The competing technologies all have various price points and slightly different quirks or “flaws.” Your best bet is to expose yourself to a variety of models that fall within your budget.

Plasma

If you want a large, flat television, close to or over 50 inches, plasma is probably your best bet. The picture quality of plasma televisions can vary quite a great deal so you may want to look at hardware reviews before throwing down your hard earned money. The best plasmas are almost indiscernible from CRTs (standard definition TVs) when it comes to black level, contrast and colors. They also have a wide viewing angle. The concerns about burn-in are far over-exaggerated. However, people who are going to watch shows with fixed logos or play videogames with static bars should be careful with their new purchase especially during the first 100 hours, when the screen is most vulnerable.

LCD

If you want a HD television for a smaller room (37 inches or below) LCD is the popular choice. The prices are affordable for a stylish set. Larger LCD screens unfortunately are far more expensive than their plasma equivalents. To its credit, LCD typically has a higher native resolution than plasma screens and there is no danger of burn-in. However, due to the technology used in these monitors true blacks are hard to achieve and the viewing angle is perhaps less than desired.

Rear Projection (DLP, LCoS and LCD chips)

Rear projection televisions are not as thin as plasma or LCD but are still much smaller and lighter than their CRT cousins. These televisions offer excellent size and picture quality for their competitive price. Micro displays use bulbs, which can take time to warm up and have a finite lifespan of around 3000 to 10,000 hours. Due to the rear projection technology the viewing angle is not as wide as some of the competitors.  Both DLP and LCoS sets are still in the emerging technology stage and will hit their stride in the upcoming year.

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so much to learn

Now you've got a basic idea of the differences between the main types of HDTVs.  In part two of this article we'll discuss some other options you'll want to consider before you make the big purchase.

Click here to read What You Need To Know About HDTV: Part 2.