Avoid Common Mistakes to Get The Right Television for Your Home
by
Deb Powers

With five teens who each have very different tastes and viewing habits, our family has the science of buying a new television down to a fine art. One thing we've learned is that what you do BEFORE you buy your television can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy it once you get it home - or even IF you get it home. Over the years, we've made every one of these mistakes, and learned not to make it a second - or third time. Here are five things you should check before you head for the cash register with your new television.

1. How big is too big?
We've made this mistake a couple of times, I hate to admit. Before you set your heart on a 32 inch flat screen television that's on sale this week, get out your tape measure. If it's going into a wall unit, measure the space you have for it - ALL dimensions. Allow 2-3" clearance on top and sides for your new television, and make sure that there's at least 2 inches between the back of the television and the wall or back wall of the entertainment unit for ventilation.

2. How far away can you get?
If you've ever sat in the front row at the movie theater, you know how uncomfortable it can get craning your neck to see the whole screen. The bigger the television you choose, the further away from it you should sit to get the full picture. A good general rule of thumb is to allow approximately one foot from the screen for every 3 inches of screen area - 7-8 feet away for a 20-25" television, 9-10 feet away for a 27" inch screen and on up.

3. Will it fit in your car?
Seriously. Just stand in the parking lot of your local BestBuy and watch the comedic antics of folks trying to wrestle their new televisions and other home appliances into their vehicles. Before you head out the door, roll up that tape measure and tuck it in your pocket. Measure the width and depth of your trunk, or the loading space in the rear of your van or SUV. Then whip out the tape measure again to measure - not the television, but the BOX to make sure that you'll be able to load it up to take it home.

If your heart is set on a television that simply doesn't fit, check to see about delivery. It's a rare store that doesn't provide home delivery. You'll also want to have the store deliver your new television if you're opting for a high end set. If the television is damaged while YOU are transporting it home, you may be out of luck - and several hundred dollars. When the store delivers, they assume the responsibility. If the set is damaged in transit, they'll replace it.

4. Can you hook all your toys up to it?
Peek around the back of the set to be sure that you've got AV Input and Output, and Audio output, and whatever else you need to hook up your cable, satellite, compute, VCR, DVD and whatever other toys you want to hook up.

While you're at it, check to make sure you have all necessary cables and converters to get everything wired in.

5. Can you get a service contract?
Most stores offer the option of purchasing a service contract for your new television. Everyone wants to believe that their new toy will funtion properly with no problems, but trust me on this one. A good service contract is worth its weight in gold. You may not ever need it (knock on wood) but if you do, you'll be glad you invested the money.

That's it. Notice I said nothing about how to judge picture or sound quality, whether HD is better than HD ready, or the relative advantages of flat over curved screens. You can find all that info in lots of other places. These are the bare minimum necessities - because no matter how great the sound and picture are, they won't do you any good if you can't get the set home.