When choosing an under-cabinet television, the following guide can help you decide on the best one for you:
First, decide what is most important for you: Features or Cost. Because of how specialized of a product it is, most people who are even considering an under cabinet television have already prioritized the Features...meaning they have in mind something that it will do for them. For features you need to evaluate things like:
- How large of a screen does it need to be easily seen?
- Does it need a DVD player?
- Does it need a radio and/or clock?
- What types of inputs does it need if using cable/satellite?
- Does the LCD screen need to be able to fold up?
- Does it need a tuner? (ie: will there be input from cable/satellite or not?)
Note: now that digital signal is the only signal available, make sure that the model has a digital tuner if you are planning on receiving television signals apart from an input from cable/satellite.
With those features listed and prioritized, it's time to shop...preferably online. The selection within your local stores is minimal for such a niched product. When buying online, look for those sites that have customer reviews so you can evaluate potential problems before they occur. Find out if those problems conflict with your priority list.
For example, some folks might complain about the poor quality of the tuner signal for a specific model. If you are planning on running a wire for the input, you don't need the tuner, so that is irrelevant.
One last thing to consider about your under-cabinet television: Mounting. You are very likely going to have to drill holes in your cabinets. Make sure you are comfortable doing that, or know someone who will. Also, depending on the mounting hardware, there might be some hardware protruding up inside the cabinet (a screwhead and washer, for example). Determine how you will work around that, either by countersinking if you can, or by arranging the dishes in the cabinet in a way that won't be bothered by the mounting hardware.
Having a little information ahead of time can make buying and installing your under-cabinet television a painless and actually enjoyable experience!
Christy - Under Counter TV info from http://undercountertv.net