The 5 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Buying a High Definition TV
November 16, 2007
Buying a high-definition TV is complicated. You may hear many technical terms and it can get confusing. Even so, you need to make sure you understand what you are buying before you buy it right? Because if you don’t, you will end up disappointed, frustrated or with a bad case of buyers remorse. And of course, you don’t want that. You just want a nice TV!
So, let me show you the common mistakes buyers make when purchasing a high-definition TV so that you will not make the same mistakes.
1.) Which Picture Looks The Best
This is the most common mistake people make. They go to the store, find the TV with the best picture and purchase it. Plain and simple. Well, it’s usually not so simple when they get home and they find out that it does not have enough connections to hook up all of their entertainment devices. Or is not compatible with what they have.
Soon, they are either going through the hassle of taking the TV back or buying new equipment so that it will work with their new TV. That is a unplanned expense that could be avoided with a little research. This leads me to my next mistake.
2.) DVD, VHS, PS3, GBA, PVR
All of these devices listed above are something that will hook up to your TV. Knowing how many devices you will need to connect to your TV and how they will need to be connected is key. Make sure you identify what connection type the device uses.
Here is a helpful example:
If you have a cable with a yellow end on it then you have what is commonly called composite or RCA connections. This is pretty much on every device on the planet I think. DVD players, PVR’s, VHS players, etc.
If you have 3 wires green, blue, red then you have what is called component video. This is found on DVD players and PVR’s mostly.
If you have a cable that comes in your house from the cable company, that type of wire connection it is also called a coax connection. It is also found on DVD players, VHS and PVR’s.
If you have a connection with 24 pins in it you probably have a DVI connection. This is mostly found in 1080i HD Receivers, TV’s and DVD players. 
If you have a connection that looks like a USB port but bigger then you have a HDMI connection. This is the most common high definition connection seen on most current devices.
Don’t forget, not only should you document how many connections you will need your TV to accept but you will also need to write down which type of connections your new TV will need.
3.) Letting a Salesperson Decide for You
Many people trust the opinion of a salesperson when making large purchases. You would assume the would know more than you. I mean, they sell the things right? Actually, if you think about it, with the many different models and brands that they have to keep up with, how could they really be an expert in anything? Plus, they usually make a commission off of your sale. Most of them don’t even care if you like it or not, they just want to make the sale.
Then you get it home, and find, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Or maybe they are trying to clear out old stock and sold you last years model.
Research is key. Trusting a salesperson with your purchase could burn you in the long run. A few moment invested online searching through reviews and consumer reports could save you from making a huge mistake.
4.) Don’t Buy a No-Name Brand TV
Just because it is cheap does not mean you are getting a good deal. In fact the rule of thumb is you get what you pay for usually. Now, I’m not saying that a good deal can’t be found, thats part of what comparison shopping is all about. But, if you have never heard of the company before there is probably good reason.
Your sales person may try to tell you that they are all manufactured in the same plant and that they just rename them. Sometimes this is true. Sometimes it is not.
Remember you don’t have to make a purchase right that second. Take a pen and paper with you to the store. Write down the models and brands that you liked which also had enough hookups for your current devices, and go home and research them. Find the best one out of the bunch and get that one.
Plus, you may find a better deal online anyway. I mean, you have already seen the TV so you can comparison shop online. However, use caution. Only buy from a retailer that you have heard of like Best Buy or Circuit City. If something went wrong with your TV you don’t want to try and return it or get it fixed through Joe’s TV Shack.
5.) Poor Budgeting for Peripherals
It’s just like the “batteries not included” label on an flashlight package. It does not come with everything you need to get going right out of the box and neither does your TV.
You may need DVI or HDMI cables for your devices. You would not think cables could be very expensive but start pricing them now. They will add up very quickly. Especially high quality cables.
You may also need a TV stand or wall mount. You may want better sound to expand your high-definition experience and want to purchase a home theater system. Also, if you want to have your cable or satellite signal in high definition then you will need to add additonal costs per month to your cable bill. Whatever you need plan ahead. If not you could soon be spending way more than you initially bargained for just to get your TV and devices functional again.
I hope this has been informative and has helped you. Please contact us with any feedback you may have.
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