What do IDTVs cost?

A general rule-of-thumb is that a conventional, non-flat-screen IDTV is £50 more expensive than an equivalent colour TV with the same feature-set, although this premium is heading down towards £30. However, the issue of the price differential is beginning to be irrelevant since more TV receivers are flat-screens, and, increasingly, these have Freeview tuners built into them by default. All Sony flat-screens above 23-inch, for instance, are IDTVs.

The cheapest IDTV we’ve seen so far (see IDTV listings) is a £200 traditional model from Bush (albeit a somewhat out-of-date one). The most expensive is a £14,000 flat-screen plasma model from Sony. These are ‘official’ pricings – individual retailers may make them available at lower prices, particularly where a newer model is about to supersede an existing one. It’s certainly worth hunting around on the Internet (or on the High Street, if you’ve the energy!) for special offers.

In general, the high-end models tend to be ‘home cinema’ versions – having large screens which offer a number of features, including (in the case of flat panels), HDTV capability, surround-sound, picture-in-picture, built-in electronic programme guides, and so on. Only buy these if you have the space and intend to make use of all the features offered – otherwise the premium you’re paying for them is a waste of money.