Considerations for a second TV

A funny thing happened with the advent of LCD-screen technology: People suddenly started to shell out for more televisions.

Once we bought the best television we could afford and only replaced it 20 years later. If we bought a new TV before the old one died, we'd usually relegate the old one to the games room or give it to the kids.

LCDs have changed that. Being flat panels they fit in lots of places cathode-ray-tube sets couldn't and, unlike plasmas, they come in small sizes as well as big. This is the major reason television sales are running at double the traditional rate of about a million a year in Australia.

But here's the thing. Buying a second (or third or fourth) television is about more than dollars and space. It's likely that your ideal television for the kitchen will be different to the best choice for the bedroom or the study.

First decide where you want to locate the television and how much space you have. This will give you a screen size. Now measure the maximum viewing distance. When you go to the shop, stand that far away. Can you read screen text?

Sight lines are important and in kitchens they can be tricky - with groceries or appliances in the way. Yet televisions shouldn't be so high that it's uncomfortable to watch them for more than a few minutes. And while wall- mounting works, it also reduces flexibility.

If your kitchen telly is mounted on the bench, it needs to be isolated from any spills that may happen, so a stand is a good idea - the higher the better. And keep it clean!

A bedroom television is ideally placed near the end of the bed so no head turning is required. Moreover, a high mounting point in the bedroom is usually not a problem; you can just sink back on the pillow to your ideal angle.

In a study, you'll be tempted to use a computer monitor as a TV. But televisions are designed to handle rapid image movement while monitors, especially inexpensive ones, are designed to reproduce a series of still images. Hence when they show TV programmes, the smeared image can generate headaches.

It's all about data processing and chip speed and it's why monitors are cheaper than similarly sized televisions. Look for a response time of six milliseconds or faster. While many televisions have a computer connection, not all have the resolution and sharpness of monitors. Do your homework.

Now think about the sound. Little televisions contain even smaller speakers than the already diminutive offerings in larger televisions and they sound awful. Some of the external speakers designed for computers are adequate but budget at least $100.

The best place to put them is flush-mounted on the ceiling or walls wired to the television.

Which brings us to installation. Every telly needs at least two cables, power and aerial, and a professional installer is going to make a better job of hiding all those messy cables than you and your mates.

- © Fairfax NZ News