If you are on the market for a flat screen TV the amount of available manufacturers and models can be easily overwhelming. Letting the friendly sales representative at your local electronics store help you choose is a recipe for disaster as you may end up buying the most expensive item they have on stock instead of the best flat screen for your needs. To avoid that, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of flat TV screens.

LCD flat panel televisions are probably the most common flat screen tv models you'll find, especially if you are looking at middle sized models. Unless you are looking for a TV under 26 inches, your best bet is to look only at high definition LCD TVs, as that will allow you to enjoy HD films and TV or Blu-ray releases. The resolution range on HD LCD ranges from 480p, 720p, 1080p and 1080i. The 'p' and 'i' represents the type of picture scanning: 'interlaced' or 'progressive'. Progressive scam offers better quality viewing, but if the price is very good an interlaced model may be ok. Always test the TV before purchasing it to make sure it's good enough for your tastes.

The size of the TV must be proportional to the room it will go in, so if you have a large dining room you can look at larger TV models and plasma TVs, but if you are looking for a flatscreen for a small room such a model would make for very uncomfortable film watching. Consider also how are you going to mount the TV, whether you are using its own stand or mounting it on brackets on the wall. Not all walls are strong enough to support a heavy TV, so always take a look at the weight of the model and make sure you keep safety in mind.

Other things you may want to consider is whether the TV has enough input ports to accommodate the rest of your media centre. Some models are able to read memory cards, which makes them perfect if you want to look at your pictures and videos on the big screen. If you enjoy old films and dvds you may find a model that offers 'film mode' useful, as it's designed to compensate for the lower frame rates of old films. And finally, make sure you like the manufacturer. Though pricier, models offered by established brands are often more reliable, and you won't risk finding out that you cannot get your TV repaired because the manufacturer has horrible customer service.