Like any technology, the longer people wait to adopt new advancements, the more affordable they become. When video tape players first came out, they cost hundreds of dollars or more. hd_ready_tvBut when the VHS format came out, although of lesser quality than competing Beta video, it made buying VCRs much more affordable. Early models still cost hundreds of dollars, but within a few years, it cost less than $100 for a good stereo VCR. The same happened with DVD players and DVDs. Early models cost anywhere from about $500 to $1,000 with the DVDs costing at least $20 for new ones. Within a decade, people could buy them for less than $50 and the DVDs they play for as little as $5 brand new.

TV Prices Plummet as Quality Rises

The first flat-screen TVs were bulky and very expensive. People easily could spend thousands of dollars on technology that was relatively new and in need of improvement in many ways. And not long ago, a 50-inch flat-screen LCD or plasma television easily could cost $5,000 or more with early models topping $10,000. But a trip through any big-box retail store carrying flat screen TVs now show people can buy outstanding, high-definition televisions for a few hundred dollars. And slightly smaller versions can run as little at $200 for 32-inch models.

Easy Financing on Quality Flat Screens

Unfortunately, many people after the recent economic turmoil find themselves running much tighter budgets, and paying outright for a new flat-screen television just isn’t something they can’t afford. But with rent-to-own and financing plans that last for up to 18 months, nearly anyone can afford to get a quality flat-screen TV that will make their household viewing pleasures that much better. Most programs now are formatted for widescreen televisions. Taking full advantage of high-definition programming makes watching sports, prime-time programming, movies and others much more enjoyable.

Have you ever been annoyed by seeing less than the full screen when viewing high-definition programs on cable or broadcast TV?