TV Buying Guide

TV Resolution refers to the number of pixels that make up an image, with more pixels allowing for the presentation of more detailed images. This combines with improved contrast ratios, bold colours, and smarter image processing technologies, to create incredible images.

The more pixels, the crisper and more detailed your images appear. This is due to more pixels working in tandem to create additional details across a similar area. While there are other important aspects to consider (we cover these in the next section), the difference in picture quality is very noticeable.

Note that content must be in 4K format - many streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, iTunes and Stan are offering more and more 4K shows and movies. You can also experience 4K quality with a 4K-compatible Blu-Ray Player and Blu-Ray discs.

Let’s take it up a notch with the entrance of 8K TVs. Providing greater image clarity, especially on larger screens, 8K TVs make use of 33 million pixels; four times as many as 4K screens. A caveat to the arrival of 8K is that there is a lack of content designed solely for 8K screens. However, any non-8K content that is viewed on these screens will be bolstered by the magic of upscaling, which enhances image quality marvellously. 

Aside from being a rather nice rhyme, 4K Blu-ray is the ultimate way to view 4K movies at home. It’s a quintessential pairing, like wine and cheese or showers and singing; they just work together. But if you have an existing standard Blu-ray collection, you can still watch your favourites, and as an added bonus the player will upscale them close to 4K. 

If you have spent any time researching TVs, you will undoubtedly have come across the acronyms OLED and QLED, which refer to how images are displayed. To prevent any confusion that may arise, QLED, OLED and LED all refer to how the screen is lit up and images displayed, while HD,4K and 8K refer to the resolution of the image itself. 

The main difference between LED and OLED screen displays is in how they present their images. LED uses LCD technology and an LED backlight, while OLED screens don’t require a backlight.

OLED displays are composed of an organic material which glows when activated by an electrical current. Each pixel is its own independent light source, which allows for utmost control of the display. More importantly, each pixel can turn off completely, presenting absolute blacks and incredible contrast. 

As you may have guessed, QLED and OLED are two different TV display technologies, which each have their own pros and cons. QLED is an LCD TV which utilises quantum dots while an OLED TV isn’t an LCD TV at all.

As to which are better, QLED TVs generally tend to be brighter than their OLED and LED counterparts, making them great for brighter rooms. OLED TVs, on the other hand, deliver superb contrast due to their ability to achieve absolute black.

OLED TVs also tend to be more expensive than their QLED contemporaries. 

You are most likely already familiar with the humble HDMI cable, the nifty device allowing you to connect DVD players, game consoles, and more, to your TV. A HDMI cable is designed to transmit either uncompressed video data or compressed/uncompressed digital audio data, to compatible devices. In a nutshell, a HDMI cable can transmit audio or visual information between devices. As technology has improved, HDMI has also experienced some improvements, in the form of eARC and ARC HDMI. 

HDMI eARC is an improved version of HDMI ARC, designed to provide the best possible audio resolution from your TV. The name is testament to this, with ‘eARC’ standing for ‘enhanced Audio Return Channel’. With eARC, full-resolution audio signals can be passed between your TV audio systems. This includes 3D surround sound formats, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X

Using eARC, your HDMI devices can be plugged directly into your TV, which will then transfer uncompressed, high-quality audio to a soundbar or receiver, from the eARC port. 

The standard of all HDR content. If a TV supports HDR playback, it will support HDR10, likewise, if a movie or TV show says it is in HDR, it’s in HDR10. 

One of the newer HDR formats, HDR10+ adds in the use of dynamic metadata. This means that each and every video frame has its own brightness, contrast and colour level configurations. As a result, image quality is drastically boosted when compared to HDR10. 

Requiring specific hardware to play content in Dolby Vision, any content that is displayed will be as close to the source material as possible. In terms of HDR formats, Dolby Vision has been around for a little longer, so there is more available content that will support it.

When you’re wall mounting a TV, it’s important to make sure that you’re not mounting too high or too low. You don’t want to be craning your neck at any angle to watch the TV. Looking directly forward, your eyes should land dead centre in the middle of the screen.

Thankfully, many TV manufacturers now design their TVs with clear or nondescript cables, which makes setting your TV up much more attractive.

TV wall brackets come in a variety of configurations, depending on the weight of your TV and how you interact with it. You'll generally need to purchase these separately. We've listed the range below to give you an idea of how your TV will look.

As TVs become thinner, default sound quality has generally remained average.

Pairing your TV up with a quality soundbar, Hi-Fi system, or full surround-sound system is becoming more and more popular. Most TVs out of the box sound very basic, so it's worthwhile investing in a decent audio option to support your beautiful TV visuals.

If you need a little more help choosing the best audio to complement your setup, read through our Home Theatre Buying Guide. 

Our Winning Services team can professionally install your new TV and remove and recycle your old unit.

We offer two types of TV installation: cabinet installation and wall-mount installation.

The biggest benefit of organising installation is that our installers deliver and install the TV in one smooth motion, ensuring you only have to be at home once.

To find out more and to book your installation, please call us on 1300 000 500.

With the cost of living always on the rise, being budget conscious is more important than ever. Thankfully when it comes to home appliances, like our TV range, you can always find one that suits your needs and won't break your bank. To make things as easy as possible, we've already put together all of our budget friendly models in one easy click. Remember, cheap doesn't mean bad - it just means you get the items you are after, at a great deal!

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Hi, I'm Adam, the TV and Home Audio product expert at Appliances Online. If you have any questions on TVs or home audio, or just need tips on how to get the best out of your TV experience, please don't hesitate to reach out to me or the team here at Appliances Online on 1300 000 500.

Happy viewing!