An Important Caution on LCD TVs

If you grew up with a CRT TV, you might recall how well it attracted dust. You may have even been handed some Windex and instructed to clean the screen.

Do not do this with your LCD TV! Many ordinary glass cleaners contain ammonia and will either permanently discolor the display or leave a film behind.

Instead, dampen a lint-free or microfiber cloth (like the ones that come with eyeglasses) and then wipe the screen clean. Don't use paper towels, which can leave fibers behind, and don't spray anything right at the screen -- just dampen the cloth.

The good news is that LCD TVs do not collect as much static as CRT sets, and may not need to be dusted as frequently.

Choosing a Proper Wall Mount

There are a few things to consider in mounting flat panel TVs. First, make sure that you check the mounting holes on the back of your TV. Also, be sure you know the dimensions and weight of your set before purchasing your wall mount.

Consider the mounting distance. Do you want your TV as close to the wall as possible? Would you like it to swivel or tilt, or would you rather have an extension so you can move the TV further into the room?

CircuitCity.com Tip: Mounts for flat panel TVs come in several varieties:

Fixed: This is the type of bracket that will mount flat panel TVs immovably to the wall and is also the mount most used for "flush" mounting.

Swing Mounts: These mounts are adjustable allowing for more versatility. This mount can be near flush with the wall or extended into the room, plus it allows for rotation of the TV.

Tilt and Pan mounts: Tilt and pan mounts allow for even greater motion than swing mounts. The range is from near flush to the wall to about 20 inches into the room! Some of these mounts are also allow for swiveling the TV.

Tilting Mounts: Tilting mounts hold the TV about 3 inches from the wall and allow you to tilt the TV. This is the most common type of mount.

Calibrating Your Color

Adjusting these settings will help you get the best possible picture out of your flat panel TV:

• Brightness: Controls the strength of whites on the screen.
• Contrast: Controls the depth of blacks on the screen.
• Temperature (or Tint): The most common adjustment for skin tones. Too "cold" and people look green; too "hot" and they look pink.
• Color (or Saturation): Controls how vivid the colors are on the screen.
• Sharpness: Brings out the edges of objects on the screen. Often set too high or given an artificial boost with "edge enhancement" features.

Calibrate Your LCD TV

Sad to say, your new Sony LCD television (or whatever brand you bought) did not come to your home perfectly adjusted for your living room. Indeed, manufacturers generally use settings that are wrong for home use. Why? Because they know that their TVs are most likely going to be displayed on a showroom floor with bright, fluorescent lighting. They want the image to "pop" and attract the customer's eye.

The image that "pops" on the sales floor is not the best possible picture for home viewing. Some common adjustments can deliver a better viewing experience -- the one you paid for when you bought the TV.

Use the same light you would normally use to watch TV. Experts recommend a dim light to the rear or side of the television (watching in darkness can cause eyestrain). "Warm up" your set by running it for at least 30 minutes before you start calibrating it. While the TV is warming up, get out the manual and locate the picture controls to adjust:

• Contrast (or Black)
• Brightness (or White)
• Color (sometimes called Chroma or Saturation)
• Hue (sometimes called Tint)
• Sharpness (or Detail)

Most LCD TVs are sold with the sharpness turned up. You can adjust it to what looks best for you, and at the same time turn off any "edge enhancement" features, which tend to distort the picture. Adjust the four color settings according to your taste, as well. (If you are even slightly color-blind, you may wish to ask a sharp-eyed friend to help you with this part.)

If your TV has "modes" for various kinds of content, choose "movie" or "cinema" for the most accurate picture. Also check the backlight settings for your LCD TV. Most are set too bright for home use. Adjust it to suit your room so that you can save power and enjoy your picture more.

Choosing a Plasma TV Installer

Picture it: You've bought your great new LG plasma TV, loaded it up into the back of the car and you're on your way home. Then something goes wrong. Maybe you get tangled in that big mass of cords in the living room. Maybe you simply can't get sound to come out of those rear speakers. Or, worst of all, maybe your brother-in-law drops the TV.

If you'd rather enjoy your TV than spend time installing it -- or if you don't trust your brother-in-law's electronics skills -- consider hiring a professional installation company.

A good installer will go over available plasma TV stands and wall mounts to be sure your TV is positioned correctly on equipment designed to look good and support it reliably. The company will also integrate related systems (sound, DVD, gaming, PC, maybe even lighting and blinds), tuck cables neatly away and even program your remote control.

Ask for an installer who is insured and bonded and ask for references from previous clients. Especially for high-end systems, you may want to look for an installer certified by the Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA).

Fit for Royalty

Samsung, the Korean electronics maker, got a royal command recently: Supply 100 flat-screen TVs for Queen Elizabeth II and her court to watch at Buckingham Palace.

The order includes both LCD and plasma sets in varying sizes. There'll still be a few spots in the historic palace where you can't see a Samsung TV -- after all, the place has 775 rooms -- but the cash order was seen as a coup for Samsung, since the British royal family has previously relied television makers to lend or donate sets for their use.

Plasma or LCD?

There are two main technologies being used for flat screen televisions: plasma and LCD. Which one is right for you? It's a matter of taste, largely. When you compare flat screen TVs in a store, it's hard to tell which ones are plasma and which are LCD, if you don't already know. That being said, here are some of the considerations to keep in mind:

Plasma TVs are somewhat better at displaying motion and may be available in a wider range of large sizes. They are fragile and expensive to ship, and some do not work well at high altitudes.

LCD TVs are more durable, lighter in weight, and easier to install. They are also slightly thinner than plasma TVs.

In real-world situations, both kinds of flat panel TVs are likely to produce pictures that satisfy viewers, and will last for many years. It may be a matter of discovering which TV looks best to you and has the best price.

Advantages of Flat Panel TVs

The most obvious advantage to buying a flat panel television is the great reduction in size and weight over standard CRT models. A 32" flat screen TV can weigh as little as one-third as much as a CRT model of the same screen size, making it possible for a single person to carry and install a screen of significant size.

Flat screen televisions are also easier to incorporate into the design of a room, with the flexibility of sitting on a narrow stand or being mounted on a wall. Instead of having to organize a room around a large, bulky TV, the television can become a pleasant, but not overwhelming element.

Finally, flat screen TV prices have come down significantly, allowing these models to be manageable for many people who might have previously considered them a too-costly luxury.

How Rear Projection TVs Work

Rear projection TVs are often an economical way to get a big screen and a great picture. They can be thinner than traditional CRT sets, but aren't thin enough to mount on a wall, as you might with a plasma or LCD flat screen.

As the name indicates, a rear projection television contains a projector, which transmits images from behind the screen through a lens that magnifies them to fill the available viewing space.

There are several different projector technologies in use. The most popular are CRT, LCD, DLP and LCoS.

Really, REALLY Big Screens

They probably won't fit your house or your budget, but some plasma TV makers are super-sizing their screens to diagonal measurements of more than 100 inches -- perhaps three times the size of the average household TV.

An LG plasma TV and a Samsung model both clock in at 102 inches. These behemoths are demo models at this point, used only to promote their makers' smaller-but-still-huge TVs.

A Panasonic plasma TV one ups them with 103 inches and is actually in production and shipping. They're best suited to professional settings such as conference facilities, but no doubt a few home-theater enthusiasts with extra cash will manage to find room for them.

Replacing a TV Bulb

LCD rear-projection TVs are lit with a bulb. Replacing this bulb is one of the few projection TV repair projects that a reasonably handy owner can undertake.

When the screen gets dim, it's time for a new bulb. Unfortunately, these cost between $150 and $200.

Your TV repair manuals should contain instructions on how to replace the bulb, but most manufacturers have made this process fairly easy -- just a matter of turning a screwdriver, taking out the old lamp and setting the new one in place. The hardest part may be getting to the back of the TV to do it!