If you have spent a small fortune on that you-beaut, state-of-the-art plasma or LCD digital TV, you want to take full advantage of all it offers.

Having a profressional carry out the TV install is a good idea, especially if it is a wall mount TV.

The modern television isn’t just an idiot box, that you plug in and change the channels with a dial. It is a technically advanced piece of electronic equipment, with micro chipsets, circuitry, and expensive Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and plasma screens. You may have bought it as the central part of an extensive and expensive home theatre system. Even if you haven’t, it may well end up being so as you connect it to audio, computer and other equipment over time. Therefore, the television set should be installed, set up and programmed properly from the outset. If you have moved into a new home or apartment, consider purchasing a good, exterior antenna at the same time as the television, as a professional installer usually can install both and have it all up and running for you in no time.

It is important to not only ensure that a professional carries out your TV installation, but your TV repairs too. Usually qualified television repairers offer a fix TV as well as install TV call out service. They will come to your home, inspect the television set to assess the fault, and will give you a written quote. Their work is guarenteed but, obviously, they must charge a call-out fee which will be hefty. If the fault is common and relatively easy to repair, they can fix your TV in your home. This can be a viable option if you have several expensive electronic devices that are faulty, or that you need installing, and you are paying just the one call-out fee.

LCD and plasma screens are extremely complex and use electricity in the process of producing images. A simplified look at how they work shows the inherent dangers of tampering with them at home: LCD panels are a polarised glass-like material, with an electric current running through liquid crystals. Plasma screens are glass panels containing neon-xenon gas as plasma, which is stimulated electrically to affect colour phosphors. Your television’s circuitry and computing chipsets can easily be irreparably damaged by static electricity, so care must be taken to avoid this.

If the fault is not obvious, such as a gaping hole or crack in the screen, try diagnosing and fixing the problem yourself. There are good plasma and LCD TV repair guides and courses available on the internet. You are sure to glean useful knowledge and worthwhile Do It Yourself tips, even if you do not succeed in repairing the TV. Keep in mind that any repair work by an unqualified person will make void any warranty on the television equipment. Obviously, if it is still under warranty (and always consider the value of paying for an extended warranty at the time of purchase), then take it to a qualified repairer. However, it is probably not worth having it repaired if the cost is more than half the price of a new unit.