If you're going shopping for a new TV soon, be sure to pay close attention to the set's specifications versus the advertisements for it. A recent New York Times article is warning that both TV manufacturers and retail stores have been rounding up screen size measurements for their advertisements. While some are quite forthcoming about what they're doing — the article notes Sony and Best Buy as being very cooperative in explaining their practices — the majority of manufacturers and retailers are keeping tight-lipped.

The problem is that sometimes a screen isn't a clean measurement, maybe 31.2 inches or 31.5 inches diagonally instead of 32. Rather than accurately reflect the screen's size in their promotions, the companies will say it's a "32-inch class screen" instead. While this may not seem like a big deal, being cheated a little is still being cheated, and a 31.2-inch screen is a whole twenty-one square inches smaller in area than a 32-inch screen. As screens get larger, you lose more and more space due to these misleading round-ups; the difference in area between a 51.25-inch and 52-inch display is over thirty-three square inches, missing from your screen.

So, what do you do about it? First, be on the lookout for that word "class". Though you won't always see it, it's a clue from some of the more honest companies that they're doing this sort of estimation. Don't be afraid to ask if the screens you're looking at are actually as advertised — if you want to be sure you're not being hoodwinked, a careful consumer could bring along a tape measure for in-store confirmation. If you are interested in buying a TV set that's being misrepresented, you might have a chance at talking the price down. Why should you pay 32-inch prices for what's more closely a 31-inch set?

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