More HDTV Buying Tips
Don’t Believe the Hype
Revolutionary technology is not usually in the hands of only one manufacturer, it takes a long time to invent, perfect and market a new technology. Because of the amount of interoperability that is required in today’s world, most things are done by committee, so that standards can be established. It becomes difficult to separate your product from your competitors when you all build products to meet a particular technical standard such as HDTV. Manufacturers rely on marketing wordsmiths to come up with memorable buzz words to describe often meaningless differences. Your eyes and the standards (in that order) are the only yards sticks that matter. So as the song says “don’t believe the hype”.
Walking
At some point you may come across a salesperson who is going to ask you to buy,
and that’s not a bad thing. That is their job. But, you must be comfortable
with what you are purchasing as well as the timing of the purchase. Don’t be
afraid to walk away if you are not ready to purchase; no deal is too good to
pass up. You will own your TV for a long time; so a day or two extra to make
a decision is not a long time. Don't be afraid to take your time and avoid
making a bad decision!
Even the most well designed products break from time to time, so the warranty on your new set is important. The design of Plasma and LCD flat panel HDTVs makes it almost more cost effective to replace rather than to repair these sets. Read the Warranty sheet of any set you plan to purchase, so that you know what is covered and what is not. If your set is large, make sure that the warranty service is “In-Home” service. If
you have a gold Visa, MasterCard or Amex, check your agreement; many of
these cards will provide additional warranty coverage if the HDTV was
purchased using the card. Ask your salesperson about the store’s return or
exchange policies, so that if you experience severe post purchase dissonance
you know what your options are. These new sets are large and in some cases
fragile. Give some thought to how you will get it home and set it up, before you purchase.
Happy shopping!
