televisions

07
Oct
2014

How Does 3D TV Work?

How Does a 3D TV Work?


3D technology has truly arrived. The last few years has seen growth both in the number of 3D movies as well as the number of televisions brands selling 3D TVs. If you are wondering how your humble home entertainment centre can provide a 3D viewing experience, here is what you need to know.

How does a 3D TV work?

A 3D TV displays two images at once: one for each eye (which is why the screen looks blurred when viewed without the 3D glasses). The two images viewed through the 3D glasses trick the brain into believing that the image is three dimensional. The pictures move further apart or closer together to give the appearance of depth in the images.

Most new TVs on the market have the capability to display 3D content. However, the viewing experience will not be as good as real 3D display. This is why if you are keen on watching 3D movies or TV shows, you need a 3D TV.

3D TV Equipment

Apart from a 3D TV, you will need a pair of 3D glasses, source for 3D TV content (e.g. Sky 3D channel), and a 3D Blu-ray player to watch 3D movies.

Before you think about using the cinema 3D glasses for viewing 3D TV at home, remember that most new 3D televisions use ‘active’ glasses while the cinema 3D glasses are ‘passive’.

  • Active glasses are for active 3D TV technology. These glasses are lightweight and are battery operated. The advantage of active glasses is the high resolution (1,920×1,080 per eye). The disadvantages are that some people complain of flickering and that the glasses themselves are expensive. Some 3D TVs come with two pairs of active glasses, and an additional pair typically costs between £15 and £30.
  • In contrast, passive glasses are dirt cheap. Also, there is no flicker such as that associated with active glasses. Passive 3D is more comfortable for long periods of viewing. Also, if you love to watch movies and sports channels in a group, then passive 3D is the more affordable system. The main disadvantage of passive 3D glasses is that you get half the resolution (1,920×540 per eye) of active glasses.

Millions of 3D TVs are sold in the UK each year, yet the amount of 3D TV content available remains limited. Nevertheless, given that your new TV is going to be with you for five to seven years, it makes sense to buy a 3D TV to enjoy the best picture quality.

Posted by Surewise in Appliance Insurance Articles
23
Sep
2014

11 Tips to Make Your LED TV Last Longer

11 Tips to Help Make Your LED TV Last Longer

You’ve just bought a brand new LED TV. It cost you a pretty penny, so you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible. How are you going to do it?

As with all things, TVs fade with age but there are steps you can take to lengthen the life of your new investment. According to manufacturers, the lifespan of an LED TV varies between 4 and 10 years (between 40,000 and 100,000 hours), depending on usage and maintenance. Of course, factors like type, brand, location and environment play a crucial role. Samsung, Sony, LG and other well-known brands normally last longer because of the higher quality hardware components used. However, even with less well-known brands, it is safe to assume that the life expectancy will be a few years longer than even the best TV warranty.

Here are 11 tips for you to make sure that you get the maximum mileage from your new LED TV.

  1. DON’T leave your screen on when you’re not watching.
  2. DON’T leave it in standby mode.
  3. DO switch it off when nobody’s watching TV – and unplug it too, to save on your energy bill.
  4. Where you place your LED TV is an important factor that adds or subtracts years from its lifespan. DON’T set it up near a window, the sun will damage the components.
  5. DON’T set it up near a woodstove, as the wood dust, ash and heat will really shorten its lifespan.
  6. DON’T set it up too close to the floor; the dust will settle there.
  7. DO mount it against the wall for best results.
  8. DO make sure you keep it well ventilated.
  9. DO adjust the brightness levels. There’s no need to keep the brightness at showroom levels. Remember, once the picture begins to dim the picture quality is affected until it eventually becomes unwatchable. ‘Film’ or ‘home’ settings work just as well, or you could adjust it based on the light of the room it’s in by selecting either ‘dark room’ or ‘medium room’.
  10. DO adjust contrast levels. The higher the contrast the more power the TV uses which decreases the TV’s longevity. Set the contrast to ‘standard’.
  11. DO use a voltage regulator with a battery back up in case of power dips or surges. This prevents the power caps from going BAM! when other electronics switch on and draw electricity.

You want to make sure you get the best value for your money from your LED TV. Follow these 11 tips and you should enjoy excellent viewing for years to come.

Posted by Surewise in Appliance Insurance Articles