte-screen LCD, light bouncing off the screen is going to diminish picture quality in one way or another. (Credit: Geoffrey Morrison) This how-to guide has some obvious and some not-so-obvious tricks and tips …
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Don’t listen to the hype. Ignore the commercials. Leer skeptically at the salesman. There is no such thing as an LED TV, and “LED” doesn’t mean it’s any better than other TVs. LED is just a type of LCD, with strengths and weaknesses that make it better in some ways, worse in others, and rarely worth its price premium over …
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CNET Reader Name Withheld writes: Hi, I own a Sony 46-inch TV connected to a receiver and cable box with HDMI. I’ve always thought the picture just didn’t look as good as it did in the store…which I chalked this up to lack of bright store lighting/never calibrating the TV. I’m in the process of moving, so I’m running the …
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Every year, retailers tempt consumers with too-good-to-be-true deals designed to tempt them into the stores and buy…something else. Chances are, these deals are too good to be true. Before you head out to join the mad rush, here are some so-called “deals” to avoid. ‘Refurbished’ If you’ve heard of the brand, chances are that doorbuster deal TV is a refurbished …
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A few months ago, I wrote the provocatively titled “Why all HDMI cables are the same.” There was a ruckus. Which I expected. But the post also generated some great questions. Which I hadn’t. So let’s take a look at some of the more common and persisting questions from my article, and flush some more of the myths surrounding the …
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CNET reader Ryan M. writes: For a 64-inch plasma, how tall of a stand should I buy? I like this stand that’s 32″ off the ground (whereas most stands are 22″ off the ground). Do you think that if my line-of-sight is, say, 1/5 of the way up from the screen, I should be okay? I’d hate to have the …
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