8 steps to follow before you buy a new TV

Buying a television is often a stressful assignment, especially when you are on a very limited budget. You want the best value for your buck and you want to be able to purchase your new television with confidence and know that it will not stop working the moment you set it up. Your ready to start your journey for the best darn cheap tv on the planet, but before you slam your rockstar energy soda and go trouncing thru Circuit City, Bestbuy, and the local flea market-holster that can of sugary caffeine water, sit down and ask these 8 important questions:

The word Cheap and a New TV

There is nothing wrong with wanting a good deal for a TV or anything else for that matter but, do you really want a cheap TV? The word cheap is associated with low quality and bad quality doesn't transpose great when it comes to a new televison so take that word out of your mind.Everyone has a budget, so the first thing you need to do is figure out a dollar value and switch the word "cheap" with "best deal for what you are prepared to spend".

Financing?

Now that you have figured a dollar value, are you going to pay cash or finance the tv? Sometimes you can get great bargins on financing like 0% interest for 1 year or no payments for 6 months. By financing your TV, your monthly dues will be naturally less than if you were to pay cash for it, which will allow for further consideration to a nicer, bigger, newer, better TV. These deals are subject to the retailer so be sure to ask when you spot something you like.

Proper Positioning

Where is the TV going to be located? In the bathroom while you shower? In your game room? Outside in your garage or in the Family room? Figure out not only the room where the TV will be located but also measure the width and depth of the space it will be in such as a built-in entertainment center, mounted on a wall, or a TV stand. How far away will the TV be positioned from where you are viewing? If you are buying a TV to view in your kitchen while you make spagetti and meatballs, a 65" LCD TV will be a bit to large and over powering for your 8×8 country kitchen area. General guidelines for rooms are:

-Kitchen, bathroom, garage-8?-22? (portable tvs are an option here)

-Bedrooms and guest rooms- 22?-30? screen

-Family room, living room, or game room- 32? and up depending on square footage.

Sort Term or Long Term?

How long do you plan to have the TV for? With all the advancements in technology, it might be wise to spend a few extra smackers for a newer TV if you plan on keeping it for more than 2 years. better TVs have added features like PIP (picture in picture), universal remotes, HDMI inputs, and HDTV resolution that is becoming more standard now and are not produced in TVs that are more than 8-10 years old. So be sure that IF you are serious about buying a TV, please consider the current functionality as well as the future functionality.

Warranty

If there is no warranty then don't bother. I know this is common sense but some people don't take this important aspect of buying a TV into consideration. These people are usually the ones who are scavaging for a "cheap" TV at Frank's Barely Functional TVs. Used TVs almost always do not have a warranty with them and new TVs typically carry a 90 day warranty with the option to extend the warranty. I don't recommend getting an extended warranty for an HDTV because according to Consumer Reports, the over-whelming majority of HD TVs do not need repair during the warrantee period. I would however recommend an extended warranty for Rear projection or CRT tube TVs because they seem to have more problems generally speaking.

Transporting Your New TV

How will you get the TV home? If you don't have a truck, van, or SUV or know someone who does, it might be extremely difficult getting your television from the show room to your final destination if the boob toob is over 32 inches. You also want to make sure that if you are using a truck that you have the proper bungee cords or straps to tie around and secure the TV. Please be careful when transporting the TV. You shouldn't set the TV screen side down or on its back because you will damage the screen and ruin your brand new TV before you can even begin to enjoy it. So bare in mind you will be restricted as to how you load the television and keep in mind the size of the box and the overall weight of the TV. This is why I prefer buying online. A lot of times if your purchase is above a certain dollar value, you will get free shipping and thus, eliminate a lot if not all of the hassle of transporting the TV and even the hassle of bouncing from store to store. Convenience is a major consideration here.

Surf the Web first

Did you research different TVs on the internet before you left the house? You will save lots and lots of time, money, and energy by looking things up on the net. Peruse several websites to make sure that what you are buying at the local retailer is the best deal that you are getting, if of course you plan on buying in person. Nothing can achieve this objective faster than looking it up on the internet. Even if you plan on buying your TV from your local Circuit City, go to their website and scrutinize what TVs they have in stock and compare with other retailers. Majority of the time you will discover better bargains on the internet than any retail store so do not leave this viable alternative out. Another point worth mentioning is that you can not only examine many competitors at once but you can also read real customer reviews and feedback on just about any make and model TV there is. This way you can gain better insight as to what TV would be best for your needs.

Well, there you have it. I hope that this article will be thought provoking enough to help to you in your quest for finding "the best deal for the amount of money you are prepared to spend". There are many sites on the net available to you which will point you in the right direction like this one HERE. So, now that you are armed with the right knowledge, go ahead and whip out that surpybottle of caffeine water, take a chug and get to it! And remember to take your time and have fun choosing your brand new TV!



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Ricky Richter has been writing and reviewing information, products, and services for TVs for many years now and has authored dozens of articles across the web. To find out more information regarding all aspects of TVs go to www.allabouttvs.com