# What should I look for in a new HDTV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291 "2010-02-09T17:11:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wheeljack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@Wheeljack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheeljack)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291/21 "2010-02-10T08:00:08Z")
Two more things to check out: sound outputs and video inputs. These may not apply to your particular situation but some televisions have no audio output of any kind except the internal speakers, which means there’s no way to use that bitchin’ home audio system that you probably don’t have anyway but you might want to buy at some point. I was surprised by this. What also surprised me was that a television claiming to have fifty bazillion HDMI ports would then fail to include any of the maaaaany other types of video inputs that have come and gone over the years. I’ve only got one HDMI device, my DVD player; those ports don’t do squat for my VCR, Wii, or any of the older game systems I like to play. I know, kind of inapplicable, but who knows who else might be reading this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291/22 "2010-02-10T13:45:42Z")
> [@mercury60](#): > > How about Panasonic VIERA TC-P42X1 42" Plasma TV? It has an impressive expert rating of 86 with a $599.99 tag price. Surely, the [best LCD TV](http://www.smartratings.com/electronics/plasma_and_lcds/472)/plasma you can find for the budget. Yeah, but he’s specifically looking for 1080p. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291/23 "2010-02-10T13:47:24Z")
> [@Wheeljack](#): > > These may not apply to your particular situation but some televisions have no audio output of any kind except the internal speakers, which means there’s no way to use that bitchin’ home audio system that you probably don’t have anyway but you might want to buy at some point. If you have a “bitchin’ home audio system” you don’t run the audio from the source to the TV to the receiver. You go source-\>receiver-\>TV. That way, you really only need one HDMI input on the TV, and everything else goes into the receiver. ---
**Author:** ![Wheeljack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@Wheeljack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheeljack)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291/24 "2010-02-10T17:26:25Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > If you have a “bitchin’ home audio system” you don’t run the audio from the source to the TV to the receiver. You go source-\>receiver-\>TV. That way, you really only need one HDMI input on the TV, and everything else goes into the receiver. You do for OTA and cable tv, if you don’t have a cable box. Perhaps I should have been more specific. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291/25 "2010-02-10T18:02:35Z")
> [@Wheeljack](#): > > You do for OTA and cable tv, if you don’t have a cable box. Perhaps I should have been more specific. True. On a screen that size, I’m not sure he’s going to be too worried about it (though I would be - a PS3 and bluray is really diminished if you’re not taking advantage of the lossless audio capabilities). He could get a good digital converter box for OTA that should have an optical audio out port, but that doesn’t solve the cable issue (actually, it might…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-look-for-in-a-new-hdtv/528291.md?page=1)