"Overwhelming!" "Too many choices!" "Price range disparity!" "Most of them look about the same - why the price differences?" If you've ever been to all the big electronics warehouses, these are some of the comments most will make. Plasma, LCD, CRT, LCD rear projection, etc. which to choose? Most people have a vague understanding of what means what. Sales people aren't much help because the majority of them don't stick to the basics when a person is trying to decide which TV to buy. The experience of shopping for the perfect TV to fit your budget and give you the best bang for your buck can be "information overload" and just plain exhausting! Here are some tips for those persons that can't decide: 1) Price Range - Pick a price range and stick to it. Only you know what you can afford. If you are financing, look for 0% APR for 18 months, or longer, and check your payments to see if you can afford it even if your finances get tight. Don't overextend yourself! Also, as a matter of preference, I don't buy any extended service plans. If you buy a quality, new television, you shouldn't have to worry about it having a problem in the foreseeable future. 2) Size of screen - Decide what range of screen size best fits your needs. Usually, people will want the biggest screen possible, but sometimes the picture quality drops off the bigger the screen gets. Projection TVs, for example, need a darker room for maximum enjoyment. Plasmas tend to have a lot of glare also. LCDs tend to have the least glare factor. The least expensive of the three is the LCD projection TV, with sizes up to 72" or bigger, but you have to have the TV at eye level for the best picture (best for narrow rooms). Plasmas and LCDs have gotten larger and have the best field of view (usually 170 degrees), but can be expensive. 3) Contrast ratio - The brightness of the picture is called the contrast ratio. The higher the ratio, the brighter the picture, very important in a room not dedicated to television only. You'll notice the difference once the TV leaves the store. I would try to choose a television with at least a 5000:1 contrast ratio. Some of the better models offer 8000:1 or better. Of course, the price increases proportionately to the ratio. 4) High Definition 720p, 1080i, 1080p - Welcome to the new age of high definition television. Lines of resolution means more colors and detail. Wow! Have you seen a true high definition picture - awesome! If possible, for future purposes, go with the full 1080p format. This will be the format of the future, and can serve you now, too. 720p is very, very good and will satisfy most of your needs for now. There is also an HD DVD player available now that will play DVDs in the 720p format - these have an awesome picture - and are semi-affordable. But, if you really want to see the best picture available, Blue-Ray disc players are the best with 1080p resolution (of course, blue-ray discs are not the same as the DVDs you have in your library now, so you'll have to start a new collection). 1080i is the in-between format - which means the ability to show an interlaced 1080 format, and is better than 720p. 5) Brand - I've seen a lot of people choose a less expensive brand with all the same features as the more known only to be disappointed because the TV has problems, and a short life. The best brands in my opinion are Sony, Samsung, Pioneer, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Panasonic, and Hitachi. You can look at Consumer Digest's ratings to get an idea what people say about different products. As a rule of thumb, I would pick one of the most reliable and best known brands. These brands tend to be more expensive up front, but less expensive in the long run. I hope this bit of information helps anyone looking to purchase a new television in the near future. This does not cover all factors in your purchase, but should help. When looking, price is the first thing to think about for most people, so STAY FOCUSED! Don't look at those out of your price range. They'll only make it less enjoyable to shop!