Bulky CRTs and rear-projection televisions are on the way out, while sleek and thin LCD and plasma HDTVs are becoming the sets of choice. The LCD TV has earned the top spot in worldwide sales because prices have steadily decreased while picture quality and integrated features have made regular, albeit evolutionary improvements. However, increasingly attractive values haven’t eliminated the wide variance in pricing among similarly sized model lines, and understanding some of the basics of the technology can help you choose the right LCD HDTV for your needs and budget.

Choosing Your Resolution
1080p resolution (1,920 by 1,080 pixels progressively scanned) is currently the pinnacle for consumer home theater material, and with all other things being equal, you want the screen resolution of your HDTV to match this format in order to provide the most detailed picture possible. Some manufacturers advertise “1080i” LCD TVs, but be aware that there is no such thing—it simply sounds better than saying a particular model has half the screen resolution of a true 1080p display. Most of those 1080i LCDs have an actual widescreen resolution of 1,366 by 768 pixels, and they generally cost less than similar models with 1080p resolution. But many factors affect the perception of picture detail, including distance, a person’s eyesight, and the quality of the video material. At a viewing distance of 12 feet, it would be difficult for a person with normal vision to distinguish the difference between a 720p/768p and a 1080p display showing the same 1080p video (like a Blu-ray movie). If you often view high-quality 1080i/1080p video at closer distances, and you can afford it, go with a 1080p set.

What About Contrast Ratio and Pixel-Response Rate?

A couple of oft-cited LCD HDTV specs that provide little to no useful information are pixel response time and contrast ratio. The problem with these specs is that there are several variations and each is calculated in significantly different ways, and marketing folks tend to focus on whatever spec calculation provides the most impressive looking result without regard to making any kind of valid comparison. In the case of pixel response time, what you really want to know is if a particular LCD is optimized to minimize image smearing when displaying video depicting fast motion——a historic and ongoing issue with LCD technology. Nowadays, the LCD feature that best addresses this artifact is120-Hz display technology. Most 120-Hz LCDs are inserting interpolated frames into a traditional 60-Hz video signal that, when combined with advanced pixel driving techniques, produces a clearer, more detailed picture when depicting motion. Like 1080p screen resolution, 120-Hz technology is a premium LCD feature but its benefits are immediately tangible; budget permitting, 120Hz technology should be on your LCD shopping checklist.

An HDTV’s contrast ratio is its ratio of measured light output when displaying white to its measured light output when displaying video black. There are several types of contrast ratio calculations, with such names as sequential, intra-frame, and dynamic, but the calculation results that are often touted tell you nothing meaningful without proper reference—making them useless when comparing one LCD HDTV to another. In my years of analyzing home-theater equipment, I’ve yet to see a modern LCD that I would describe as having a dim picture. Given that most LCDs are relatively bright to begin with, it’s better to focus on which model produces the deepest, darkest representation of video black (black level). If two properly configured LCDs are placed side by side, the TV with the darker black level often has the more detailed, better-saturated, and more appealing picture. Also keep in mind that an improperly configured LCD can appear to have a superior black level—don’t judge picture quality using an HDTV’s default picture settings. When possible, compare relative picture quality using a picture preset mode labeled Theater, Natural, or Movie—these modes do not guarantee proper video settings, but they do typically minimize the more heinous “enhancements”—like over-sharpening, oversaturated colors, and increasing picture brightness at the expense of detail—to produce a more accurate-looking picture. Also pay attention to fine shadow detail, particularly in dimly lit scenes—these can be some of the toughest video scenarios for LCD screens to get right.

Which Screen Finish?

The screen of an LCD TV can produce more than twice the light output of a plasma display, and that extra brightness is most useful in environments where ambient lighting is difficult to control—like daytime viewing in a sun-drenched room, for example. In a well-lit environment, the extra brightness that an LCD can provide helps maintain picture detail by improving the apparent contrast (dynamic range) of the image. Many LCD screens have a matte finish to minimize distracting light reflections; some new LCDs, however, are incorporating glossy top filters that boost apparent contrast and color saturation by making video black appear inky dark. Glossy LCD screens produce a slightly crisper picture than a matte-finished surface filter, with its light-diffusing qualities, can manage. When deciding on the type of screen finish, always consider the room’s typical ambient lighting conditions. —next: Go for Backlight Control >

Go for Backlight Control

An LCD generates its picture by channeling the output of a very bright backlighting system through a series of optical filters. So you want to find an LCD that lets you adjust the level of backlighting, either manually or automatically. The ability to control an LCD’s backlight can help minimize eyestrain in a darkened viewing environment. Plus, the brightness level of an LCD’s backlight directly correlates to its power consumption. The less backlight, the less energy the set uses. Reducing the backlight output to (eye-friendly) dark-room viewing levels can result in one-half to two-thirds less power consumed. Lower backlighting also extends the lifespan of the lamp module, but with most LCDs rated to at least 50,000 hours, greater control over energy consumption is the more immediate benefit of a dedicated backlight setting.

Selecting a Screen Size

Selecting the right display size for your viewing environment is simple—go as big as you can fit in the space, budget permitting, of course. One tip for estimating the best size screen that will fit in an available space is to measure the width of the area you have for the set and buy the largest screen size (measured diagonally) that will fit. (The overall width of most flat panel HDTVs is equal or less than its diagonal screen measurement.) Of course, this estimate only works for HDTVs with bottom-mounted, hidden or removable speakers and not for those with fixed side-mounted speakers, which increase the width of the set.

This handy chart will also help you figure out which screen size will work best. It outlines the minimum ideal viewing distance for various screen sizes when displaying quality HD material. Sit any closer to the screen and you’ll start to notice the pixel structure of the display. Keep in mind that standard-definition (SD) video on an HDTV will look disappointing at the distances listed on that chart, so consider moving the main seating position further back to improve the appearance of SD material.

Picking Your Ports

Finally, consider your video port needs—specifically HDMI. The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is the standard for digital video transport in today’s home-theater environments. HDMI will be around for many years to come, and the main benefits are the clarity of a digital signal and that audio and video are streamed over a single cable connection. Common devices that can be connected to an HDTV via HDMI include upscaling DVD players, Blu-ray players, cable or satellite set-top boxes, and premium game consoles. More ports are generally better; most LCD TVs provide two to four. HDMI switches can be purchased to increase the number of HDMI-based devices that can be connected at once.

 
Basics
Operating System: True smartphones don’t rely on the skimpy interface that most phone manufacturers provide. Smartphones run on software similar to a computer’s with the ability to install a myriad of additional games and applications, and with robust integration of features, like being able to dial phone numbers directly from a web page with a click. The most widely used OS for smartphones currently is Windows Mobile, which is, just as it sounds, much like a miniature version of Windows. The Palm OS, familiar to users of the popular early Treos and Palm Pilots, is often favored by people who want a simpler interface. The Blackberry uses a proprietary system, and the iPhone runs on a version of the Mac OS.

Hardware: Smartphones vary from candy-bar slim to full-featured but bulky, almost like shrunken laptops. The most important factors to consider with hardware are the screen and the keyboard. Screen size and resolution will be very important if you plan on doing a lot of web surfing, or will be viewing or editing lengthy documents so you’ll want as big a screen as possible. All smartphones will have backlit screens, for easy viewing in the dark, but reading in bright daylight may be more difficult. Keyboards with tiny QWERTY buttons are pretty much the standard in smartphones, but the iPhone uses an on-screen keyboard and some Blackberry models use a modified version without dedicated keys for each letter.

Network: If you want to make use of the Internet on your phone, then the network is of the utmost importance. 3G is the term for the high-speed mobile networks available from AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. Many smartphones still only support the slower networks such as EDGE (AT&T), so this is something to watch out for. High-speed coverage with each service provider also varies, so checking out coverage maps before you settle on a carrier is important. Some phones, such as the iPhone, also have built-in Wifi when you have a hotspot available.

Email: The Blackberry gained its reputation as the choice for email addicts for its fast messaging. Email gets pushed out to you as it arrives, no need for you to check it. Windows Mobile and Palm have optional programs which let you sync to your Microsoft Exchange work email. The iPhone and the latest version of Windows Mobile (version 6) also support full HTML email so your email comes through with formatting and images, just like on your desktop client.

Home Network Overview

The diagram above shows what a safe home network could look like. In incorporates a number of different hardware and software solutions that work together to help keep the computer systems safe.

The numbers one to ten in the diagram refer to ten key components that each provide a measure of security. Each of these components deserves further description and comment.
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STEP -1-
 Install a Hardware Firewall/Router
The hardware firewall/router is at the core of your system security. It is on the “front lines” when it comes to protecting your systems. It’s main security purpose is to let you get out to the Internet while keeping the Internet out of your computers.

While initially expensive, their price has dropped significantly in the past number of years. In fact, I have seen them as inexpensive as five dollars. There is no real reason to not have a hardware firewall.

Some of the common manufacturers of hardware firewalls include:

D-Link
Linksys
Netgear
SMC

Setup Tips
Change your default password.
This is very easy to find on the Internet
Disable remote access. This is usually very easy to break into
As convenient as it is, disable DHCP or at least limit it to the number of computers that are on your network. Do not use DHCP if you have WiFi

Every week during the summer, read your local or area store ads on-line. Don’t forget to check any office supply stores such as Staples. You can register on-line with Staples, and they will e-mail you ahead of time so you know before the sale starts. Many times they will offer $.01, $.25 and $1.00 specials and are the best deals.

Check weekly ads for grocery stores in the area. You might be surprised to find 3-ring binders at lower prices than at your retail department stores or office supply stores. When you are grocery shopping, make sure to walk through the aisles for such supplies.

By comparing ads with other stores, you will save gas and have a plan when you leave to go shopping. You’ll spend less time, less money, and return home happy.

Save money tip!!!

Many people try to save money at the grocery store by using coupons. And, don’t get me wrong, coupons are a good thing. But you’re not going to save money if you buy food just because you have a coupon for it.

You’re also not going to save money if you assume that just because you’re using a coupon for one brand over another that you’re getting a better deal. Sometimes, certain brands will still be more expensive, even with a coupon.

It’s important to analyze the prices of everything when you’re in the grocery store. Use coupons for things you normally would buy anyway. If you find your local newspaper lacking variety, then there are tons of online coupon sites that enable you to download and print coupons at home. Check out these sites:

www.mysavings.com
www.couponmom.com
www.coupons.com
www.mygrocerydeals.com