Buying a TV isn’t always the simplest choice, and it’s one that retailers and manufacturers seemingly like to make it as murky as possible too! In-store there are all sorts of tactics and tricks that retailers employ to draw you to the models they make the most margin on, or the special offers they have incentives to reach on that day or week. While online is in theory more of a ‘buyers’ market’ in terms of their ability to assess the options without the glare of TV screens or exciting sales reps offering to help you out, it can also be more difficult online to evaluate one option against another without actually seeing the screen in person. In this short guide, I’ve outlined some of the key terms in Smart TVs in order to hopefully de-mystify the buying process for you a little.
*This is a collaborative post.
Smart TV
Let’s start with the main term! A Smart TV is an increasingly popular modern TV in family homes as they have their own software built in that allows you to access streamed videos and content. This digital content can be accessed without the use of external boxes or wires which is very convenient for reducing clutter around your home. But there is also a note of caution with brands that use their own in-built software, because this can sometimes be a little slow to be updated. I have found that Roku-ready Smart TVs are a pretty good option, as are Android TVs; Google on the other hand can be somewhat slow at updating the Smart software.
HDMI
You’ll see the acronym HDMI banded around, but what is it? In its full, HDMI is short for ‘high-definition multimedia interface’. In short this is a digital cable and port that replaced the various combinations and colours of audio-visual cables that used to dwell in the dust behind TV sets! Since the early 2000s, HDMI cables have efficiently handled both audio and visual connections, and they can neatly connect all sorts of peripheral devices to Smart TVs from streaming boxes to games consoles.
One thing to look out for when you choose a Smart TV is that it has at least four HDMI ports, and ideally more. If you find you run out of ports, you can always buy a multi-port adaptor, but this can look ever-so-slightly cluttered, so it’s best to have as many ports in the TV itself as possible.
Frame Rate
In short, the larger the number, the better! Frame rate refers to the number of frames each second that a video shows, and anything above 120 FPS will display a good quality of vision to the human eye.
LCD
LCD is the abbreviation for ‘liquid crystal display’ – these are screens that have been in operation since the 1960s. Although something that age isn’t cutting-edge anymore, there are a few pitfalls to look for here when making your choice of TV. Make sure you check the details, since the wrong specification could mean you end up with a duller and dimmer viewing experience – so always make sure you may attention to the detailed specification.
OLED
OLEDs, or ‘organic light-emitting diodes’, is a technology that produces its own light with an electrical current. This makes OLED TVs much thinner than LED equivalents, making them more streamlined and much better equipped to handle color and light.
1080p
While 1080p TVs (otherwise known as HDTVs) were the best and brightest a decade ago, technology has rapidly overtaken them. So unless you’re on a strict budget, it’s worth avoiding 1080p TVs now.
4K
4K, or ultra-HD TVs are the latest and greatest in TVs. They provide a picture quality that’s unparalleled today, with double the pixel density of standard HD. The technology is built on the concept of stacked rows of lights that provide brightness and an all-round higher quality of detail in your videos.
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post. This post has been pre-written.
