How to Get the Best Home Theater Picture
Let's make that picture … picture perfect.
We probably wouldn't be working at
STORE NAME CODE
if we weren't fans of getting picture quality just right.
We've always been the videophiles and audiophiles of the class -- that's what
got us interested in automation and technology in the first place!
When people talk to us about new TVs, everybody always asks
how it’s going to look and how good the picture will be. The image quality on a
TV is made up of so many variables, and those can change even within a brand or
depend how your settings are set up. But there are some things you can keep an
eye out for to help make sure you are getting a TV with great picture. This
week on the blog we are going to take a look at some of them and how they
impact the image you see on screen.
Media Source
One of
the main things to think about when it comes to getting the best picture
possible: the source.
Most
people these days are content with relying on streaming services for their video.
We'll tell you a little secret, though. Even if you are streaming 4K from
Netflix, the source image is still compressed and transferred across the
internet, and it isn't going to look nearly as good as a "true" 4K
image. Internet speed, pixilation, and buffering can all cause problems with
streaming quality, as well.
What do
you need to do to get the best possible picture, then? Physical media. All the
way. You want a 4K Blu-ray disc and a player, and you want it connected to your
TV via HDMI. This is the best way to make sure you are getting the best picture
possible, and that you are making the most of your new TV investment! 4K
streaming would be the next best, then followed by physical HD Blu-ray, then HD
streaming.
Resolution
Another point of conversation surrounding home theater
picture is resolution. Most people are somewhat familiar with at least the idea
of resolution -- it's often the most advertised TV feature, but it's also the
one that has makes jumps and leaps every few years that not everybody is able
to continually keep up with.
The main idea of resolution is this: The number in any given
resolution tells you how many pixels are in an image. The more pixels a screen
has, the more detail you'll be able to see. The most commonly used resolution
at the moment is 1080p, which is the current high definition/HD standard.
When it comes to home theaters, however, 1080p is really
just the starting point. There's also 4K (Ultra HD) resolution, and 8K is also
starting to come to consumer TV sets. If you are looking to get a home theater
this year, 4K is really the way to go. You can always upgrade further with 8K,
but there really isn't any 8K content out there that makes the resolution bump
worth it ... not yet, anyway.
But, to put it simply: The higher the resolution, the better
picture you are going to have. At least as a general rule.
Not sure how to
narrow things down more than that? Give us a call at NUMBER CODE
-- we'll be glad to help.
Color
Things
are a lot more than black and white when it comes to TV color.
While
4K is giving viewers more resolution, there's another major TV enhancement that
is making waves through the industry -- high-dynamic range (HDR). Essentially,
TVs with HDR are able to display a wider range of color, bringing the images closer
to the filmmaker's vision and making them look more realistic. It also includes
enhanced contrast, so the difference between dark and light scenes will be
greater, making dark scenes really stick out when compared to brighter, lit
scenes.
If you
want to get the best home theater picture, HDR isn't as much a question of if
you need it, but how soon you can make the upgrade. It's the best way to watch
some of the best content at the moment -- just remember to make sure that your
TV can support it!
Display
Getting
the right display for the right location is also important. You want to make
sure to get a TV that is the proper size for your space – we can help you with
this, as it can impact viewing distance and how good the screen looks.
Also, nobody
likes a TV image that gets washed out by ambient light, so TV brightness is a
big topic for consumers and professionals alike. If you are installing your
theater in a room with high ambient light, you’d want to make sure that the
projector or TV you go with is bright enough for you to still see the image
clearly, even during the day.
Another
area that brightness is especially important is when you are looking at outdoor
TVs. Regular TVs just can't handle the harsh light of being outside, so if you
are looking to purchase a TV for your patio, porch, or outdoor bar area, make
sure it is a proper outdoor TV with a good brightness rating.
To
truly enjoy your home theater, you need to make sure that you are considering
all of these factors and how they come together to give you a TV set that's
perfect for your needs -- and your budget. If you have any other questions
about picking between TVs, or if you are ready to go ahead and get started on
your home theater, we're always here to help! Simply go over to our CONTACT PAGE
, or give us a call today
at NUMBER CODE!
---I'm a paragraph inside a content block. These woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.---
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