Internet TV has been around a while but it hasn’t really taken off. However, 2011 could be the year when that all changes. Manufacturers believe that the user interfaces  for Internet TV are now advanced enough to allow users to control the content they want to watch more easily.

Google Leads The Way

In the race to win over users, Google TV is the hot favourite. The cloud computing  pioneers will be hoping that their Internet TV technology is as popular as their eponymous search engine.

Google has teamed up with Logitech to provide the boxes that will connect users to the Internet via their TV set and Sony is integrating Google’s technology into its newest TVs and Blu-Ray devices.

What’s more, Google is incorporating the popular Android operating system along with their Chrome browser. This will offer access to applications from the Android App Store and full Flash support. Theoretically, you should even be able to use an Android phone as a user interface with Google’s set-top box. The prospect of full Internet access, coupled with Android integration on your TV could very well give Google the edge on its competitors.

Yahoo! Connected.

Yahoo! and Samsung are collaborating too. The result is the Yahoo! Connected TV. These TVs come with an integrated Yahoo! widget allowing users to view their favourite sites on the Internet. Although the service will initially only be available on Samsung’s Internet@TV range, Yahoo! has also started shipping their Connected technology in other media players, such as Blu-Ray devices, media servers and set-top boxes.

The downside with Yahoo!’s technology is that users will only be able to access certain sites, which could prove to be a barrier to some customers.

Apple TV

A quicker way to get to grips with Internet on the telly might be Apple TV. Apple’s device has been around a while and has just been upgraded with a lower price tag. However, there are drawbacks with Apple’s offering. Although the device allows you to stream content from the Internet, much of it, such as iTunes content, has to be paid for and there’s no flash support or web browsing capability. So if you’re looking for that sort of functionality, you might be better off opting for one of Google’s set-top boxes.

Ultimately, the key to success in the Internet TV arena may very well depend on how easy companies make it for users to integrate Internet TV technology with their current hardware. And right now, Google seems to be the only company with the capability to deliver the sort of functionality customers are looking for.

Sony builds up its 3DTV offering with two new high end LED backlit TV models with 3D Readiness, and slim and stylish designs in the form of the BRAVIA NX713 and NX813.

Both Sony 3DTV models feature slimmer and sleeker designs, with smaller bezels around the edges of the screen.  The Sony NX713 comes with Motionflow 100Hz screen refresh picture processing, while the more expensive Sony NX813 has Motionflow 200Hz processing – aside from this difference in screen refresh rate, both models appear to be similar in specification and features and can be used with the optional designer TV stand which features  2.1 channel sound speakers in the base and tilts the TVs at 6 degrees – apparently the optimum viewing angle.

There’s also some built in Internet Content capabilities with video streaming from sites like Youtube, LoveFilm, picture viewing on Flickr and news updates from social sites Twitter and Facebook.

These new Sony BRAVIA TVs are 3D ready but require you to purchase an extra 3D Sync transmitter to play 3D content – with the idea that you only pay for 3D when you are ready to view it with suitable 3D programming, such as the new 3D services coming from Sky 3D subscriptions and Virgin Media.

The Sony NX713 comes in a 40 inch and 46 inch version, while the Sony NX813 is a substantial 55 inch TV model.

Sony BRAVIA NX713 and NX813 3D TV Images

See Also

• Sony TVs
• Televisions
• 3D TVs
• Sony Shop

It seems that there’s a bigger, better and brighter flat screen TV coming out every single week, and for the not-so-technically minded, the huge number of choices available when buying a new TV may seem somewhat mind-boggling. So, if you’re shopping for a new TV and looking to save money on a Plasma  or LCD screen TV, and want to make sure you get a quality home theatre experience, read on and get the low down on our Top 10 Best LCD and Plasma Screen TV’s for Under £350 and seek out the best value stylish TV for your money.

1.  Sharp LC19SH7EBK 19 Inch HD Ready LCD TV

Sharp’s new Aquos LC19SH7EBK 19 inch LCD TV looks set to be the answer to your prayers, epitomising the very best that Sharp has to offer, including performance, style and efficiency. With such sharp clarity pictures and tuned sound effects, your home’s living room will look and feel as close to the cinema as it’s possible to get and it comes at the incredibly low price of just £219.99.

This 19 inch TV screen has an image brightness rating of 300cd/m2, and comes with digital tuning capabilities. Furthermore, with its HD readiness, it will display crisp and clear images whenever you connect it up to a HD device, while it is able to support a 1366 x 768 pixel maximum resolution.

Sleek looking, the Sharp LC19SH7EBK comes with two built in 4 watt stereo speakers that provide crystal clear sound clarity and comes with a 5 year warranty as standard so you can be sure you are getting a good deal.

Slick and slim, this model measures a compact 457mm x 300mm x 67mm, and it weighs in at just 4 kg so it’s relatively easy to mount on your wall and will fit almost any living room.

Connectors include a S-video 1 SCART, 2 HDMI inputs and an AV input.

2.  LG 19LU4010 19 Inch Widescreen HD Ready LCD TV

Yet another high performance small screen LCD TV from those clever Koreans at LG. The new LG 19LU4010 19 inch HD Ready LCD TV looks and performs much like its predecessor the 19LU4000, with the same impressive angled stand.

Choose from a black or white casing, and sit back and enjoy the classic modern design of a beautifully low cost HD TV that comes loaded with all the features you could ever want, at a hugely affordable price of just £201.25.

With its 1366 x 768 resolution and contrast ratio of 8000:1, you can be assured of quality, sharp images and well defined colours no matter if you’re watching TV shows or DVD’s. With 2 HDMI’s available, the LG 19LU4010 is perfectly capable of handling a Blu-ray player, games consoles and more.

One of the biggest features of this model is its Clear Voice 2 Technology, making it able to render perfectly clear voices even when there is loud background noise while it is capable of handling even high pitch tracks with awesome clarity.

3.  Philips 19PFL3404D/12 19 Inch Widescreen LCD TV

With the newly released Philips 19PFL3404D/12 19 inch widescreen LCD, you’ll be able to experience awesome, cinematic quality picture and sound from the comfort of your own living room, all this for just £238.78.

Probably the best thing about the Philips 19PFL3404/D12 is that, like all Philips models, offers superior sound quality that will make you feel as if you’re sitting in a concert hall, thanks to its Incredible Surround feature that literally immerses you in audio.

Meanwhile, expect natural, vibrant images of cinematic quality, with over 28.9 billion colours and a resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels, the clarity and brightness is so clear you may even need sunglasses!

HD Ready and with SCART, VGA and HDMA connectivity, this is another versatile model of the quality we have come to expect from Philips.

4.  Panasonic Viera TX-L19X10B 19 Inch LCD HD Ready TV

Once again Panasonic live up to their reputation as kings of the flat panel TV world, with yet another blazing new model, this one aimed at first time buyers of LCD TV’s.

The Panasonic Viera TX-L19X10B 19 inch LCD TV, costing just £237.99 comes with a stylish and sleek black cabinet surround, while its ideal proportions and slenderness make it a great choice of TV for your living room, bedroom, kitchen, in fact anywhere you could possibly want to place a TV.

HD ready, this model has an impressive resolution ration of 1366 x 768 pixels, resulting in pin-sharp images, vivid colours and a great contrast that will leave you feeling almost light headed with wonder.

Additionally, with its integrated Freeview tuner, it’s possible to choose from a multitude of free-to-air TV channels, while its SCART, VGA and HDMA connectivity means you can enjoy DVD’s, console games and more.

5.  Toshiba 22AV615DB 22 Inch HD Ready LCD TV

The new Toshiba 22AV615DB 22 Inch HD Ready LCD TV is an ideal choice for your living room, kitchen or bedroom, a perfect solution to your digital TV needs.

The second smallest model offered by Toshiba, this compactly designed model comes rich in features, including the Active Vision picture processing technology that produces sharp clarity images of never-before seen quality. Meanwhile its less than prohibitive cost of £199.99 makes its appeal all the more dramatic

Toshiba’s Dynamic Contrast feature allows for perfect automatic image balancing, decreasing backlight during dark scenes and increasing it during brightly lit scenes, so the quality of your images is perfection at all times.

The Stylish design of the Toshiba 22AV615DB hides a wealth of other features too, including a PC input, 3 HDMI slots and a gripping audio quality from its integrated stereo sound speakers.

6.  Samsung LE22B650 22 Inch HD Ready LCD TV

The Samsung LE2B650 22 inch HD Ready LCD TV offers all the supreme qualities that we have come to expect from Samsung, only this time in a compact size that makes it versatile enough to be used almost anywhere in your home.

The design is exquisite and flawless, and its beauty is matched by its efficient power consumption, meaning you will not only be saving money on the £237.44 price, but on your electric bills too.

Sharp image quality is guaranteed with Motion Plus, which runs at a rate of 200 Hz, double the rate of regular TV’s, meaning even the fastest paced action scenes will be seamless and free from blurs. Combined with Samsung’s Ultra Clear Panel®, you’ll be able to enjoy the crispest images yet that are totally free from glare, offering a vibrancy of colours.

Connections include 2 x HDMI slots, SCART and VGA inputs.

7.  LG 26LH2000 26 Inch LCD TV

The LG 26LH2000 26 inch LCD TV introduces innovation’s greener side with a model that is not only HD Ready, but has been officially Energy Saving Trust certified to save you money on your monthly bills.

As well as its HD-Readiness, the LG 26LH2000 comes with an incorporated Freeview receiver, meaning you can receive up to 48 completely free new terrestrial digital TV channels.

It’s also fully connectable with your Blu-ray player, home cinema system and games consoles thanks to its HDMI input port, offering you the definitive multimedia experience in the comfort of your own home, for just £279.99

In addition to its outstanding picture clarity and sound quality, LG’s AV mode offers three distinct choices that will allow you to enhance the image and audio quality dependent on what you are watching or what games you are playing. Cinema Mode allows you to watch movies with cinematic sounds, perfect motion and vivid colours while Sports Mode and Game Mode are optimized for the enjoyment of your favourite sports games and video games.

8.  Samsung LE32C450 32 Inch Widescreen HD Ready LCD TV

Available at an incredibly low price of just £268.19, the new Samsung LE32C459 32 inch Widescreen HD Ready LCD TV brings the ultimate in affordable, high quality 32 inch viewing to your home.

The unique Wide Colour Enhancer utilizes 3D colour stretching technology to saturate the pixels on screen, achieving a naturally sharp image quality that will leave viewers in awe. Moreover, your viewing pleasure is further enhanced with the Digital Noise Filter, subduing outside interference and background noise, leaving you with only the most crystal clear clarity

Samsung also grant the convenience of one touch control for each and every one of your HDMI connected devices, including audio and video players, delivered through the touch of the Anyet+ remote control. Never again will your coffee table be littered with dozens of remotes.

For photography fans, one further added benefit is the USB port, which allows you to connect and enjoy on 32 inch widescreen all of your home videos, holiday photos and memories, rendered in splendid detail.

9.  LG 32LD350 32 Inch HD LCD TV

If you want quality and affordability for your home entertainment system, look no further than the 32 inch LG 32LD350 LCD TV, available at a bargain price of just £339.29.

Sophisticated and stylish, it provides 5 times the image quality of a standard definition TV thanks to its HD Ready 1080p and 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, at the same time delivering cinematic clarity and dazzling colours. 1080p TV is truly the only way to enjoy Blu ray and high definition gaming to the fullest.

Maximize the settings and quality of your TV with the Picture Wizard, a unique image controlling feature that allows you to optimize your viewing for sports, movies and gaming.

Connectivity includes SCART and 2 HDMI inputs while just as with all LG models, the LG 32LD350 LCD TV comes with an inbuilt Digital Freeview receiver, giving you access to over 40 free terrestrial TV channels and Digital Interactive Services.

10.  LG 32LD450 32 Inch HD Ready LCD TV

Now’s the time to begin enjoying a full HD TV viewing experience and what better way to begin than with the LG 32LD450 32 Inch HD Ready LCD TV?

Beautiful and stylish, the LG 32LD450 is full of innovations and features, and offers a stunning performance that is matched only by its low cost, just £296.95.

You’ll get Full HD Resolution, giving you an image detail that is crystal clear, while the amazing Dynamic Contrast Ratio of 100,000:1 guarantees the deepest blacks and most vivid colours. Moreover, the 20 watt audio stereo system delivers clarity of sound that is as close to life as you can get.

Other notable performances include a MP3 and JPEG file capability via a USB port, a 4 millisecond response time and 3 HDMI inputs.

JVC first announced the ultra-slim 32-inch LT-32WX50 display monitor at the CEDIA 2009 expo, a lightweight and aesthetically designed thin display monitor, catering for the custom install market (such as shop-front displays).

In a press release, JVC highlights its collaboration with industry professionals, furniture craftsmen and interior designers with a focus on improving the way monitor displays are used and fitted, with particular emphasis on the thin and lightweight properties of the JVC LT-32WX50 display monitor which is a mere 6.4mm thick (at its thinnest point) and weighs a relatively light 5.7kg.  The JVC LCD Monitor has a Contrast ratio of 4000:1 (native) and a wide colour gamut providing 90% Adobe RGB coverage to ensure image reproduction with exceptionally high resolution.

The bulkiest point of the monitor is around 25mm thick, for connectivity options, which includes 2 HDMI ports, a PC input and slots for an SD memory card and USB memory stick.  There’s no tuner built into the monitor, which is not unexpected for a display monitor, but consumers intending to buy the LCD TV for the home will need to connect it to a suitable media device such as a dvd player, game console, freeview box or similar input source.

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Toshiba has successfully produced the first TV sets that allow you to watch 3D programming without the need for 3D glasses. Without doubt, this will be a major coup for the company, as TV manufacturers trip over themselves in order to be the innovators in the brave new world of 3D TV.

Thinking Outside The Box

Certainly Sony, LG, Samsung and Panasonic will be looking on at Toshiba’s newest development nervously, as their own models, rolling off the production lines, all require glasses and user reviews to date haven’t exactly been glowing. In fact, Panasonic has already cut prices in the US in order to stimulate demand.

It’s become clear that end-users are finding the glasses uncomfortable to wear (not to mention aesthetically unpleasing) and the overall 3D experience isn’t living up to the hype. Add in the high cost of purchasing the TV and the glasses, and it’s easy to see why many are sticking with tried and tested large-screen LCDs and plasmas.

However, Toshiba may not be the only manufacturer that’s set to release the first glasses-free 3D TV, Philips has been working on similar technology for some time and is said to be developing their technology in tandem with a method of upscaling standard 2D images into 3D.

It’s All About Vision

What we do know is that Toshiba is basing its format on Nintendo’s 3DS gaming console. This technology consists of a ‘parallax barrier’ made up of a thin layer of material on the screen with slits that allow the eye to view alternate sets of pixels, thereby creating the 3D effect.

Up Close and Personal

The disadvantage is that the technology was designed to be used with handheld devices. With bigger screens, the viewer needs to sit in a specific position to be able to experience the full 3D effect. In the case of Toshiba’s 20-inch screen, this means sitting at just 35 inches away in a centrally defined field of just 40 degrees. This, of course, will make it difficult for more than two viewers to watch the TV. So, cuddling up will be a pre-requisite if more than just one person wants to enjoy the full 3D effect.

The company is said to be working on a 56-inch model, but, until this appears, will there really be much demand for what is set to be the most expensive 20-inch TV in the world. As many people will have already forked out on a large-screen LCD/Plasma in the last couple of years, it may be a while yet before we see 3D TV really take off.

You don’t need to spend a couple of hundred grand to afford a great home cinema set-up. But if you do happen to have that sort of cash lying about, here are a few ideas for what you could be looking at.

Kingston Home Theatre

Nice! Coming in at a wallet-annihilating £200,000, this Kingston Home Theatre set-up comes with a mammoth 140 inch Screen Research Curved X-Mask screen. It utilises a Runco VX22D projector with a McKinley motorised anamorphic lense to optimise 2.35:1, as well as 16:9 images. There’s even a Niveus ProN4 media server with 500 GBs of storage for your movie collection. Sit back and relax in D-Box Motion ready Fortress Matinee seats. Serious kit for the seriously loaded.

Think that’s pricey? Check out this cinema set-up modelled on the Batcave.

The Batcave

It’s not the specs that’ll cost the big bucks here, but the accessories. A ‘fantasy’ set-up like this could set you back £300,000 and that’s before you’ve installed any audio-visual equipment. POW!

Of course, designing your home cinema room after your favourite movie isn’t uncommon, check out this Star Wars inspired theatre.

Star Wars Theatre

This is a ten-seater with automatic doors, naturally, and a twinkling fibre optical star field. This out-of-this-world home theatre was actually designed by one of the set designers on Star Wars. And the cost? Astronomical!

The Grand Daddy of Home Cinema Setups

But when it comes to ‘blowing the budget out of the water’, Jeremy Kipnis wins hands-down with his $6 million home theatre system. Yes, you did hear right! It cost six big ones to put this installation together. It includes an ultra-high resolution Sony SRX-R110 digital cinema projector, 8.8 audio powered by both solid state and vacuum tube amplifier and not one, but 16 18-inch subwoofers.

Of course, you don’t need $6 million to create a great home cinema system. All you need is a spare room in your home, which can be customised to your own taste and a few decent components. For example, the Samsung HT-BD1220 could be the foundation of your very own great home cinema set-up. Couple this with the likes of the Samsung LE55C650 55 inch LCD TV that includes Internet and you’ve got the makings of a great home theatre that can even download movies. Finally, add a Blu-ray player, such as this BDPS370 from Sony and you’ve got a great little home cinema that won’t cost you the earth.

No home theatre, however, would be complete without the best seat in the house and for that, you could do much worse than this Napoli Recliner. There you go! Your very own killer home cinema for under £2000, with plenty left over for as much popcorn as you can eat.

Happy viewing.

Since the invention of the wheel there have been innovations that have changed the world in which we live, beyond recognition – nowhere more so than in the technology arena.  Here, we pay homage to six innovations that radically moulded the way we live today.

6. The Modem

Imagine a world without Internet, but that, in all likelihood, would be the reality if the modem had never been invented. The original purpose of the modem (short for modulator/demodulator) was to convert digital signals into analogue for transmission over a telephone line and they were originally mass-produced to connect terminals of the United States’ air defense system. Today’s cable, ADSL and optical modems are much more advanced and considerably faster, bringing Internet, TV and telecommunication into homes all over the world.

5. The Commodore 64

It’s the computer that started home computing and, in some respects, the home video gaming industry. Unsurprisingly, at over 30 million units sold, it ranks as the number one selling computer of all time. The success of the Commodore 64 came down to ease of use. All you had to do was hook it up to an ordinary TV. Plus, the fact that it was the first to be sold in retail shops as opposed to electronic stores. The original games for the Commodore 64 are still available for other gaming consoles today.

4. The MP3 Player

It’s hard to imagine the world without portable digital music players, but, again, it’s not that long since we were walking around with these devices that could only play one tape or CD at a time and if you wanted to carry a lot of music with you, you needed big pockets. Today, MP3 players or even your mobile phone can store thousands of tracks of music.

3. The Mobile Phone

From the telephone bricks of the 80s to today’s Smartphones, the mobile phone has come a long way. Yet, it was only in 1973 when the first mobile phone call was made by Martin Cooper, the General Manager of Motorola (now CEO) and another ten years before the Dynatac phone became the world’s first commercially available mobile phone. 2010 sees Apple’s iPhone ushering in a whole new era in mobile phone technology.

2. And Talking of Apple..

..this article isn’t complete without mentioning this year’s must-have – the Apple iPad. True, just about everything Apple has come out with in the last ten years has had an unprecedented effect on the way we see technology. But the iPad takes mobile personal computing to new heights and, more importantly, has inspired a host of copycat companies. To some, the iPad might be just an oversized iPhone but the next generation of tablet PCs are on the way and promise to shape the way we use technology from now on.

1. The Flat Screen TV

Finally, we end this article with a device found in just about every modern home on the planet. The CRT TV is no more. Our living rooms have been transformed by the emergence of flat screen technology making it possible for the typical household to have space-saving flat screen TVs throughout the home offering high definition and, for some, a 3D, cinema-style experience from the comfort of their favourite armchair.

Many families have a separate room set aside as a day room/play area for children these days. Installing a TV in these rooms is a good idea for entertainment, as well as educational purposes. If separate play space is limited, some parents may opt to put a TV in the children’s bedroom. If you’re looking to buy a budget TV for either of these scenarios, here are a few things you should look out for and a few possible options.

Little people don’t need a big TV.

One easy way of cutting costs when it comes to buying a TV for the kids is screen size. A TV for the playroom doesn’t need to be nearly as big as the one for the family viewing room. However, CRTs can be very bulky, so it is worth splashing out on a LCD TV or plasma. In fact, flat screen TVs can actually be a lot safer, if installed correctly. In play areas, all TVs should be wall-mounted or securely anchored to furniture or fittings. You may need to buy a separate fitting for this, so take that into account when budgeting. Vogels make a good range of wall mounts for LCDs.

Child-friendly.

Many manufacturers are now building TVs especially for children such as this range of animal shaped 9.6 inch TVs from Hannspree. These come with a lot of safety features and are designed to be child-friendly. However, younger children will still need help to use the remote control. Alternatively, you could simply pre-program the TV to their favourite children’s channel.

Children love DVDs and will very often watch their favourite ones over and over. So, one option, if you don’t have a separate DVD player, is to go for a TV with a built-in DVD player. This Sanyo CE22LD90DV-B 22 Inch model is a good price and comes with an integrated digital tuner. However, DVD players, whether standalone or integrated, are not advisable for smaller children as they can often try to force objects into the DVD slot.

For an older child’s room, it is worth considering purchasing a laptop or desktop computer with a TV card, as this could save you forking out on a separate device to watch TV/DVDs.

Some parental advice.

Nearly all LCD TVs now come with parental controls. Make sure yours comes with the features you need. Take the time to learn how it works and make sure it is set correctly after installation. Choosing a model with a sleep function that can help you limit viewing time. Another way of limiting access, in a bedroom, for example, is to install the TV inside a cupboard with a lock that only be opened by an adult.

Finally, before making your final choice, make sure you have all the interface connectors you need for peripherals such as satellite, cable, DVD/Video and any game consoles.

Best Budget TV Shops

You can buy budget and cheap TVs from leading electrical retailers and high street shops , including dedicated TV stores.  Popular TV shops with a wide variety of budget TV models to choose from include:

• Argos TVs
• Comet TVs
• Currys TVs
• Dixons TVs
• PC World TVs
• Tesco TVs
• Direct TVs
• Beyond Television

Popular brands for TVs include Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, LG and Toshiba.

Flat screen TVs are here to stay. Bulky CRTs are a thing of the past. It’s clear that a modern 32 inch (or bigger) flat screen on a wall or shelf looks much better than a clunky CRT in a corner. But if you’re on a budget, what should you be looking for?

Firstly when it comes to choosing between a Plasma TV or an LCD TV, there isn’t that much difference. Plasmas are said to be better at displaying dark colours and fast moving images while LCDs tend to be better at dealing with glare, so a LCD TV would be better in a bright room, whereas sports fans may be better off with plasma.

Screen Size.

Generally, your budget will limit the size of screen you can afford, although some lower end TVs can provide a screen size of up to 40 inches for under £400 if you’re willing to sacrifice on features and quality. The best of these budget brands is arguably LG for both LG LCD TVs and LG Plasma TVs.

Many videophiles will say there is no point buying a flat screen LCD or plasma that has a screen of less than 26 inches as, at these sizes, especially on budget models, a CRT is likely to perform better. However, it is more important to look at the size and shape of the room your TV will be situated in. As a general rule, you should be seated at eye level with your TV and at a distance of two to three times the size of the screen.

Get Connected.

Once you’ve selected screen size, look at the features you’ll need. You won’t get a 3DTV for under £400, but you should be able to get a digital tuner should you need it. You should also be able to get a HDTV. The Sharp LC32LE600E offers excellent value with a built-in digital tuner and LED backlighting for a better picture (they are commonly sold as LED TVs).

You’ll also need to look at the connections you need for your peripherals, such as Blu-ray player, DVD recorder, HTPC set-up, etc. All TVs come with HDMI these days, just make sure you have enough SCART connections for your older devices. A front-facing A/V connection is handy for a video game console or camcorder.

Picture Perfect.

Of course, the picture is important too. Everyone sees TV displays differently, so check out the models on the high street, but make sure the shop has a room that imitates the conditions under which you’re likely to view the TV at home. In many shops, the TVs will be set up to look better under bright shop lighting. Samsung’s are a good mid-range brand in this respect. The Samsung LE32B450C4 has a feature known as Wide Colour Enhancer 2 for more lifelike hues and excellent surround sound, handy if you’re not passing your sound through a home theatre system.

Other Features.

What about the remote control? Do you want a model that comes with a universal remote, or a ‘learning’ remote to control other devices? Take all of this into account, before you make your choice. Again, many Samsungs come with a universal remote.

In addition, some TVs come with dual tuners to allow Picture-In-Picture (PIP) to watch two channels at once.

One solid all-round performer we found was the Sony Bravia KDL37S5500U. This 37 inch LCD has been given excellent reviews by satisfied buyers. With a superb contrast ratio for a near-perfect picture and a USB port that allows you to play media content from a USB drive, this TV can be found for just over £400. Happy viewing!

Best TV Shops

You can buy TVs from most electrical stores and high street retailers, including dedicated TV shops.  Popular TV stores with a wide selection of models to choose from include:

• Argos TVs
• Comet TVs
• Currys TVs
• Dixons TVs
• PC World TVs
• Tesco TVs
• Direct TVs
• Beyond Television