2. Avoid The Really Cheap, Continued

Another word to the wise is that you do not want a projection HDTV. I know that 10 - 15 years ago these monstrously obese sets were the penultimate symbol of wealth, but now it’s sort of like a step back for high definition. Projection sets are only available for really big TV sets. Shopping around, you’ll probably be able to find a 46"- 50" projection HDTV for around $1,000. The price tag will look good, but these sets are, for all intents and purposes, impossible to move. I guess that’s good if you ever get robbed, but then again the thief would probably prefer a flat-panel anyway.

At over 184 lbs., this 60" monster projection HDTV from Philips probably weighs more than you do.

Also, most projection HDTVs use a technology called digital light processing (DLP) for picture display, which is widely panned by video enthusiasts because of abnormal image effects and poor response time for fast-moving video. For the budget conscious, projectors are also just not a viable solution. A quality HD projector alone is tough to find for under $1,000, especially after factoring in the price of a screen and installation.

There is also a lot more talk now about 1080p sets. A lot of HDTV models only support a top video resolution of between 720p and 1080i. The number refers to how many lines of pixels there are. The top technology available now is 1080p. Even if a TV has a little less than 1080 lines, however, the viewing can be set to show a good representation of a 1080i quality. What 1080p adds is the ability to refresh the pixels at twice the speed of a 1080i set. A 1080i (interlaced) set refreshes every other pixel across the screen, back and forth, in the span of 1/30 of a second, while a 1080p (progressive) TV can refresh all pixels at the same time, resulting in an even clearer, more-seamless video display.

Virtually all Blu-ray Discs and HD DVDs have 1080p support, but other than that, there is almost no content source that uses this technology. Absolutely no cable or satellite programming is available in 1080p and you’ll be hard pressed to find three good video games that support the top video resolution.

There’s also debate about just how much of a difference there is between the two formats. Right now, 1080p technology comes at a rather absurd price premium over 720p/1080i, and given the lack of mainstream content available, it makes very little financial sense to worry about 1080p right now.

Finally, when you’re purchasing a big-ticket item like an HDTV, you always want one of the top-name brands. Again, it’s easy to find an inexpensive set when you browse the list of manufacturers that are just some cheap side project set up by a refrigerator company or whatever. Also be sure to avoid any "store brand" HDTVs, like Best Buy’s Insignia line. These are usually products created by a bigger company, with the store asking for an exclusive name stamp. I imagine the conversation is probably something like: "Psst...you know all those bad HDTV sets you have sitting in your nuclear waste bin? We’d like to buy all of them, so we can sell them for 10% less than your good models." I only combed through the most trusted consumer electronics names to find some of the best sub-$1,000 options available.