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IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPHY
Buying
Smart:
By Pat Volchok
Costco IT’S A BRAVE NEW WORLD in television land. definition televi-
Gone are the days of grainy pictures and big, sion [HDTV].”
makes the bulky tubes. Here to stay is a bright, slimmed-down, HDTVs are the best
picture-perfect digital universe. For many of us TVs on the market today,
move to who’d like to take the digital plunge, this episode in with resolution considered
television advancement is at the same time appeal- five times better than that of ordi-ing and confusing. nary analog TVs. Additionally, HDTVs
digital TV Clarity is the solution, which is why I went offer compatibility with both digital and
searching for Geoff Shavey, Costco’s television, video analog programming and really shine
easy and and telecommunications buyer. A man of great when paired with the new-generation pro-techno insight, Geoff advises consumers to take a gressive-scan DVD players.
good, hard look at digital television. As for what type of HDTV to choose, Geoff
affordable His reasoning is twofold. First, there is no better notes, “It’s simple. Focus on screen size, room place-picture quality and realistic sound in the television ment and price. That will help you make the right
industry today than digital. Second, the transition to choice for your home: liquid-crystal display [LCD],
an all-digital television world is happening. In 1996, plasma or micro display.”
Congress declared that television broadcasters must Here’s Geoff’s official HDTV buying guide,
Consumer reporter Pat replace analog signals with digital ones. The exact which he bases on product performance and “bang
Volchok gives a deadline for the changeover is still being debated. for your buck.” This means that people who receive broadcasts
behind-the-scenes look via an antenna will need to get a digital-to-analog The beauty of liquid crystal display
at Costco products and conversion box or switch to a digital set. (Cable and For smaller areas and on walls, LCD is a great
services. Send your satellite users with a cable box won’t be affected.) choice. The name comes from the thousands of tiny
questions to: When I sheepishly confess my confusion over liquid crystal pixels in the screen. Costco offers a size
buyingsmart@ the jargon and acronyms surrounding digital TV rangeforthesesetsfrom 17inchesto42inches. These set configurations, video resolutions and the like, beautiful new LCDs are less than
5 inches deep, so
costco.com Geoff quickly says, “Focus your attention on high- they can hang comfortably on walls or fit on a stand.
