Buying A Flashlight

If your looking to buy a new flash light, whether it is for hunting, fishing, emergency use, or just to use around the house then you should check out these suggestions.

L.E.D.
I personally like L.E.D. lights. They can be extremely bright, last a lifetime, and they do not brake when dropped like a glass bulb. As a matter of fact I am going to suggest L.E.D. is the only kind of flashlight you should buy.

Lumen
I have purchased all kinds of different flashlights and there can be some very dim L.E.D. flashlights that last a long time, but they are very hard to use for long distance sight. So make sure you get one with a high lumen rating. 100 lumen is bright enough to use around the house and as a emergency light, its bright enough to get the job done. 200 lumen is bright enough to use as a hunting light or even a front bicycle light. The higher the lumen rating the brighter the light output.

Features
Some flashlights have different features such as strobe for signaling an SOS, a low and high mode to save battery life when you do not need it to be the brightest, focus capabilities to narrow or widen the beam, and color change for hunting, less eye strain, and to find blood.

Diffent types of Light

There are many different types of light available for use. The main three I will be talking about are; Incandescent/Halogen, florescent and L.E.D. 
 


Warm white vs. cool white
Warm white light recreates the look of incandescent light bulbs (a yellowish look), where as cool white is very white.

Incandescent/Halogen light bulbs are the standard light bulbs that have been used for years and are still being used. Halogens save a little bit more electricity than incandescent bulbs but are still the least efficient than the other two. These lights are very inefficient, they use a lot of energy to produce light. In a place like a car this may not matter, because the electricity is available as long as the vehicle is running.

Fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient and a way of reducing electricity cost.  This type of bulb can save up to 80% on light bulb cost, but they contain harsh chemicals that can be dangerous if the bulb is broken. Available in warm white and cool white. These bulbs are typically not found in most cars.

L.E.D. bulbs are the most efficient light bulbs of the three. They are relatively new, so they are the most expensive. These light bulbs can save up to 90% of light bulb electricity cost, and they last the longest. They are also safe for your home and shock resistant, so they are more durable than other bulbs for use in cars. Available in warm white and cool white.

For home use, I would recommend using L.E.D. light bulbs where ever possible, and fluorescent for when you can not use L.E.D. This light set up will be the most efficient and provide a great light output for the cost. You may have to pay extra, but they save you money over time.

For car use, I would recommend using L.E.D. in every place interior and exterior, except for headlight use. L.E.D. will give you more light output than the stock light bulbs while still using less electricity and are instant on/ instant off which makes other drivers see your lights sooner, which results in safer driving.

What to look for when buying a new T.V.

The first thing to look for when buying a T.V. is the brand name. You will want to chose one that is well known. The best and most reliable T.V.s out right now are, Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony. They tend to be a little more expensive than the others, but they are built to last and give the best picture.

Get yourself a T.V. here!

T.V.s come in many different sizes and specifications. I will explain them.

Size: You can choose any size that you want, it is all up to you. Usually the bigger the T.V., the farther back you must sit from the screen to view the optimum picture. Make sure the T.V. is not too big for the room.

Resolution: Today's T.V.s have resolutions starting from 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, to 1080p and beyond.
If the T.V. has 480i or 480p it is not considered a high definition T.V. If the T.V. has 720p, 1080i and 1080p then it is a high definition T.V. Typically high definition T.V.s are separated into two sections at most retail stores; the 720p T.V.s that can support 1080i and the full 1080p high definition T.V.s. So witch type is better? It all depends on what you will be using the T.V. for.

If you want to use the T.V. for watching standard definition programing or high definition programing, or regular DVD movies than a 720p T.V. will be all that you need.
If you want to use the T.V. as a computer monitor, or to watch Blu-Ray movies, access high definition programing or to play video games using the new systems (PlayStation 3 or X-Box 360 ) you will want the 1080p resolution. This level of resolution will give you the best possible picture, but they are typically more expensive.

The new 4k resolution T.V.'s are the highest resolution out right now, but there is not much material that can use the full 4k abilities, but the best is the best if your willing to pay.

HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection)
If you plan on watching Blu-ray movies make sure your T.V. has HDCP or the picture will be very grainy, or not even work. If your T.V. has an HDMI port then it is more than likely that your T.V. is HDCP compliant.

Contrast Ratio: The higher the contrast ratio the better. Contrast ratios are described as 100,000:1 or 1,000,000:1 (and many more). This tells you how dark the blacks will be and how bright the whites will be. So the higher the ratio the better.

Hertz: T.V.s start from 60htz, 120htz, 240htz and up to 600htz. The more hertz a T.V. has the more vibrant and smoother the picture looks when there is a lot of movement on screen. A higher refresh rate is especially needed when watching 3D. The more hertz the better, but the price of the T.V. goes up.

24p and 60p: T.V.'s are getting more and more advanced as time goes by, the newest feature T.V.s have is 24p and 60p. When film is being recorded it is recorded at a 24p frame rate, but most T.V.s can only play at a 60p frame rate, which means the film will have to unconverted disrupting the picture a little bit. If you are looking to get the best picture possible from a T.V. try to buy one that has the ability to play at a rate of 24p. (note: you will also need a blu-ray player that can output 24p)
For more information here is a great link that explains this quite well.

The different types: LED, LCD, Plasma, DLP, are all types of high definition T.V.s.
LED T.V.s use the least amount of energy and last twice as long because they run cooler. They are also the thinnest type of T.V.
LCD are the most common on the market today. They are dependable and relatively thin.
PLASMA are not as dependable as LCD or LED, but are still good. Plasma T.V.s are especially good for watching 3D.
 

DLP T.V.s, I believe are the worst because they are not that dependable. You can not see the picture very well in a lit room, or when just standing off to the side.

LED, LCD, and DLP T.V.s will have any where from 60hrtz to 240hrtz. Plasma T.V.s will have the high hertz (600hrtz).
LED T.V.s usually have the highest contrast ratio.



Wifi: Some newer T.V.s have WiFi that allows you connect to the internet. Each T.V. will list their features.

Conclusion:
I recommend staying away from DLP T.V.s. All of the other types are your preference based on performance.
If you will be getting a 3D T.V. Plasma is the best type of T.V. because it has a high refresh rate needed to prevent "ghosting". I believe Panasonic makes the best plasma T.V.s.
Stick with name brands, Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic are among the best.
Wifi is cool to have but not needed.
Try to get the highest resolution, contrast ratio, and hertz that your price range allows.