A Quick Guide in choosing an LCD/Plasma TV

I am a big fan of Technology and when it comes to Image and Sound, I really do my homework before I pull my wallet out of my back pocket.

I am also an ‘early adopter’; I mean, when a new concept hits the shelves, I am among the first to buy it by completely ignoring my 10 years of professional experience in Product Management. I simply head over to Amazon and check the latest models. I know all the rules of the game for Technology products; If there is one person out there that should not ‘bite the bait’ for a new tech concept, that would be me, especially in sound and image (and mobile phones). But for my very own pleasure I simply put them aside, knowing that ‘I am the Guinea pig here, hello!’ and that my purchase will look as ancient in a year’s time as my grand father’s clock.

The new (at the time) concept of flat panel televisions could simply not be an exception; when I first looked at that grey-silver Philips “Match Line” at the display window of my nearest electronics shop, I just couldn’t resist. Although I knew that I ‘d be setting my credit card back by $2,000 (for a 20-inch TV! Incredible, isn’t it? And it was on sale!) I went in and got one.

I was so happy about my purchase,  I could not even see the flaws of the model I bought; I was looking in the Market for accessories to help me hang it on the wall, but Philips had nothing available on wall-mount accessories at the time; so I stayed with the dream of having that TV hanging on the wall of my living room forever.

Also, the viewing angle was very narrow; you couldn’t  see any picture if you were 70 degrees left or right, and over- everything on the screen turned misty and watery. To tell you the truth: I just didn’t care! I was the only guy in the neighborhood who had a flat panel TV and I was showing off on to my friends’ one of the few models available at the time – it was the Winter of 2001.

Back to today; a few months ago, I decided to change my television and buy a new one. I wanted a good model with all the bells and whistles, so I decided to hit the shops and find the perfect brand and model for me.

Wow! Have things changed, or what? Last time I went out with the intension to buy a flat panel television, there were 5 or six models, tops! I walked into my nearest electronic super store, and found myself starring at least one hundred different brands and models – dazzling! I knew things had changed over the years and kept an eye on developments, but that was window-shopping; now it was different. I went out with the intension to buy, and from what I was looking into I determined that choosing the right brand model and even the size would be quite a challenge. So be it!

After a lot of research, online and offline, I decided and ordered my TV; and because I wanted to buy it online this time, and make it a good piece of flat panel tv, worthy of my money, I went through a small adventure that made my nerves spaghetti but in the end it was the right choice.