Before you buy...

Think about size and style Pick a set that’s too small and you’ll be squinting at the screen, but go too big and it will dominate your living room. A 32-inch TV needs to be between 1.2 and 2.4m from your sofa, for 42 inches you’re looking at 1.6 to 3.2m, while a 50-inch set should be at least 1.9m away. If you're installing a TV in your bedroom go for something smaller (32 inches or less) and design-led, rather than destroy the ambience with a big black box. In the kitchen, look for a small set that won’t take up too much workspace — some flip down from the base of your wall cabinets or rise up from your countertop..

Get a TV you can log on to Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) gets us very excited here at Ideal Home Towers. This gives you ‘apps’ such as You Tube, Twitter, eBay, LoveFilm (so you can download rented movies straight to your TV), BBC iPlayer and Picasa (for photo sharing), and often a full web browser.

Consider a third dimension Decide if you want 3D, and if so, whether to go for active or passive. Active 3D sets display two versions of the same image very quickly one after the other, and to decode this you’ll need to wear a pair of Active 3D glasses with electronic shutters. These can cost more than £100, but you’ll get at least a pair thrown in with the TV. With passive technology (the kind used in the cinema) the screen does all the work, so the glasses cost just a few pounds, although the effect is marginally less convincing.

Watch more with Freesat and Freeview With Freeview, you can access up to 74 TV and radio channels via a rooftop aerial, with no subscription. Freeview HD also gives you BBCHD, ITV1 HD and Channel 4 HD. You'll receive more than 140 channels (including BBCHD and ITV1 HD) via a Freesat HD satellite dish, which you’ll need to have installed by a professional.

Ready to buy? Click on to flick through our pick of the best TVs on the high street

Chosen by Ideal Home

Photograph by Dominic Blackmore