Kickoff time approaches. Are you super psyched for the city of New Orleans to have something great to cheer about? Are you leaning the other way in the hope that Peyton Manning and the Colts can reprise their performance from 2006 with another big finish? Or are you simply a fan of the game of football and the last, big, season-ending hurrah (or maybe The Who’s halftime show?) that is the Super Bowl?
However you’re leaning, you might be so excited about this game and the opportunity to gather with a house full of friends that you’re thinking you might take the plunge and set yourself up with the perfect new TV to watch the game. If that’s the case, there are some great pointers to keep in mind to save you from being blindsided by that big purchase.
As LiveScience writes, you’re in good company. More than a quarter of high definition television (HDTV) owners pulled the trigger on their purchase expressly for viewing an upcoming major sporting event, and they outline some helpful technical tips to guide your buy, starting with the very basics.
HDTV technology is currently available in three technological platforms: LED, LCD and plasma. You’re going to need to start with the space availability or limitations of the room where you’ll be doing your TV watching. If space is limited, you’ll probably find more suitable choices with the LCD format which start at 19 inches; plasma screens generally don’t come smaller than 42 inches.
Technical specs to be mindful of include the screen definition. The two standard specifications on the US market are 720 and 1080 pixels. 720 offers a fine high definition picture. 1080 offers an even better one, but at a higher price. Another question to ask about the models you may be looking at is refresh rate, or how many times per second the image you see on the the screen is updated with a new image signal. A refresh rate of 60 times per second is most common, but there are sets with refresh rates of 120 and 240 that offer an increasingly vibrant viewing experience. Here too, you can expect to pay extra for this bit of bells and whistles.
If you’re going to take the plunge, make no one throws a flag on the play for electronic waste infractions. Old sets are no longer welcome at many municipal waste facilities, but there are easy ways to ensure your unwanted equipment is handled properly. Donation of still-working equipment to a favorite local charity is always a great option. But if it’s seen better days, proper disposal is a must. Some retailers such as Best Buy have programs to help ease the hand-off. Earth911.com and the EPA also offer online search tools to locate disposal services in your area.
Whether you’re making do with your existing set or enjoying the game on your brand new screen, we hope that you have an fun and enjoyable Super Bowl weekend. May the best team win!
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Photo courtesy of Bekathwia via flickr