12:44 AM
Plasma, LCD, projector, CRT? The choice of display technologies can be overwhelming for the un- or under-informed. Which TV should you next choose?
CHOOSING LCD
Slim and desirable, LCD screens are the new belles of the TV Ball. But they're not as perfect as you think... Liquid Crystal Displays have been around for over 20 years, but have only recently become a reality in the TV market. The reason for this is that their fundamental operation relies on crystals moving in a viscous liquid and, like wading in treacle, it's a very slow process. Early generation LCD panels simply could not switch pixels on and off fast enough to cope with a moving video image, and consequently remained in clock displays and PC monitors that were predominantly used for near-static images. Thankfully, as the technology has developed, the pixel-switching time has dropped dramatically and, in the very best models, causes very little motion blur on moving images. This has opened the floodgates for LCD TVs right up to over 50 inches. However, unlike plasmas, price is no indication of quality.
Hot or Not?
LCD contrast ratio is generally poorer than any other TV technology as the backlight can leak through the "switched off" pixels. A potent backlight can lift the brightness figures, but colour is dependent on single block filtering, so the total range of colours and the colour saturation are also mediocre. The deep liquid crystal substrate means the picture integrity fades away as you move off axis, although the latest models claim a viewing angle up to 170 degrees. That said, manufacturer's specification sheets can read like Tolkien-scale fiction at times, so getting a demonstration of an LCD TV before you buy is essential. So why is LCD currently the must-have technology? Not only are LCD TVs a super slim flat panel, they are much lighter in weight than plasma models, as the LCD itself is made from plastic rather than glass. Screen resolutions are HD-friendly on larger screen models and each pixel has a much better defined edge definition than the glowing phosphor dots of plasma or CRT - creating a very sharp image. LCD TVs do not suffer screen burn-in from constantly displaying static images, are silent in operation and, from an energy-saving perspective, use little electricity. But the biggest key to LCD TV's rise has been falling prices. Each panel is cut out of a single large sheet of fully engineered LCD and each new manufacturing generation creates larger initial sheets. This reduces cost per unit and hence the street price. LCD TV costs will continue to fall, the picture quality will continue to rise and, as features like digital tuners, memory card readers and wireless connectivity become mainstream, LCD TVs will dominate the 32 inch flat panel market. As long as you make sure you are buying an HD-ready model and try before you buy, you can't go wrong.
CHOOSING LCD
Slim and desirable, LCD screens are the new belles of the TV Ball. But they're not as perfect as you think... Liquid Crystal Displays have been around for over 20 years, but have only recently become a reality in the TV market. The reason for this is that their fundamental operation relies on crystals moving in a viscous liquid and, like wading in treacle, it's a very slow process. Early generation LCD panels simply could not switch pixels on and off fast enough to cope with a moving video image, and consequently remained in clock displays and PC monitors that were predominantly used for near-static images. Thankfully, as the technology has developed, the pixel-switching time has dropped dramatically and, in the very best models, causes very little motion blur on moving images. This has opened the floodgates for LCD TVs right up to over 50 inches. However, unlike plasmas, price is no indication of quality.
Hot or Not?
LCD contrast ratio is generally poorer than any other TV technology as the backlight can leak through the "switched off" pixels. A potent backlight can lift the brightness figures, but colour is dependent on single block filtering, so the total range of colours and the colour saturation are also mediocre. The deep liquid crystal substrate means the picture integrity fades away as you move off axis, although the latest models claim a viewing angle up to 170 degrees. That said, manufacturer's specification sheets can read like Tolkien-scale fiction at times, so getting a demonstration of an LCD TV before you buy is essential. So why is LCD currently the must-have technology? Not only are LCD TVs a super slim flat panel, they are much lighter in weight than plasma models, as the LCD itself is made from plastic rather than glass. Screen resolutions are HD-friendly on larger screen models and each pixel has a much better defined edge definition than the glowing phosphor dots of plasma or CRT - creating a very sharp image. LCD TVs do not suffer screen burn-in from constantly displaying static images, are silent in operation and, from an energy-saving perspective, use little electricity. But the biggest key to LCD TV's rise has been falling prices. Each panel is cut out of a single large sheet of fully engineered LCD and each new manufacturing generation creates larger initial sheets. This reduces cost per unit and hence the street price. LCD TV costs will continue to fall, the picture quality will continue to rise and, as features like digital tuners, memory card readers and wireless connectivity become mainstream, LCD TVs will dominate the 32 inch flat panel market. As long as you make sure you are buying an HD-ready model and try before you buy, you can't go wrong.
About the Author:
If you are looking to buy a 15 LCD TV, unit then visit 15LCDTV.com for the biggest discounts and reviews on how to choose the best 15 Inch LCD TV sets.
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