Televisions
Times have come a long way since Alexander Graham Bell first discovered the telephone. Too bad things have gotten much more complicated for the present day technology lover. Modern day television, for instance is a sea of various technologies and advancements that would have made ole Alexander long for the “old days”. From tube type televisions to things such as “plasma” (and no it’s not a blood component) there are many more types of models available than ever before. Technologies such as analog versus digital signals, high definition versus standard definition. Even with the advent of the most recent “gee whiz gotta have gadget” – the 3D television. While all these types of televisions can sound scary, they needn’t be.  They all use the same concept of taking a signal, sending it over a medium such as a wire or thru the air (or even space) and reassembling the signal in your living room. The most basic of the types of TV’s are the CRT’s or cathode ray tube type televisions. They go up to about a 40 inch screen (measured diagonally as all TV’s are) and have a pretty good picture from all viewing angles. The angle is important as with some technologies, you must view the picture head on. While this might seem like a big deal to the novice, try sitting on a couch off to the side on the big football day and you’ll see something less than stellar in the picture – as we mentioned some must be viewed from head on. While the CRT type television features a good picture and are lower in price than the fancy models.  The next type of TV is the DLP TV. This technology was invented by Texas instruments and can process light (necessary for the picture) with a DMD chip. DLP televisions come in rear and front projection models and are not susceptible to “burning in” which means if left on for long periods of time, some technologies will burn in a picture to a screen, much like writing on a foggy window- the image is still there even if you change the channels. Another popular technology is the LCD television. The Liquid Crystal Display models are the most popular as they are thin and lightweight - so they are great for walls or small areas where mounting space is a problem.  Unfortunately these are susceptible to the burn in effect mentioned earlier. The last most popular model is the plasma type. These are generally associated with “high end” systems as they provide the best picture available. They come in the flat variety and are most popularly sized in the 40 – 52” size. They weight more than LCDs but can still be mounted easily.  They work by utilizing plasma gasses to generate the picture. The gasses weaken and dissipate over time and contrary to wise tales, they cannot be refilled – but still can last 12-20 years or so. Enjoy whatever model you choose and don’t forget the comfy couch…