General information befor you buy HDTV.

1. Location:

Where in the room does your HDTV belong? Attributes of the room in which you are watching your HDTV can make or break your high-definition experience. Some considerations include lighting, distance to the viewer, and viewing angle.
Before putting an HDTV in your home, select the right spot for it. Ambient light can wash out or reflect off the screen, so you want to take all room light sources, windows and otherwise into account. For example, it’s better to put the set next to a window than across from one. Ideally, the screen should be placed at the wide end of the room, preferably centered horizontally on the wall. This allows more viewers to be close to the central “viewing axis” (the imaginary line extending from the center of the TV screen into the room). Where should the TV be placed vertically on the wall? A good rule of thumb is that the center of the screen should be about the same height as your eyes when seated (that means mounting the flat panel above the fireplace is a no-no).

2. Size:

Bigger is not always better. The key question is, “how far from the TV will you be sitting?” (We’ve provided a handy sizing chart to help you out.) For a given distance, getting too large a TV makes the image pixels annoyingly visible; getting too small a TV prevents you from appreciating the enhanced detail of high definition.
The “bigger is better” argument doesn’t necessarily pan out when shopping for an HDTV. The reason? Even the best big-screen sets will have visible pixilation (blocky diagonal lines, etc.) when viewed too closely. On the other hand, placing a set at too great a distance wastes its potential. Use our sizing chart to choose the perfect size for your space.

3. Type:

There are three main types of HDTVs: LCD, plasma, and DLP. Learn more about the differences with this comparison chart. If your budget is a little tight, don’t trade down in size too quickly. Instead, consider a rear projection HDTV. These HDTVs generally cost less than, but can match the picture quality of its flat panel cousins.
Whether it’s LCD, plasma, DLP, or others, HDTVs all have their pros and cons and can come in a variety of high-definition resolutions. Your viewing environment and favorite types of content will help determine which TV is the best fit for you.
Keep your earlier size choice in mind, as that will play a factor in your set choice. 42-inch sets and smaller are generally only available in flat-panel formats, while 60 inches and up is the territory of rear-projection sets (unless price is not an issue). And if you want a 60-inch-plus set in a flat-screen format (LCD, plasma) simply to save space, be careful. Mounting a 60-inch plasma or LCD on the wall is possible but requires a heavy-duty mount and may require additional framing support in your wall to hang safely. And if you choose to place that 60-inch set on a stand, the depth of a suitable stand’s footprint will match the depth of a rear-projection HDTV.

4. Picture Quality:

1080i (a similar picture quality to 720p) is suitable for HD programming (via broadcast, cable, or satellite signals) and up-converting DVD players. 1080p, meanwhile, is the highest quality available. You will want 1080p to enjoy the full potential of high-definition.
Superior picture quality is probably the main reason you’re shopping for an HDTV, so when comparing the options, make the picture your top priority. Performance still varies greatly between brands and even different models of the same brand.
The numbers you see attached to HDTVs (720p, 1080i, or 1080p) measure how many vertical lines of resolution are shown in an image. But the number is only half of the story. The “i” stands for interlaced, meaning the TV image is broken into halves and displayed in an alternating fashion. Your eye typically cannot notice this visual trick, but high-action scenes (particularly in movies and video games) will sometimes have a blurry or “ghosting” effect when interlaced. Progressive-scan images (“p”) show the full image at all times and, therefore, do not suffer from this ghosting. With that in mind, 1080i and 720p images actually look just about the same–though your personal preference may vary–and just about all current HDTVs support both of these standards. Meanwhile, you will want a 1080p set to enjoy the full image resolution of Blu-ray discs as well as most new video game systems.
Newer HDTV models support 1080p, but they may be more expensive than 720p or 1080i models. The advantages of the extra resolution you get with 1080p are most noticeable on screens 42 inches or larger. It allows you to sit closer than you could with a 720p set before you begin to see the individual pixels. Still, if you are anticipate using a Blu-ray movie player or a high-def video games system, you may want to invest in a 1080p TV to have maximum flexibility with your system.

5. Cables:

HDMI
HDMI cables are both a brand and a type of cable and there are other manufacturers of HDMI type cables. Make the most of your high-definition TV investment by using the highest-quality connection: HDMI. It’s a slim cord that supports all high-definition resolutions (720p, 1080i, 1080p, etc.) and can carry multichannel audio as well. HDMI is all you need to connect your Blu-ray player or digital television receiver to your HDMI equipped HDTV.

Keep It Simple
By maintaining a digital signal throughout your home-theater system, HDMI avoids the digital-to-analog conversion that can degrade your image quality. Uncertified cables might be cheaper, but they could be more susceptible to electrical interference and unreliable connections or have other problems.

Specifications
There are multiple specifications of HDMI cables. HDMI1.3 is the newest and most up-to-date with support for all high-def video and audio formats. There are older specifications such as HDMI1.1 and 1.2. If you already own these earlier cables you may want to upgrade to 1.3 to have the most compatibility across high-def systems.
This data from Amazon.com

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