Yes- everyone has them now- flat screens provide many conveniences that older televisions did not. Flat screens are easy to move, they look nice, and they use newer technologies that older televisions never had. Now they even have 3D televisions! There are many other benefits to having a flat screen:
Higher Resolutions
Resolution is the amount of pixels making up an image. Low-definition televisions with square-shaped screens had a 4:3 aspect ratios and varied from 240p to 360p. 240p was a mere 320×240 resolution- meaning that there was a very small amount of pixels- squares- making up the image. Other low-definition TVs were 360p- 480×360- and while they were slightly better, those resolutions stretched to larger screens had noticeably visible squares from pixellation and just failed to be pleasing to the eye.
Standard-definition TVs weren’t a major improvement, with resolutions of 480i and 576i- which doesn’t even come close to the flat screen TVs of today.
Modern widescreen HDTVs have an aspect ratio of 16:9 and have two main resolutions, both of which are considered HD- 720p and 1080p. 720p is 1280×720 pixels, and 1080p is a whopping 1920×1080 pixels, meaning much, much more vivid, colorful and clear images for you, your friends and your family to enjoy.
All of the latest gaming consoles, computers and Blu-Ray players support media at these high resolutions too, making for the ultimate home entertainment experience.
Price
HDTVs- assuming they aren’t gigantic- cost the same amount that standard and low-def TVs cost back in the day. Initially, HDTVs were a luxury reserved for a select few- now, however, it’s become such a standard that nearly all TV providers are offering HD channels for low prices and families all across America either own an HDTV or rent them for reasonable prices.
Size
This goes hand-in-hand with resolution and also with price. The bigger the screen of a widescreen HDTV and the higher its resolution, the more its going to cost you. Features like 3D add a hefty sum to the overall price as well, but for people willing to pay the price premium, they can have large televisions with clear, colorful pictures in their houses for them and the people they associate with to enjoy.
In addition, flat screen tvs are lacking in thickness- meaning if you have enough directional room for the screen, you can install them just about anywhere, even on your wall. They don’t have to be massive, either- you can get a flat screen at just about the same size as your old standard def TV for a very reasonable price, meaning you can have a better picture at the same size and place you’re used to.
Samantha Wideman is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites.