The good people at Dick Smith Electronics have written a short guide telling you about what you should be looking for in terms of shopping for ways to view the upcoming Rugby World Cup.

We think that their advice has merit beyond the Rugby World Cup, and with Fathers’ Day quickly approaching, we felt it a good idea to pass these ideas on to you to help you with your shopping for your rugby fan dad.

Top tips on buying the best TV

1. Try to buy panels that have a high Hz rate in order to minimize blur during sporting events. This advice is especially true when looking at LCD and LED models.

2. Plasmas are widely considered to offer the best viewing experience for sport, as they are believed to keep the images crystal clear.

3. Plasma screens are also a good choice when it comes to watching all the action in 3D, because of the faster processing and response rates.

4. Aim to sit at least three times the screen size’s distance from the panel, as this will help minimise motion blur. For example, on a 40” inch panel (101cm) the viewer should aim to be roughly 3m back from the panel.

5. When purchasing a TV, keep in mind where you’d like to place it in your living room to ensure that everyone in the room has a clear view of all the action.

Extra tips to keep in mind:

1. Set top boxes with a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) functionality built-in, like the LG HR698D 3D Blu-ray Player, are quite handy as you can record programs whilst you’re away. They come with a built-in hard drive so you can record from the TV and transfer it to a computer, burn it to a DVD, or play it back on the TV. Some PVRs allow you to record two channels at the same time while watching a playback from the hard drive – so you never miss a minute of the action.

2. Some Blu-ray players can now be controlled using your smartphone, meaning that even if you can’t find your remote control you can always control what’s on your screen.

3. Make sure to use quad shielded RF cable in order to minimize frustrating signal drop out during key moments of the game.

4. Make sure to use a HDMI cable whenever possible for a superior visual experience.

5. To keep you entertained during half time, gadgets like LG’s Smart TV Upgrader, a box that turns any HD TV with HDMI connection into a Smart TV, means you can hop onto the internet while waiting for the second half.