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Buying a new television? |
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2010 is set to be the most exciting year ever for TV technology. If you're thinking about investing in a new TV but are worried about all the tech on offer, you'll be glad to hear our passionate, knowledgeable team have all the answers to your questions!
You wouldn't buy clothes without first seeing that they fit, so why do the same with your TV? At Richer Sounds we truly understand the subject of television and how with a little effort it can be transformed into a complete home entertainment experience. This is why all our shops have a wide selection of the latest TV models from all the top manufacturers, professionally set up for you to physically compare, side-by-side. We're here to explain, in laymen's terms, exactly how 3D TV works and what you need to get the most from it. We can help you understand the difference between Freeview HD and freesat HD and how you can enjoy internet widgets such as iPlayer, Facebook and Twitter on a TV without having to connect it to a computer. You may now be familiar with the differences between LCD and plasma (if not, we'll explain those too), but do you know what an LED TV is? Again, we'll not only explain the differences but demonstrate them. Whatever your television question might be, come and see us because "we've got the knowledge" - and the lowest prices in town too!
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Decades in the making, 2010 looks like being the year when 3D television finally makes its mark.
3D TV has come on a long way since the days of red and green polarising glasses and when fully launched, it won’t just suit films but will be awesome for gaming, too. Unlike some other retailers who may tell you anything just to make the sale, we’re up-front with our customers and provide the full facts not just marketing spin.
If you’re thinking about investing in 3D here’s a few things to consider…
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We are really excited about 3D TV! Clearly, it may well be the thing of the future, especially for movie lovers and gamers. |
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Like all new formats, 3D TV is starting off expensive. The first sets have significantly higher price tags over 2D, although these will definitely fall over time. |
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If you are flush with cash and love the latest tech then you should definitely treat yourself to a new 3D TV now or in the coming months. Of course we guarantee the lowest prices on all the latest 3D models as they launch and we’ll give you all the free expert advice you need to make the right choice. Please be aware that there are various different 3D standards, which makes it important to use the correct glasses even if they look very similar. Ask us and we’ll be happy to explain more. |
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 The top-of-the-range 3D-TV sets use active shutter technology glasses. These are better at creating a convincing three dimensional image than the passive glasses used by other sets, but can cost up to £80+ per pair. Don’t forget you’ll need to buy extra sets for your friends and family to wear when they come round.
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If you do take the plunge and invest in a new 3D TV now, you’ll also need a 3D source, such as a 3D compatible Blu-ray player and/or a Sky HD box (however you won’t be able to use that until later this year when Sky launch their 3D service). A Playstation 3 with the appropriate firmware update is also an ideal 3D source component for playing Blu-ray movies and games. The latest specification 3D-Ready HDMI 1.4 cables are a must too. |
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All 3D-specification source components are compatible with all 3D-ready televisions. |
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As you may have noticed, there are very few movies or games out there right now, so you may find yourself watching the same content over and over again for a while yet! |
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It’s early days. Sky have started to broadcast a handful of football matches in 3D, however, these are only being shown in pubs. Sky’s in-home service doesn’t launch until later this year so do be realistic about what you’ll be able to view at launch. |
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Don’t forget! Your investment in a big 3D (or non-3D) screen really needs an investment in big sound – this well established technology is available now and is already on all movie soundtracks and many TV programmes. Awesome surround sound is very competitively priced and makes your viewing experience come alive. Don’t rely on the tiny speakers fitted into today’s ultra slim TVs to deliver jawdropping thrills – be sure to hear the sound of the TVs on your shortlist before you buy. |
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Various health concerns have been publicised concerning diabetics, epileptics, pregnant women, the elderly, children and those suffering from serious medical conditions. Search the internet for more information and consult your physician if you are in any doubt. |
To find out if 3D TV is right for you, call into your nearest Richer Sounds store today to see it for yourself and discuss the subject more with one of our team.
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With the country now well underway with the digital switchover there has never been a better time to go for High Definition (HD) TV. Crucially, “Digital TV” and “HD Digital TV” are not the same thing. Standard Freeview, which offers a wide variety of channels, is the basic digital TV standard. Digital refers to the digital transmission but the resolution of the picture itself is still in Standard Definition even if viewed on an “HD-Ready” television.
Benefits of Freeview HD
 Freeview HD is a subscription free, High Definition television service that works via your existing digital aerial. If you already have an aerial that works fine with conventional Freeview TV, this should also be good for Freeview HD. Freeview HD has three HD channels (BBC HD, ITV1 HD & 4 HD) with extra ones being added later. Most major cities are already able to receive Freeview HD with the entire country being covered by 2012 - hopefully in time for the UK Olympics!
Freeview HD channels not only give you a picture that has around five times more detail but also Dolby Digital Plus sound quality, too.
Benefits of freesat HD
 Unlike Freeview HD, freesat HD requires the use of a satellite dish.
You can either use an existing Sky dish or have a new one fitted (ask in-store for advice on suitable installers). As with Freeview HD, channel subscription is free. Benefits of freesat over Freeview are that UK coverage already stands at near 100% (you just need to be in-line with the satellite) and there are more standard definition channels available.
Currently only two HD channels are available (BBC HD and ITV1 HD) although more are promised.
As with Freeview HD, HD channels give you a picture that has around five times more detail and Dolby Digital Plus sound quality, too.
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Unlike regular LCD TVs, which use low cost high-tech fluorescent tubes to illuminate the screen, LED TVs use premium light emitting diodes (LEDs) instead, with impressive results.
LED TV technology can be confusing so here’s the various types explained in a nutshell…
Fully backlit LED TVs
By using LEDs arranged across the rear of a TV screen, instead of conventional tube backlighting, a much brighter picture can be created. This also gives a far superior contrast ratio as each LED is switched on and off at high speed as required by the pixels in that area of the picture. It also uses less energy than conventional backlighting – using as little as half the energy of standard LCD TVs and as little as a tenth of equivalent plasma TVs.
Partially lit or sidelit LED TVs
 This technology uses LEDs arranged around the side of the screen for similar benefits to fully backlit TVs. There’s a further advantage that the screens can be even slimmer, although the ultimate brightness and evenness of contrast usually can’t match that of fully backlit LED TVs.
OLED TVs
Organic LED screens are slowly emerging at extremely high prices and are quite different to conventional LCD & LED backlit LCD TVs. Instead they use an organic semiconductor material formed between two electrodes, which makes the screen extremely thin and very bright. Watch this space for developments over the coming years.
To find which type of screen is best for you, pop in to your local store and see the differences for yourself.
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Both technologies have similar benefits: displays are incredibly flat; both are comparatively light for wall mounting, both can accommodate much larger screen sizes; and both offer stunning image quality that gets better the more you spend.
So here are the pros & cons…
Contrast Performance
Plasma technology uses pixel-sized plasma gas-filled chambers that emit light and achieve impressive levels of contrast and incredible blacks. Some displays reach a staggering 5,000,000:1 (dynamic) contrast ratio – the measure of the blackest black compared to the whitest white. LCD displays depend upon a backlighting system to create white and the LCD panel then utilises electric charges to untwist liquid crystals and block light.
Despite recent improvements in LCD, contrast ratios, especially on cheaper models, are still not as good as those on plasmas. The latest LCD TVs with LED backlighting are now fast closing the plasma-LCD gap by dimming the backlighting of selected areas of the screen, thus improving contrast.
Colour
Plasma manufacturers argue that colour information is more accurately reproduced with plasma technology. Again however, with advances in LCD backlighting technology many of the latest LCD TVs are improving fast.
Response Times
Screen response times are important to consider if watching fast-moving content. Plasma is much faster than LCD. The difference may not always be noticeable when watching TV but gamers will find plasma more responsive.
Power Consumption
Power consumption may be important to you and this is one area where LCD is significantly better. The latest “eco” LCD televisions consume a fraction of the power of comparably sized plasma sets.
The best thing you can do to decide is to compare various sets for yourself, side by side. With new models launching all the time and LED backlighting technologies advancing fast, we’re here to point out all the differences and to ensure you make the right choice.
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HD video standards might sound complicated however they are actually pretty easy once you get your head round them…
HD Ready
This popular logo tells you that the television you’re looking at can receive high definition video signals. But that doesn’t mean it’ll directly receive HD broadcasts. It may feature a Freeview tuner which means you can enjoy standard definition broadcasts via an aerial, however these won’t be HD. Unless it has Freeview HD or freesat HD built-in it more likely means you’ll need to hook up a Sky HD box, Blu-ray player, Freeview HD receiver or freesat HD receiver to get a lovely HD picture.
HD Ready TVs must be able to receive up to 1080i images. However, they only need to display at 720p, so 1080 images get shrunk down, losing some detail.
720 HD
A 720 image is made up of 720 rows of pixels. Combine that with the 1280 columns needed to create a 16:9 widescreen image (16 columns for every 9 rows) and we have 1280x720 – a resolution that’s more than twice as good as the standard analogue picture we’ve been used to for years and the minimum requirement to be called “HD”.
1080(i) HD
With a resolution of 1920×1080, we get over four times more pixels than the standard picture. Currently, this is the highest resolution HD video you can view via broadcasts. 1080i HD can also be referred to as Full HD.
Sky HD broadcast in both 720p and 1080i resolutions. BBC HD broadcast in 1080i.
HD Ready 1080p
To carry this badge, a TV must receive and display images at a more stringent “1080p” set of rules. Here, the “p” stands for progressive which means each image (frame) that makes up a TV picture contains a full complement of pixels. In a standard HD interlaced video (thus the “i”), each frame switches between showing the odd rows and even rows of pixels (thus “interlaced”), so each frame only sends half the number of pixels that get displayed. Progressive images are better, generally delivering a smoother, clearer picture especially when there’s a lot of movement in the picture. This is the standard adopted by Blu-ray.
As with HD-Ready TVs you’re still likely to need an external receiver box to actually play HD content, although a growing number of
TVs feature a built in Freesat HD or Freeview HD receiver.
This diagram shows the difference in resolutions.
The bigger the area the better the picture quality.
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 Blu-ray is the latest disc format that delivers stunning high definition quality. By connecting a Blu-ray player to your new HD TV you can now enjoy movie quality superior to that of standard definition DVD. The name Blu-ray is coined from the blue violet laser colour which makes Blu-ray discs capable of storing much more digital information – in fact five times more than DVD and at the 1080p standard. What’s more, the Playstation 3 games console also uses the Blu-ray standard to deliver HD gaming as well as the ability to play back HD Blu-ray movies.
To enjoy stunning movie quality get us to talk you through the wide range of Blu-ray player models now in store; models now start at under £100 although if you have a premium quality television we’ll show you the amazing performance that more advanced models are capable of delivering, including some with “universal” playability that allows the play back of premium super audio (“SACD”) CDs and digital media too. All Blu-ray players can play back your existing DVDs and CDs and also feature video “up-scaling” to artificially increase picture size to HD resolutions.
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Imagine a TV with such an incredible large screen format that it can display your favourite movies exactly like you enjoy in the cinema. This is 21:9 ratio TV! Currently only manufactured by Philips it has to be seen to be believed and immediately leaves a lasting impression. At last a television is available that doesn’t force you to watch your favourite movie with those frustrating black bars.
Experience Cinema 21:9 at Richer Sounds today and don’t overlook coupling it with a decent multi-channel surround sound home cinema for that truly immersive feeling.
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 With today’s TVs so beautifully slim, a wall is the perfect place to hang your new investment. Here at Richer Sounds we offer expert advice on a wide range of brackets and mounts with tilting, cantilever, ultra-slim and commercial solutions to ensure you maximise your enjoyment.
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 Projectors have come a long way over the years and are now fast becoming an affordable way to give you an experience closest to that in a real cinema. Fed with a high definition source and used together with a quality screen the latest projectors deliver pin sharp picture quality on a grand scale.
Partner the right projector with a serious multi-channel surround home theatre sound system for a cinematic experience that will be the envy of all your friends. And with prices falling rapidly over recent years you’ll be surprised how it’s now possible to put a system together for much less than you’d imagine.
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Visit us today and we’ll take you through all the options to help you find the TV that’s right for you.
At the lowest price…guaranteed!
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