Home Theater: Choosing LCD TVs


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  Step 1:  Learning What an LCD TV Is

LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display, TVs use a strong light source to shine light through a panel of liquid crystals which are electronically manipulated to let through different colors and intensities of light. The LCD panels used in LCD TVs are very similar to those used in PC displays; in fact, many LCD TVs can do double duty as a PC monitor. Like a plasma TV, LCD TVs are very compact for their screen size, and are usually just a few inches thick
  Step 2:  Understanding LCD Advantages

Like plasma TVs, LCDs offer a very bright and vivid picture, suitable for use in home theaters where absolute darkness is not possible. LCD TVs are typically very high in resolution, and most are HDTV-capable. Because LCD panels are difficult to "grow" at larger sizes, most LCD TVs are smaller than plasma TVs, and as such are more suited for smaller home theaters. LCDs are immune to the burn-in phenomenon, which makes them great for videogaming.
  Step 3:  Understanding LCD Shortcomings

While LCDs can offer a bright picture, the fact that they are "transmissive" (meaning light is shown through them) means that they are often not as bright as a plasma TV. LCDs. Additionally, LCDs have a relatively poor "viewing angle", so viewers seated to the sides of your home theater may not see a clear picture. Finally, LCDs can suffer from "stuck pixels", where on or more pixels on the screen are permanently lit up, regardless of the picture being shown onscreen.
  Step 4:  Comparing LCD ED/HDTVs

As mentioned above, most LCD TVs are HDTV-ready, offering horizontal resolutions greater than 720 lines. The resolution of an LCD TV is measured in pixels, and the second number in the measurement (for example the 768 in 1280x768) is the key number to understand. As long as this number is greater than 720, the LCD will be HDTV-capable. Below 720, the LCD TV will be an EDTV.
  Step 5:  Comparing LCD Features

Most LCD TVs will come with an internal analog TV receiver, and very few include an HDTV tuner. One important feature to consider include the number and type of inputs on the back, especially if you are considering using the LCD as a PC monitor as well as a TV. Many LCD TVs have built-in audio systems, which are not important in a home theater (where you'll use a receiver for audio), but can be handy for casual TV use like watching the news.
  Step 6:  Choosing an LCD TV

Besides the obvious screen size and resolution (HDTV or EDTV) choices, it's important to compare two other specifications of an LCD TV. The first is pixel "response time", which governs how quickly the pixels on the LCD panel can change colors -- slow response times can cause blurred images. The second is contrast ratio, which is the ratio of the darkest to brightest colors visible onscreen. An LCD with a higher contrast ratio will reproduce better blacks.
  Step 7:  Comparing LCD with Plasma

Because of manufacturing issues, LCD TVs are typically more expensive than plasmas for a given size (the LCD panels are difficult to make in large sizes). The biggest advantage of an LCD over a plasma is the LCD's resistance to burn-in. LCDs are, however, not as good as plasmas at producing dark images (blacks), and typically have smaller viewing angles.
  Step 8:  Comparing LCD with RPTV

Like a plasma, an LCD TV will be considerably more expensive than a rear projection TV of a similar size. This extra money, however, gets you a considerably more compact (and wall-mountable) TV. Many projection TVs are actually based upon LCD panels, so their performance is similar, but projection TVs which use a technology called DLP will typically have a brighter picture and a better contrast ratio.