Going to buy a flat screen TV…. Want the budget range you can expect… take a look, then Keep checking crazytowndeals for the latest Bargains, Deals, Coupons and Codes to get that Flat Screen Deal you have been looking for….

ESTIMATING YOUR BUDGET BEFORE LOOKING FOR THAT BARGAIN


Televisions are relatively expensive, but tend to fall into a few pricing categories. Here's a cheat sheet to help get you in the right ball park when your looking for that good deal. Prices and Sizes will of course change from month to month…. Click Here to see all of the latest Flat Screen related Deals! For even more HOT bargains, coupons and deals, check out CrazyTownDeals.com

What you'll payWhat you'll get
Less than $300 Curved tubes: up to 32 inches
Flat tubes: up to 27 inches
Flat-panel LCD: up to 20 inches
$300 to $500 Curved tubes: up to 36 inches
Flat tubes: up to 32 inches
Flat-panel LCD: up to 20 inches
$500 to $750 Flat tubes: up to 36 inches
Flat-panel LCD: up to 30 inches
CRT rear-projection: up to 46 inches
$750 to $1,000 Wide-screen HDTV tubes: 34 inches
Flat-panel LCD: up to 32 inches
CRT rear-projection: up to 51 inches
DLP rear-projection: 43 inches
$1,000 to $1,500 Flat-panel LCD: up to 37 inches
CRT rear-projection: up to 61 inches
LCD rear-projection: up to 60 inches
DLP rear-projection: up to 56 inches
Plasma: up to 42 inches
$1,500 to $3,000 Flat-panel LCD: up to 42 inches
CRT rear-projection: up to 65 inches
DLP, LCD, LCoS rear-projection: up to 62 inches
Plasma: up to 50 inches
More than $3,000 Flat-panel LCD: up to 42 inches
DLP, LCD, LCoS rear-projection: up to 73 inches
Plasma: up to 65 inches

Wide-screen vs. 4:3

Television screens today come in two shapes. The most familiar one is called 4:3, which represents four inches of width for every three inches of height. You can also buy wide-screen, or 16:9, televisions, which take the same shape as many movies. Wide-screen sets cost more per square inch of screen than standard TVs, and most people watch more regular TV than DVDs and movies, so 4:3 sets are the most popular choice. Almost all large flat-panel and rear-projection TVs are wide screen, however, so it's just a matter of time before 16:9 becomes the most popular choice.

If you have $700 or more budgeted toward your next TV, you should seriously consider going wide. With huge numbers of anamorphic (enhanced for wide-screen) DVDs and the appearance of more wide-screen TV and HDTV shows, there's plenty of wide-screen content out there, and even more will appear in the future.

Black bars and unused screen Many people choosing between 16:9 and 4:3 TVs wonder how much picture they'll be missing when viewing differently shaped programs. DVD and other wide-screen video shown on a standard TV have black bars, known as letterbox bars, above and below the wide-screen image. Conversely, regular programs shown on a wide-screen TV have windowbox bars on either side of the picture.

Key features and connectivity options

Convenience features, inputs, and even the sound system are all factors to consider in your next TV purchase. Many TV makers differentiate their baseline models from step-up versions by including all kinds of add-ons, so check our list to help determine whether that "loaded" set you're considering really has the features that matter.

Picture-in-picture (PIP)

What it is: Found primarily on more-expensive televisions, PIP lets you watch a second program in a little window. More-elaborate versions can resize the window, move it around the screen, create still or multiple still images, or simply divide the screen into two same-size pictures, often called picture-outside-picture (POP).

What it isn't: PIP has a dirty little secret, though: if you use an external tuner such as a cable box or a satellite receiver, you can watch only one program at once. If some of your channels are unscrambled, you can watch those on the second window, and you can usually watch other sources such as VHS or DVD on it, as well. But even with two-tuner PIP, a single cable/satellite box will prevent you from watching two live scrambled channels simultaneously.

Universal remote

What it is: Plenty of TVs now come with universal remotes that can control other A/V gear. Usually, they work with a cable or satellite box, and many can also command DVD players, VCRs, or even A/V receivers. If you like watching movies in the dark, you should look for a remote with backlit or glowing buttons.

What it isn't: Not every universal remote can control everything. Some, known as unibrand remotes, can control only the same brand of equipment as the TV itself. Most are preprogrammed with a set list of codes, and if the codes don't match your older or off-brand gear, you're out of luck. A few are learning models that can accept the IR codes from your other remotes and, thus, control any kind of gear.

TV sound

What it is: Almost every TV sold today has MTS stereo reception and stereo speakers, which provide much better sound than a single mono speaker. When TV makers list readings of 5 watts per channel or higher, it means the set has a respectable audio system for a TV. Some sets with simulated surround provide a semblance of the effect of rear speakers.

What it isn't: No TV can compete with a dedicated audio system, so even if your set has lots of watts and simulated surround sound, you should consider a home-theater audio system for maximum impact. If you have such a system, the TV's sound becomes a moot point.

Tuner extras

What it is: Channel-surfing modes, favorite-channel lists, and other features that rely on your TV's built-in tuner can make switching channels a lot more efficient--as long as you use that tuner.
What it isn't: The problem is, many people use external tuners such as a cable or satellite box to change channels. If you're one of those people, tuner extras are all but useless to you.

Inputs and outputs

Perhaps the single most confusing item on a TV spec sheet is the forest of inputs and outputs used to hook up the set to other equipment. The following trail of breadcrumbs, arranged in order of video quality, should help put you on the right connectivity path. A quick note about switching: If you have multiple sources going into your TV, an A/V receiver with switching capabilities can really ease the hassle. The most convenient option is to leave your TV set to one input and have the receiver switch all other sources into that input. Many receivers have a feature called video upconversion, which often allows them to send every source, whether it's composite, S-Video, or component-video, through the component-video output. If you have a lot of gear, they can make switching between sources much more convenient. Receivers with HDMI switching or upconversion are still rare, however.

Video gaming and computer tips

DVDs aren't the only non-TV content that's likely to be shown on the tube. Here are a few other pointers on what to look for in a television that'll do multimedia duty.

Game consoles

The sweet graphics of the Xbox, the PlayStation, and the GameCube can take full advantage of high-end televisions, but even inexpensive sets do best with a few added features in the mix. (For more info, check out "Fully Equipped: What's the ultimate HDTV for gamers?")

Front-panel inputs. A set of A/V inputs on the front or side panel of a TV makes hookingup and disconnecting a game console--or a camcorder--much easier.

Picture preset. Many TVs come with picture presets that affect the contrast, brightness, and other controls. Some presets crank those values sky-high to provide a more intense picture. If you like that bright image, check out sets with Game, Vivid, or Sports presets.

S-Video inputs. Console graphics look best through better connections, so you should at least your hook up your game system via an S-Video connection instead of the standard composite-video cable that ships with the system.

Component-video inputs. For the ultimate in gaming video quality, step up to a TV with component-video inputs. Whether you choose S-Video or component, you'll have to buy a special adapter and cables that run between $10 and $60. Some of these adapters also include connections for digital sound, but you'll need a home-theater system or a surround-sound setup with an optical digital connection and support for Dolby Digital sound to take advantage of the superior sonics.

Burn-in. Some high-end TVs, namely plasma and CRT-based rear-projection sets, can become permanently scarred by very bright, stationary images that remain on the screen for a long time; think of a paused game or that constant score/life-bar/ammo-count graphic. However, we consider the danger of burn-in to be greatly exaggerated and plasmas and CRT-based RPTVs to be fine candidates for all but the heaviest gaming situations.

Computers

Today's televisions have plenty of connections and capabilities, and fixed-pixel displays usually make excellent computer monitors. If you want to use your TV as a big monitor for games, Web surfing, and other tasks, here are a few tips:

Get S-Video at least. S-Video inputs will improve the look of the desktop on a TV, although it still won't look nearly as good as your standard monitor.

640x480 is the max. You won't get a higher resolution than 640x480 with most tube televisions. The exceptions are DLP and LCD-based rear-projection TVs and flat-panel LCD and plasma televisions, which often display computer images at higher resolutions.

VGA input = computer-friendly. Speaking of high-end TVs, if you're serious about using your set as a big monitor for standard software, look for a VGA-style RGB input, just like the kind your computer monitor uses (see Inputs and outputs for more). Digital DVI inputs are even better, and often you can use a TV's HDMI input with a special adapter and maybe a little tweaking to display images from your computer's DVI output.