42 Inch Flat Screen TV brings you the latest model 42 inch LCD HDTV’s, 42 inch Plasma televisions and 3D ready flat screens.
We hope this buying guide will enable you to choose the best 42 inch flat screen TV at a cheap price which suites your budget.
42 Inch Plasma TV or 42 Inch LCD HDTV – Which is Right for You?
Most flat panel screens are LCD because they are cheaper than plasma screens. They are generally used in screen sizes 42 inches and smaller.
The main advantage of an LCD Screen is that it is cheaper than a plasma screen, and is best suited for use in bright rooms. The advantage of a plasma screen is the black level performance in dark rooms (intensity of black in the picture).
What is Important When Buying a 42 Inch Flat Screen TV?
Firstly do you really need a 42″ TV? Your decision will be decided by your budget and due diligence, but do you have the space?
Unless you are a TV and video fanatic, like most of our team is – you may not want your set to look over powering in your room. Distance from viewing, to your sitting position in your room also need consideration. Typically, the average person is happy sitting quite far away from the .
But I am talking about you, the lover of all things television and video! The ideal distance for you to sit from the pixels and images is no less than one and a half times the viewing size, and no further away than double.
So, for a 42 inch screen – between 61″ and 84″ is perfect for submerging yourself into the video world.
Also, don’t forget you will need to consider ventilation space behind and above the TV.
There is so much information about so many different features of 42″ LCD, Plasma and HDTV’s on the web, that it has become confusing when choosing the right one. So we have endeavoured to break down for you, the features which you need to consider and the ones you can ignore. Because half of them are useless!
Important Basic Features
Screen – You have a choice of a glossy or a matte finish. A matte screen is great if the room your TV is in, is bright. Because it cuts down on screen reflections. Otherwise choose a glossy finish, which you will find on top end models anyway.
16:9 Aspect Ratio – This is the ration of height compared to width. Older standard sets are 4:3 aspect ration, whereas HDTV’s are 16:9 (widescreen).
Energy Efficiency – An LCD TV uses around half the energy of a typical plasma TV set.
HDMI Inputs – Make sure the television you choose has a minimum of 3 HDMI inputs, so you have no problems connecting all your hardware. This will be enough to connect a satellite, DVD player and a video games console.
If you want to connect more components, you will need the HDMI inputs to suite.
Picture Controls – Choose a TV with enough preset picture settings. You will then be able to adjust and tweak to your hearts content, if you are someone who likes to set up viewing options manually.
60Hz, 120Hz, 240Hz, 480Hz, 600Hz – This is the refresh rate of each still picture when viewing. 120Hz means 120 per second. For the ordinary person, it is hardly noticeable to determine the difference between 60Hz and 600Hz.
However, if you enjoy high end, crystal clear fast moving scenes, then you need to choose a higher refresh rate.
Basic Features to Ignore
Energy Star – Almost every TV available is covered by ‘Energy Star’. Manufacturers and retailers only display it for the hype factor! It is useless for comparing televisions.
Contrast Ratio – This means the difference between the darkest black and the brightest white on a screen. Problem is that it there is no way of measuring it.
Viewing Angle – LCD’s usually have enough viewing angles for the average person. However, plasma displays offer better angles than LCD’s. But (again, for the hype factor) viewing angle claims of up to 180 degrees are not uncommon, but you will rarely see effective screen brightness from that angle.
1080p resolution – This is generally standard for all models of 42 inch screen size.
Other Features
Most units can be fixed to a wall mount bracket.