What Sports Fans Need To Know About HDTVs
The holidays have long-since passed us by, and spring is still weeks away. But there is no better time of the year for sports. The NBA and NHL are in full swing, the Superbowl is tomorrow, the Olympics begin next weekend, baseball spring training starts up at the end of the month, and March Madness begins is fewer than six weeks.
If you need a new TV to really make the action pop, keep a few points in mind:
1) Bigger is Better: The conventional wisdom says that you sit away from your TV a distance of 1.5 to 2.5 times the size of the screen. So if your couch is six feet away from your entertainment center, according to those guidelines, you'd want a TV with a screen anywhere from 29 to 48 inches. That's good for most viewing purposes, but if you're a big sports fan, stick toward the higher figure (and maybe go beyond it a little bit) for maximum sports impact.
2) 120 Hz is The Magic Number: An LCD (and LED-backlit) TV's refresh rate measures how often a new image is displayed on the screen. A larger number means faster refreshing, which in turn means a smoother picture—very important for fast-moving sports. However, the human eye can only detect a difference up to a certain point, and we think that point is 120 Hz. TVs at 60 Hz have obvious motion blur, while TVs at 240 Hz are barely distinguishable from 120 HZ models, aside from the inflated price tags. Note: Motion blur is rarely a problem on plasma, and the refresh rates are measured differently anyway, so don't worry about that here.
3) There is No "Better" Display Type: Many videophiles swear by plasma because it has few motion blur problems, better color reproduction, and costs less. That's cool. LCD, however, is the far more popular technology because the sets are physically lighter and thinner, consume less energy (which means lower energy bills), and are much easier on the environment overall. That's cool too. You'll have to decide for yourself.
4) TVs Are Cheaper Online: You can save about 20-30 percent buying a TV online (hey, like this one!), often with free shipping included. If you need to have the TV in time for the Superbowl, that's obviously not going to work for you. But at least look at the prices here so you can better negotiate with the salesperson at your local brick-and-mortar.
Here are a few models that will make every big hit, deep pass, and pouty Peyton Manning face look their best.
| The LG 42LH50 is perfect for sports fans on small budgets. It's a respectable 42-inches with 1080p resolution, and features an ideal 120 Hz refresh rate so those fast-moving plays look nice and smooth. It's basic, but very nice for the price—nice speakers and Web connectivity as well. | |
| The Sharp Aquos LC-46E700UN offers the best bang for the buck on the market at the moment. It's LED edge-lit, has that snappy 120 Hz refresh rate and is one of the most energy-efficient 46-inch models out there. There are flashier sets out there, but they probably don't display sports much better than this does. | |
| Plasma is great for watching sports: big screens, great colors, and a smoooooth picture. This Samsung is a comfy 50-incher with 1080p resolution for a great price. It also has Web connectivity and some sweet 15W speakers as well. A bargain. | |
| We think sets with 240 Hz refresh rates cost more than they're worth, but the speedy rate doesn't hurt the picture. But here we have a 240 Hz model that costs about the same as a 120 Hz set, so why not? This 55-inch Toshiba is a solid 1080p, LED-backlit LCD set with a seamless picture. It's one of the cheapest models available with these kind of specs, so get ready for some sports. |
