Buying a TV: what matters

Settle two things first: how far from the screen you sit, and how TV reaches your home. The distance points to a sensible size, and the reception route to the equipment you need. Then choose between LCD and OLED, depending on how bright the room is and how you watch. If you connect a games console, also check the HDMI ports.

Which size suits my viewing distance?

There is no fixed rule for viewing distance, but there is a technical reference point. Recommendation ITU-R BT.2022 gives a viewing distance at which individual pixels can just no longer be told apart. It is 3.2 times the picture height for Full HD and 1.6 times for 4K (UHD). On a 16:9 screen the picture height is about half the diagonal.

If you sit further back, you will no longer see the full sharpness of 4K. That is not a fault, just a pointer: at a long distance, a larger picture does more than a higher resolution. These figures come from a standard for test conditions; what feels comfortable is up to you. Measure from the sofa to the wall, and check the width and height of the TV on its stand against your furniture.

LCD, Mini-LED or OLED: which panel suits me?

• LCD (often sold as LED or QLED): a backlight shines through the panel. These sets can get very bright and suit bright rooms. Depending on the model, black can look more like grey.
• Mini-LED: an LCD variant with a large number of small LEDs dimmed in zones. That improves contrast. A faint halo, known as blooming, can appear around bright objects on a dark background.
• OLED: every pixel emits its own light and can switch off completely. That gives true black and high contrast, also from the side. There are two kinds: WOLED, with white emitters and colour filters, and QD-OLED, with blue emitters and quantum dots.

One drawback of OLED: images that stay still for a very long time, such as channel logos, news tickers or game displays, can burn in. Makers build in protective features. If you watch news channels with a fixed logo for many hours a day, keep it in mind anyway.

Ask yourself: does the TV stand in a bright room with sunlight from the side? Then a bright LCD or Mini-LED set has the edge. Do you mostly watch films in the evening? That is where OLED shows its strengths.

What do HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG mean?

HDR (high dynamic range) widens the range between dark and bright parts of the picture. Nearly every current 4K TV lists HDR in its spec sheet. What matters is which formats it handles:

• HDR10 is the base standard. It uses the PQ transfer curve defined in ITU-R BT.2100.
• HDR10+ and Dolby Vision add dynamic metadata to HDR10, so the picture can be adjusted scene by scene. Streaming services and Blu-rays use one or the other depending on the title.
• HLG also comes from BT.2100 and is meant for broadcast TV. Broadcasters use it for HDR transmissions.

Check which formats your streaming services and players deliver and whether the TV supports them. The logo alone says little about how well a set displays HDR; brightness and contrast decide that.

Which HDMI ports do I need for a console and soundbar?

Count your devices: console, receiver, soundbar, Blu-ray player. Then check in the spec sheet what each HDMI port can do. Often not every port supports the same features.

• HDMI 2.1 offers up to 48 Gbit/s and allows 4K at 120 frames per second. It includes gaming features such as VRR (variable refresh rate against judder and tearing) and ALLM (automatic game mode).
• eARC passes high-quality audio from the TV to a soundbar or AV receiver. If you use a soundbar, it needs a port with eARC.
• HDMI 2.2 is the newest version, with up to 96 Gbit/s and the Ultra96 cable. Today's consoles do not need it.

For 4K at 120 Hz on a PlayStation 5, Sony lists three requirements: a TV that supports 4K at 120 Hz, an HDMI 2.1 port, and the cable supplied with the console or an Ultra High Speed HDMI cable. Sony advises checking the TV's manual to see which ports support 4K at 120 Hz.

How do I receive TV in Germany?

Check how the signal reaches your home. The TV needs the matching receiver (tuner).

• Aerial (DVB-T2 HD): the tuner must decode the HEVC (H.265) video standard. The green "DVB-T2 HD" logo shows that a device can also receive the encrypted private channels. Public broadcasters are unencrypted and free to receive. Private channels in HD are encrypted and need a paid subscription (freenet TV) per device, usually through a CI+ module.
• Satellite: private HD channels are encrypted through HD+ and need a paid subscription. The TV needs a CI+ slot for this. ARD, ZDF and arte are free to receive in HD.
• Cable: private HD channels are usually encrypted here too. Since 1 July 2024, landlords may no longer pass cable TV fees on through the service charges. Tenants now need their own contract or another way to receive TV.
• Internet (IPTV and streaming): what counts here are the available apps and a stable internet connection.

Public broadcasters are moving to HD only. ARD switched off SD on satellite on 7 January 2025, and ZDF has broadcast only in HD since 18 November 2025. Older sets without an HD tuner lose these channels.

How much do the operating system and updates matter?

A smart TV needs updates for apps, security and new features. Each maker decides how long it provides upgrades. Two examples, each according to the maker:

• Samsung promises up to seven years of upgrades to its Tizen operating system for certain models.
• LG promises four upgrades over five years for certain models under "webOS Re:New".

Check with the maker whether your model is included, and whether the apps you use are offered on that system. If apps disappear one day, an external streaming stick can fill the gap. EU rules also require makers to keep the latest firmware and the latest security update available for at least eight years after the last unit of a model is sold. That does not mean new updates will come. The minimum period of guaranteed updates is stated in the product information sheet.

What does it cost to run, and how long will it last?

TVs carry an EU energy label with classes A to G. It shows two classes and two values: one for standard pictures (SDR) and one for HDR, each in kilowatt-hours per 1,000 hours. The QR code on the label leads to the entry in the EU's EPREL database with the full product information sheet.

To compare running costs, look at the kWh figure, not just the letter, and multiply it by your daily viewing hours and your electricity tariff.

On durability, EU rules apply. Makers must keep certain spare parts, such as the power supply, remote control and connectors, available for at least seven years after the last unit of a model is sold, and deliver them within 15 working days. Some parts are available only to professional repairers; the remote control and an external power supply are available to you too. When you buy from a retailer in Germany, you also have a two-year statutory warranty (Gewährleistung). A manufacturer's guarantee comes on top, on the terms in the guarantee document.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a size without a tape measure. Measure the viewing distance, the furniture width and the height of the stand.
• Not checking the reception route. Without a CI+ slot or the right tuner, channels will be missing.
• Not checking each HDMI port. 4K at 120 Hz often works only on certain ports.
• Looking only at the energy class. The kWh figure and the HDR value tell you more.
• Forgetting the sound. If sound matters to you, plan for a soundbar and a port with eARC.
• Using OLED for static displays. Fixed logos for many hours a day raise the risk of burn-in.

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