From Eveningsnews.com
Flat-panel TV sales will be hot this holiday season
By Bruce Peddleton
Oct 24, 2006, 21:40
(NC)-It's the holiday season once again, and many Canadians from coast-to-coast will be heading to the shopping mall to purchase the hottest TV on the market - the flat-panel Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) television.
According to the latest report from the Consumer Electronics Marketers of Canada (CEMC), nearly 700,000 LCD TVs will be sold in the country by the end of 2006, accounting for nearly three-quarters of flat panel sales. And the numbers for the New Year are even stronger; the CEMC estimates that LCD sales will pass the one million mark, almost tripling the amount of plasma TVs sold in the same year.
Here are some tips to ensure Canadian consumers are making the most out of their flat-panel television purchases this holiday season:
. Future-proof your investment - a new TV should have HDTV (High-Definition) resolution and built-in HDTV tuner to prepare for the industry change to digital broadcasts. Also consider investing in a LCD television with full spec 1080p compatibility for the sharpest picture currently available on the market. The AQUOS brand of Sharp LCD TVs currently has the best selection of 1080p televisions available, including the new D62 series featuring three different screen sizes - 42, 46 and 52-inches.
. The aspect ratio should be widescreen, or 16:9, as opposed to the standard, box-shaped 4:3. Widescreen (16:9) will soon be the new standard for digital broadcasts.
. Look for a TV with multiple inputs, such as HDMI and other HD inputs. This ensures that the TV is equipped for the latest set-top boxes, video game consoles and other high-tech connections
. Ensure the set has a response time of 8 milliseconds (ms) or under to avoid "ghosting" or a blurry trail when watching sports or an action film.
. Find the right size TV for the room. To determine optimal screen size, take the viewing distance and divide it by 2.5. For instance, if your sofa is ten feet or 120 inches away from where the television is going to be placed, your ideal screen size is 37 - 42 inches.
. No need to sacrifice style when introducing a LCD TV into a room: look for an aesthetically pleasing model that fits well with your room décor.
. Consider where you'll place your television. Choose a TV that has a crisp and clear image even in harsh lighting conditions without any annoying glare or reflection.
. Think differently about placement possibilities with LCD's flexible installation options. There are mounts available with features to place a TV virtually anywhere. Remember, most high-quality TVs like the Sharp AQUOS offer ultra-wide horizontal and vertical viewing angles which can be clearly viewed from virtually anywhere in the room.
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