Quality TV shows, they have to be the best thing about cold winter nights. From Downton Abbey to Love/Hate, all the blustery weather seems that bit more manageable when you are in front of good entertainment. This is also the time of year when people think about upgrading their box set. Whether it’s a family Christmas present or a bargain you plan on grabbing in the winter sales, it’s an investment that’s worth doing your research on. So, it’s time to distinguish the LCDs from the LEDs and what you need to know when you hit the high street.

Which TV is for me?

Quite simply, there are three categories that you can choose from: LED, plasma and the new all-singing, all-dancing Ultra HD TV (also known as 4K TV). For most people, LEDs are the most attractive option at the moment.

Mark Irwin from Harvey Norman explains: “These guys replaced the LCDs a few years ago and the main difference is that instead of using florescent tubes inside your TV, it contains lots of small, bright LED lights, leading to a much better picture. Other bonuses are that they are really energy efficient. Most are either A or A+, which means if you were to use a standard LED TV for two hours every day, you could be limiting your TV electricity bill to as little as €40 a year. You can still opt for LCD TVs, which will be cheaper, but the quality of the picture isn’t as good and because many have an energy rating of C or D, you will be paying for some of that difference in price through your electricity bill.”

The perfect plasma?

Plasma on the other hand has been around quite a while and although its energy rating doesn’t quite match the likes of the LEDs, it continues to be a popular option.

“Customers who have had a plasma for years really like the picture quality and often opt for it again. It’s especially popular with those who want a really big TV. The industry standard for a living room is between 42 and 47 inches. Anything over 50 inches is considered large and when you go onto this size, the LED picture quality tends to diminish,” explains Mark.

Ultra HD

However, in the world of technology there is always a new player waiting on the edge, ready to pounce, and this time it’s the Ultra HD TV.

“The Ultra HD TV was marketed last year, but is only settling at a realistic price point now. It uses the LED technology, but it puts four times the amount of pixels into the screen. This helps with the sharpness and means you don’t have to be relying on plasma if you want to opt for a bigger screen,” says Mark. “Obviously, you have those into technology who love to keep ahead, upgrading to the newest model as soon as it hits a realistic price point. However, this only represents about half of customers. The others are mostly families who will buy a TV every eight to 10 years and when they are making that purchase they will buy the most advanced technology as possible so they have a really good-quality TV for that period of time.”

Prices

Of course, the newest and most advanced technologies on the market will always come in at a high price, with a standard size Ultra HD TV setting you back €1,299. However, these new technologies also drive down the price of other options.

Although plasmas haven’t massively moved on price in the last few years, you can now get far better value on an LED TV.

“There is much better value on the market now and prices have really dropped in the last three years. Back then, a standard 40 or 42-inch LCD would have cost you about €599. Now you can pick up the same size LED, which is cheaper on electricity and has a much better picture quality, for €450. By Christmas, I would expect it to drop as low as €400.”

Top tips

• Check the sound quality – For every action there is always a reaction. So while TVs have in recent years become sleeker, slimmer and all-round sexier looking, one important feature that has taken a hit as a result is the sound quality. Sound bars are thin speakers that sit in front of your screen and can double the sound capabilities of your TV. With Bluetooth capabilities you can also play tunes from your iPod through the speakers. They range in price from €165 to €800, but can really improve your viewing experience.

• What’s your warranty? – The average life span of a TV is eight to 10 years. However, some of the Korean brands such as Samsung and LG only give a 12-month warranty. So it could be worth looking at an extended warranty (approximately €250 for five years), especially if you’ve invested in a TV over €1,000. Sony and Panasonic often offer the extended warranty which can explain why they are up to €150 more expensive than comparable brands.

Smart TVs - how smart is yours?

One additional extra that is becoming a must-have with your TV purchase is to make it smart, very smart. A smart TV connects to the internet and means you can get the likes of Netflix and YouTube up and running with a click of a button.

Samsung is the only brand that runs the RTÉ and TV3 players, so bear that in mind if these are top requirements for you. However, the purchase of a smart TV comes with a few question marks.

What about my personal data? Are my viewing habits being tracked?

Yes. We don’t mean to frighten you, but anything you do online is being tracked by some company or another. In the case of your smart TV, the TV company will be monitoring your activities.

For example, they can learn from your Sky or UPC box about what you watch, at what time of day. This is to recommend TV shows that you might like, but also, in some cases, to target adverts to you.

We live in a very commercial world and this becomes even more heightened when you purchase a smart TV.

The data that is monitored varies from company to company, but this is detailed in the terms and conditions that you have to agree to when you set up your TV set. If you don’t agree to them, your TV will not function as a Smart TV, limiting your access to online apps.

How good does my broadband need to be for my smart TV to function?

Obviously, you need broadband to use your Smart TV, but you don’t need a massively good connection. Netflix will run on a 4MB broadband connection. The picture quality may not be as good as a household with 50MB, but it will work.

Smart TVs don’t eat a huge amount of data and do not need major speeds, it’s just the quality of the picture will improve as the speed increase.

Because my TV is connected to the internet, will it now be susceptible to viruses?

This can be a key concern, but actually each brand has a closed software system, like the lock on the screen of your laptop browser.

Also, because smart TVs have no local memory, the viruses have nowhere to store themselves. The TV is really just an access point to the internet. You can’t download software and so this keeps viruses at bay.

Your milkman has gone digital

Another week, another traditional service has been brought into the 21st century. Where once we visited the bank, we can now make most transactions on our phone. Instead of going to the supermarket, we can now order our shopping from the couch, and now the local milkman service has gone digital. The nifty new app from MyMilkman.ie allows users to place their milk order online, which is then delivered by a dedicated milkman. The great thing about the service is that it is flexible. Users can change their order up to 9pm the night before delivery and can adjust their regular order to pause when they’re away, or increase as they need it. Even more convenient is that users can add products such as bread, cheese, eggs or even orange juice to their order as they see fit. Pass us the phone.

iPhones at Oxfam

As the launch of the new iPhone 6 echoes around the world, Oxfam has announced an innovative new initiative. It has introduced the iPad 2 to its Born Again range, a collection of refurbished, budget-friendly computers. The iPads are fully restored, tested and given a new lease of life and come at a price of €299 (the new iPad Air starts at €489). Also in the Born Again range are laptops (starting at €189) and desktop computers (starting at €125).

Oxfam Ireland’s director of trading, Trevor Anderson, says: “There is no reason to buy brand new when you can buy Born Again. All iPads and computers are in excellent condition – stripped of old data, professionally refurbished, then tested and installed with the relevant software, so they are ready to use. To prove that we really believe in their quality, each Born Again product comes with a 12-month warranty.”