When you’re going to drop some big bucks on an HDTV, you want to know what you’re getting into. And if you’re like me, you’re going to thoroughly research your purchase before you plunk down the money. A quick Google search will show that it can be hard to find good HDTV reviews. Below is a list of some websites and other resources that provide reviews and other information for HDTVs.
CNET.com
CNET is one of the best places to look for HDTV reviews. Its main strength is the sheer number of professional HDTV reviews. Their reviews are thorough, covering almost every important feature measurable for an HDTV. Its site is searchable and has numerous tools for listing and and sorting HDTVs by review rating, price, size, LCD, Plasma, manufacturer, and other categories.
Some drawbacks are that its database is so large, it can be somewhat daunting to sift through the data. The reviews can be filled with technical jargon that can be hard for the average consumer to understand.
One tip for using CNET is to scan the most recent reviews first. Viewing reviews of the newest HDTVs will give you an idea of what the latest bells and whistles for HDTVs are. To view CNET’s lastest HDTV reviews listed by review date, click here.
Link:
AVS Forums
Another great HDTV resource is the AVS Forum. The AVS stands for Audio Visual Science, and the forums cover just about everything home-theater related. The great thing about the forum is that it’s filled with firsthand accounts from HDTV owners, including reviews of their sets. A thread on a popular HDTV can literally have thousands of posts.
What I like most about AVS Forum is that it’s the best place to get answers for unique or unusual questions you have about a particular set. You can use the built-in search feature or post your question on the board to get answers.
However, the forum can be filled with biased reviews, as people who have just dropped a lot of money on their HDTV tend to exaggerate the quality of their set. It can be tough to get a neutral, comparative point of view from reviewers.
Still, AVS Forum is an active mass of information and opinions from real consumers on the world of HDTV and home theater gathered together in one spot.
Link:
Consumer Reports
Cosumer Reports is a great resource of professional HDTV reviews, but unfortunately, their information is not free. To access their site, it costs $5.95 for one month, $26.00 for a year, or $19.00 for subscribers of the magazine. Consumer Reports does a good job of describing HDTVs in easy-to-understand terms and comparing different sets to one another. They also point out HDTVs that are good values, that is, sets that give you the most for the buck.