During a recession, a second television may not be a priority. As the economy recovers, though, buyers might find a little extra money to splurge on such a purchase.

We tested four smaller high-definition televisions under 40 inches in different price brackets for secondary use in guestrooms, offices, bedrooms or even kitchens. We viewed some of our favorite shows on the value-conscious Sceptre 19" LED HDTV at $199; the larger screen and more robust feature set of the Vizio M220VA 22" LED HDTV for $300; the balanced Sharp Aquos LC-32D47UT at $549; and the simply indulgent NuVision Lucidium NVU32FX5, a 32" LCD HDTV, for $1249.

Robert Stanton, of Smarthome and Theater Systems, based in Milford, Conn., recommended the Vizio or the Sharp.

"If you asked me a year ago, my take on Vizio was ‘so-so’ at best, but they’ve made some really big changes to their product line, and their products are really getting a lot better," Stanton said.

The Vizio is a good bet. This is a fantastically inexpensive TV that gives you tons of features like dual HDMI inputs, which are digital video plugs for the maximum high definition picture quality, and it also comes with an optical digital audio port, to work with a multi-speaker surround sound system. The picture is also bright, clear, and easy on the eyes and the TV set is razor thin.

But if you want something a bit bigger,  the Sharp AQUOS produces a wonderful picture on a 32-inch screen. The picture is crisp, the colors are natural, and though it’s not as thin as the new, LED televisions, it still has a low profile. The only part we didn’t like as much was the onboard speakers.

Stanton also recommended the Sharp television, speaking highly of its picture quality.

Like the The LED Vizio, the Sceptre television is super thin, so it hangs on a wall and looks like a picture frame, or sits on a desk without taking up much room. Overall, the Sceptre gets an "A" for effort, but it’s not nearly as good of a television as the others. You’re saving money here, but giving up some picture quality.

NuVision is a luxury maker. It has high 10-bit color processing and advanced hardware on board to give an optimum picture and sound experience — and it delivers. We’re just not sure all that money is needed for a bedroom television. You also get some style points with the NuVision. The television has a limited edition hot pink model available, and the company offers a program that will custom-tailor the casing of the television to match your home d©cor. Again, neat, but not fiscally practical.

"NuVision builds an incredible product," Stanton said. "But if you’re going to use it as ‘light to go to sleep to,’ I would go with the Vizio."

Sceptre 19" LED HDTV, $199

Pros: You get a thin LED television for under $200. It has a litany of ports, including dual HDMI, computer inputs, and digital audio.

Cons: Port location is poor, and plugs are often hard to reach. Picture quality is meager at best.

Final word: You can spend a few more bucks for a better television.

Vizio M220VA 22" LED HDTV, $300

Pros: The Vizio is razor-thin and displays an incredible high-def picture for just $300. It’s also stylish and comes in either black or white.

Cons: None that we can see.

Final word: This is not 2006′s Vizio. This is a quality television and a perfect way to get your feet wet with LED television technology.

Sharp Aquos LC-32D47UT, $549

Pros: The Sharp AQUOS produces a wonderful picture, and we’ve seen it on sale for under $400, so the price is right.

Cons: The onboard speakers are not great.

Final word: If you see it for under $400, buy it. You’ll love this television.

NuVision Lucidium NVU32FX5, a 32" LCD HDTV, $1249

Pros: NuVision is a high-quality television maker that custom builds its hardware and screens to amazing results.

Cons: Price is the worry. The Pink model is $150 more for the same product.

Final word: This is a fantastic television if you can afford it.

Featuring better-than-HD specifications and a five-figure price tag, Ezio’s new 22.5″ pro broadcast monitor is a beast.

The ColorEdge CG232W is a reference/editing monitor that supports BNC/SDI, DVI-D and VGA connections for television studio and broadcast applications.

The monitor has a native resolution of 1920ƒâ€”1200, a wide color gamut, and 176-degree viewing angles. “The wide color gamut allows the ColorEdge CG232W to reproduce color spaces used in broadcasting such as PAL/SECAM, SMPTE-C, and HDTV,” Ezio said in a statement from a Las Vegas conference.

It also supports 1 billion colors and a 120 Hz refresh rate.

(ARA) – The next time you walk into the room where your new flat-screen TV is on display, take a good look around. Is it starting to look dirty? Between all the dust and lint that flies around the average room and the dirty fingers used to turn the TV on its mount, it doesn’t take long before the set needs a good cleaning.

But don’t be tempted to use the same methods you would to clean your tube TV. Flat-screen television sets require more specialized care. Here are a few “Dos” and “Don’ts” to keep in mind:

• Don’t reach for strong chemical cleaners like alcohol, ammonia-based cleaners or window cleaners. They can damage the screen’s special coating.
• Don’t spray a liquid cleaner on the screen, as it can leak into the TV casing and damage the circuitry.
• Never use paper towels or newspapers to wipe off the screen either. These are wood products and will scratch the screen.

What you should do instead is look for a solution that is specially labeled “safe for laptop screens” or “LCD and plasma screens” and wipe it on with a soft cloth, preferably one made of chamois, microfiber or 100 percent cotton. These items are sold individually, or in kits available at most home entertainment stores or online. Kits, which typically include the cleaner, wipe cloths and brushes, are the most affordable way to go.

A line worth considering is Sanus Systems’ new Elements Screen Care, a series of quality screen care accessories that gently clean high-end TVs and monitors, and easily remove dust without damaging the screen. Within the Elements line is the ELM101, a complete screen care system that includes a special alcohol and ammonia-free gel that gently cleans TVs and monitors without harming screens or discoloring bezels and a Micro-Mist bottle you can use to apply it in a targeted spray. They also include a microfiber cloth that cleans without leaving behind lint or residue and an antistatic dusting brush attached to the wiping handle.

“We know these cleaners are going to be extremely popular among flat-screen television set owners because they offer the solution they’ve been looking for,” says Jason Schmidt, product manager for Sanus, “an easy and inexpensive way to keep their electronics clean.”

Elements Screen Care products are now available at thousands of retail locations nationwide; a store locator is available at www.sanus.com.

Once you have your cleaner on hand, here are the quick-and-easy steps you should follow to clean your set:

Step 1
Disconnect the power to your TV before you clean it each time. This is much safer, and it will allow you to see the smudges and dirt better.

Step 2
Use either lukewarm water or a cleaning solution to clean your TV, and wipe it on to the screen with a damp, soft cloth. Just a gentle wiping of the screen is enough. Rubbing, scrubbing and hard pressure can damage the screen.

Between cleanings, a little preventative maintenance will go a long way. Remember, it’s important to dust your TV and its screen on a regular basis. Excessive dust will damage any electronic device.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – An important change is coming in the way television works and it could affect you. It’s called the "digital television transition" and it will be a seismic shift in the American television broadcasting system, as local TV stations meet a government requirement to transmit their signals in a digital format, starting in February 2009.

What does that mean for the average viewer? Well, it’s more than a behind-the-scenes technical adjustment. Once the new requirement kicks in, most older TV sets that aren’t connected to cable, satellite or a special converter box, will not display programs from local broadcast stations.

More simply put, an old "analog" TV that still relies on rabbit ears for a picture will go black. The good news is that cable customers can relax. Every TV set connected to cable will continue to display local stations, even after TV broadcasters launch the new transmission format.

Why the Change?

Here’s what’s happening: Under a federal mandate, after Feb. 17, 2009, TV stations must cease their analog transmissions and broadcast only in digital. Since their inception more than 60 years ago, stations have sent out signals in analog format, but as the world is becoming digital, so is broadcast TV.

The federal government is requiring the change for two reasons. First, by converting to digital from analog, a valuable communications spectrum will be made available to emergency responders, such as police and fire departments. Second, digital technology renders improvements in over-the-air TV, including clearer pictures, more channels and high-definition TV images.

The catch? Many television sets in use today — particularly those purchased more than five years ago — were built to receive the original analog signals over-the-air, not the new digital signals. Those sets must be connected to a cable or satellite service, or to a special converter that will be sold in electronics stores.

The converters are expected to cost around $50 to $70, and to help households pay for them, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is managing a nationwide coupon program that will provide up to two $40 coupons to each household that requests them.

Good News

Although the digital transition could cause some confusion, there’s good news on two fronts. The first is that most new TV sets, especially digital and HDTV sets manufactured since 2004, feature built-in digital tuners that will accommodate the new digital broadcasts.

Also, the transition will be relatively seamless for consumers who have their TVs hooked up to cable, because cable companies will take care of the technical translation for them. There’s really only one thing cable customers need to know: After Feb.17, 2009, any TV set connected to cable will continue to display local TV signals, and won’t require the purchase of a new converter to continue receiving favorite broadcast TV programs.

For more information, go to www.dtvtransition.org or call (888) DTV-2009.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) – So you finally bought that beautiful new flat-panel TV you’ve been eyeing for the past six months. Now what? An increasing number of new TV owners are abandoning bulky entertainment furniture to mount their TVs on the wall.

Wall mounted TVs are the latest trend in home improvement, and for good reason. They free up floor space; provide the option of wiring bulky, unattractive cables inside the wall — making for a clean, wireless appearance; they are affordable; and best of all, they are easy enough for a do-it-yourselfer to install, but first you need to come up with a plan.

“When deciding on the type of mount you want, there is some important information to gather,” said Jim Wohlford, general manager for Sanus Systems, a leading mount manufacturer. Here are the guidelines he recommends people follow:

1. Know where you want to put it. If you plan to mount your TV on a wall in the living room, for example, the general rule of thumb is to make sure you have at least twice as much wall space as the width of your TV. This will allow the TV to fill the space nicely without seeming too large, and leaves you extra room to hang art or speakers.
2. Have your TV information handy when you shop. It’s important to match the mount to the size, weight and mounting-hole pattern of your TV, so have your TV brand and model number with you. Generally, TVs that are less than 42 inches in size have a VESA-standard hole pattern for mounting and TVs 42 inches and larger have random hole patterns that require mounts with universal hole patterns. Any competent electronics store salesperson can help you find the right TV/mount combination.
3. Choose one with the most flexibility. Do you want a mount that sits flat against the wall, or would you rather have one that allows you to tilt, swivel and extend the mount in any direction? Titling and full-motion mounts offer far more flexibility than a low-profile or “fixed” mount and make it easy to hook up cables to the back of your TV.
4. Consider all possibilities. Ceiling mounts and under cabinet mounts are great alternatives.
5. Safety first. Make sure you are capable of installing the mount yourself, before choosing the do-it-yourself route. Reputable mount manufacturers make most mounts so they are relatively easy to install as long as you follow the directions and have someone else there to help you lift the TV. There’s always the option of hiring a professional to install your TV. Ask the store salesperson where you purchase your mount if they offer an installation service. If they don’t, they may be able to suggest a local company that specializes in mount installation.

Whether you choose to mount the TV yourself or work with a professional, here are some additional things to be aware of:

• TV mounts are installed by securing them to wall studs or into concrete. Make sure you know where you want the TV placed ahead of time so you can avoid marring the wall by drilling multiple holes.
• Do your research. Make certain the mount you choose is the best option for your needs but when in doubt, pick the mount with the most flexibility. This is where full-motion mounts are ideal because you can tilt, swivel and pan them in virtually every direction and some even extend and retract from the wall. Full-motion mounts with extension allow TVs to be mounted in the corner of a room.
• For optimal viewing, mount your TV at eye level from where you will watch TV. If that means eye level when sitting on a couch, then mount it there. However, it may make the TV look low when standing next to it. A simple solution is to mount it at normal height when standing and tilt it to eye level (providing you have a tilting or full-motion mount) when sitting down.

Courtesy of ARAcontent