LCD & Plasma TVs
As always, your first thought should not be what TV set, but how – and to what – you are going to...
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As always, your first thought should not be what TV set, but how – and to what – you are going to use your new TV. TVs have gone through a rapid development the last decade, and today we have flat, widescreen TVs HD-capable or even Full-HD picture quality, often combined with a movie theater sound system. This rapid evolution has resulted in a variety of different standards and connection possibilities - that of course create a lot of confusion for the normal consumer. And to add on to that confusion one could also choose between projector and back projection sets - which we won’t cover in this article.
Plasma or LCD and HD or Full-HD?
Regarding Plasma or LCD you don’t need to worry too much: the LCD screens have improved rapidly and have excellent picture quality. There are still some differences; unarguably have plasmas higher contrast ratio, but today’s LCD panels have almost always ratios over 1000:1 which is enough to satisfy the human eye. Response time is normally better for plasmas, but also here have the LCDs improved rapidly. Regarding colors finally, plasma are better for moving pictures whereas LCD are better for static pictures. Another benefit of the LCD is the higher resolution. There are also price differences, so if you are thinking of a really large screen, above 40 inches or so, you will probably go for plasma. And be sure that there are new and better interesting technologies just around the corner.
Also regarding HD or Full-HD, screen size is one of the deciding factors together with distance from the viewing point. If you buy a screen around 50 inches or larger and sit only a few meters away (2-3m) you will unarguably need a Full-HD. In other cases, the visible difference is insignificant. If you are going to connect it to a game console, a computer or a blue-ray player, the best choice might be a Full-HD set for maximum quality.
An important issue for all sets is how well they perform in daylight. Many TV sets show excellent picture quality when the room is dark, but not always in daylight. Some TVs have solutions that automatically adjust the picture according to the lighting of the room – an important feature, for example, in a summer house.
The range of TV-sets is wide, there still exists CRT-TVs, but they are often older models that are still being manufactured. The majority of all TV-sets today are flat-screens. The lower price range means a flat screen set with basic functions, often but not always HD-ready and with few connection possibilities. These TV sets usually deliver good value for money, but are often based on older technologies and therefore not compatible with all of the latest features. Next step are models with more features and the latest technology. They might come with built-in digital tuners and/or DVD-players. Finally, there are advanced TV-sets, for those who want to build their own system. They are often based on a separate media center with possibility to drive more than one screen, for example, one flat screen and one projector. It is important in all cases that you check the set you buy has the possibility to connect the equipment you are going to use, such as a computer or more than one video source.
So when you have decided how and to what you are going to use your TV set, look for tests of the interesting models – and remember that picture quality is more important than technology.
TIP:
A flat screen TV set is often mounted directly to the wall, but look at a somewhat more flexible solution. There are many manufacturers of wall mounts with possibility to rotate the TV set; some of them also have brackets for center speakers and set top boxes.