Choose the perfect TV

Find out which TVs give you cinema-quality viewing or can pause live TV by reading Ideal Home's guide to the latest models

How do I choose the right size TV for my living room?
Think about distance. You need to be able to sit around 2.4m away from a 25-27in screen, 3m away from a 32in screen, 3.3m from 36in and upwards and 3.6m from a 50in screen. Some TVs offer a wide viewing angle feature, which makes the screen's images more crisp and clear from wherever you are sitting in the room.

And what about the bedroom?
The best choice is a good-quality, slim LCD or plasma screen that can be wall-mounted. Consider an LCD TV with a built-in DVD player, as they tend to be smaller.

What do I need to create a home cinema?
Opt for a model with Nicam Stereo, which has a clear sound that comes from built-in speakers, while Virtual Dolby bounces the sound around the room. Picture freeze lets you pause live TV, and automatic sensors adjust the contrast and brightness depending on the light in the room. Sets with memory card readers allow you to view your digital photos easily on the screen.

What's the best TV for gaming?
Look for HDMI connections, which connect set-top boxes, DVD players and games consoles to TVs. Game mode is also useful, as it enhances the picture and sound quality when playing.

How do I make sure my TV doesn't go out of date too quickly?
Go for an HD-ready TV, with four times the picture quality (measured in pixels) of standard digital TV. HD-ready TVs can receive channels from Sky HD, Virgin Media V-box and freesat. Freesat is a new digital service from the BBC and ITV which gives you 130 free HD channels - you'll have to buy a satellite dish, though, if you don't already have one.

Jargon Buster

LCD or Plasma? LCD TVs use less power and last longer; plasma TVs have good contrast and bigger screens
Pixels Choose from 1,280 x 800 for up to 37in to 1,920 x 1,080 for above
Widescreen This will give you less distortion and a wider angle
HDMI Connections These are digital versions of SCART sockets
Touch-screen technology Press the screen instead of buttons

Where to buy
•Compare prices of televisions on price comparison websites such as www.kelkoo.co.uk or www.pricerunner.co.uk - they have a list of the latest deals as well as user reviews.
•Search for specific product type at www.foundem.co.uk - for example, you can look for LCD or plasma televisions only.
•Find out more about your choice at www.trustedreviews.com and read opinions about the different models on the market

Choose your perfect model using Ideal Home's guide to the latest TVs

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