Back in the day, it was black and white vs. color or 25- vs. 32-inch.

Now we're hearing words like DLP, Plasma, LCD, flat panel, HDTV.

Of course, we love advanced technology. But the more advanced televisions become, the more complicated it can be to buy one.

A recent Consumer Reports poll found that nearly 20 percent of Americans are planning to purchase a flat-panel television around the holidays, spending an average of $1,600. And Scott Krugman, spokesman for the National Retail Federation, told CBS News that the most sought-after item is a 42-inch plasma for under $1,000.

But at the same time, choosing a new television this holiday shopping season is enough to send us running for cover. (Or to the Internet. According to Panasonic, the average television buyer will spend about 15 hours researching them online before purchasing one.)

"Conducting a simple online search for 'buying a flat-panel TV' yields an overwhelming 4 million plus results, most of which are out of date, confusing or just incorrect," says Rudy Vidal, director of Consumer Satisfaction of Panasonic.

So how do you decide which television to purchase? Here's a guide to surviving flat-panel pandemonium.

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THE BASICS

A flat panel television is one thin enough to hang on the wall. Their increased popularity this year is due to an increase in high-definition television offerings and a reduction in the price of the devices, said Bill Schindler, vice president of electrical engineering for Panasonic Plasma Display Laboratory.

Flat panels are either plasmas or LCDs (liquid crystal display). Most are high-definition, which means they incorporate a million pixels (little points of light), allowing for a clearer and sharper picture.

For slightly less dough than the cost of a flat-panel televisions, customers can upgrade to rear projection microdisplays. While not considered flat-panel, these televisions tend to be thinner, larger and more likely to be high-definition than traditional televisions. These models often use LCD or DLP (digital light processing) technology.

High definition channels, which you get through your cable or satellite provider or an antenna, looks much better on a large screen, Schindler said. Standard televisions generally aren't larger than 36 inches.

"Flat panels excel in these large sizes of 40 inches and above," he says. "A traditional television cannot be that large because of the weight and difficulty manufacturing them. There were big screen televisions before, but there were far less dots and as they were projected onto this much bigger picture, they didn't look very sharp."

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PLASMA

The 411: Pixels provide their own illumination similar to a million tiny fluorescent bulbs.

Strengths: The picture is clear from all viewing angles. Great for watching fast moving sports. Has a darker black than an LCD. Cheaper than LCDs in larger sizes.

Weaknesses: A plasma in a brightly lit room can reflect some of the light, making the picture duller, says Schindler. However, he says the lights in most people's living rooms aren't bright enough to make the dullness a huge problem.

Sale Price: $1,299 for a 42-inch Hewlett Packard Plasma HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com )

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LCD:

The 411: Each pixel opens and closes similar to a shutter allowing illumination from a thin back-light to pass through.

Strengths: Comes in a smaller size, so it works well in a bedroom or kitchen. Works better than a plasma in a brightly lit room.

Weaknesses: Fast movement can become a blur because the shutters can't open and close fast enough, says Schindler. Black doesn't look as black as on a plasma because the shutter doesn't block all the light. Viewing angle is not as good.

Sale Price: $1,399 for a 40-inch JVC Flat-Panel LCD HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com )

REAR PROJECTION MICRODISPLAYS:

The 411: A small lamp bulb provides the light, which passes through a "micro-display light engine." The light engine uses a small LCD or DLP chip in order to form a small image which is projected to a large screen.

Strengths: Cheapest of all three. Good for basements.

Weaknesses: Viewing angle not as good as a plasma or LCD, says Schindler. Also, the bulb has to be replaced. These models aren't as thin as plasma or LCD flat-panel televisions.

Sale Price: Hitachi - $901.99 for a 51" CRT Rear-Projection HDTV (http://www.bestbuy.com )

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asap reporter Megan Scott is based in New York.

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