OK, in a nut shell:

• LCD - It stands for Liquid Crystal Display and without getting too technical it is  the type of TV, the other is Plasma
• HDTV - High Definition TV
• HDMI - High Definition Multimedia Interface is a type of cable to connect electronics to HDTVs

Keep in mind, not all LCD’s are HD. Check the box, owner manual or the TV itself, if it’s HD it will say it somewhere.

If you are using cable or satellite, your good to go but if you are on an antenna or rabbit ears, you’ll need to buy a digital converter box by February of 2009.

If you’re one of the Flintstones, you may still be using an old-fashioned curved-screen television. It’s time to switch up to one of the new DLP TV, don’t you think?

All types of flat panel televisions - from LCD display televisions to plasma TVs and projector units, are superior to old screens in a variety of ways. They don’t lose definition when seen from the edges, making those least-desired seats in your living room perfectly acceptable. They also have significantly better resolution than old-style televisions. You may still be able to make out the pixels when you sit close, but because high def television sets use digital technology instead of less-accurate analog, they have a much superior picture, either in still frames or motion. And they are designed to work well with all the latest technology, from blu-ray to HDTV.

Up until recently, flat-screen sets have been on the expensive side, and a lot of people who needed a new set were waiting until the prices came down a little. Well - it’s time. Small LCD TVs cost what an old-fashioned television would cost, if you could still find them, and even the large screens are often under a thousand dollars.

Before you buy, though, you need to (more…)

I found this funny so I’m passing it along (true story).

My neighbors and us go out every Wednesday for diner. Over diner our neighbors brought up the fact that they just ordered their first HDTV. I told them that was great and that you’re going to love it. I then asked them what size they bought. Beaming he said, we bought the biggest one they had on display, a 52 inch Sony. I’m just thankful that I didn’t have any fluids in my mouth at the time because everyone would have been sprayed. You see, the distance from their living room wall, where they plan to place the TV, and the seating area is at best, 6 feet away. Using the 3 - 5 rule (see earlier post on the 3 - 5 sizes rule) the biggest size should be a 30 inch HDTV.

I said to both of them, remember when you were kids and you went to the movie house and you sat in the first row or two? You laid your head back and looked straight up at the screen and you moved your head from side to side to see everything on the screen. I said, with the size you just ordered, that’s how your going to view your new HDTV.

My son said this was lame but I’ll tell you anyway. My neighbors don’t watch much TV but they are both very big into football and that’s why they wanted a HDTV, so they could enjoy watching football games. I told them that before they turned on the game to make sure they had their helmets on because they’re going to feel like they’re right on the field with the players.

Happy Ending:
Don’t you just love it when there is a happy ending! My neighbors cancel their order for the 52 inch HDTV and plan to reorder a more appropriate size.