LCD TVs

This year’s most sought-after gift—to give and receive

By Tom Brandes

LCD TVs will be among the most popular high tech gifts to give this holiday season. Here are some things to consider before buying.

Liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions have been around for a while, but prices for these sleek, flat screen TVs have dropped substantially the last couple years, and currently are falling about 20 percent per year. Compared to older CRT TVs, LCD TVs are much lighter and thinner – they can even be hung on a wall like a picture. LCD TVs also consume up to 40 percent less electricity than a CRT TV with a comparably sized screen.

LCD is the same technology used in flat-screen computer monitors. Light from a backlight source streams through liquid crystal-filled cells to form images. LCD TVs are available in sizes up to 60 inches. Nationwide, sales were spurred by the changeover to all-digital broadcasting in June, and LCD TVs have been the bright spot in an otherwise lackluster year for consumer electronics.

Correct Size

An LCD TV is a large purchase and will likely last for many years, so do your research and remember there is no such thing as a stupid question. Ask the salesperson everything that you think might come into play with your TV. Before heading to your local electronics retailer or big box store, it pays to do your homework in order to find the best LCD TV for that certain someone on your list.

The first thing to consider is screen size. TV manufacturers continue their arcane practice of measuring TV screens diagonally and rounding the number up, so that an advertised 32-inch TV really might only have a diagonally-measured 31.5-inch screen. Be aware screen sizes may vary slightly from the advertised numbers.

If you know where the TV will be used, cut a piece of cardboard to the exact screen dimensions and try it out for size in the room. If the TV will be wall mounted, hang the cardboard cutout to see how it will look and to make sure it will fit in the space. Bigger is better, however too large a screen can overpower a room, while a too-small screen will frustrate and make viewing difficult.

240 Hz vs. 120 Hz

The refresh rate on LCD TVs refers to how many times the image on the TV screen is completely reconstructed or “refreshed” every second. In theory, the more times the screen is refreshed, the smoother the image appears. Higher refresh rates are designed to minimize motion blurring in fast action sports and movies.

Refresh rates vary from 60, 120 or 240 times per second, and are expressed as 60 Hertz (HZ), 120 HZ or 240 HZ. You’ll pay much more for 240 Hz technology compared to 120 HZ or standard 60 HZ technology.

True 240 HZ is achieved by inserting three extra interpolated video frames into the action per second. Some manufacturers combine a 120 HZ refresh rate with a flashing or scanning backlight to achieve a 240 HZ-like effect. However, true 240 HZ is more effective, so before buying (and paying for) an LCD TV with 240 HZ technology, be sure to verify that it has true 240 HZ.

Another thing to consider is LCD contrast ratio. This is the ratio of light intensities of brightest white and darkest black produced onscreen by the display. So a contrast ratio of 5,000:1 means the brightest white is 5,000 times brighter than the darkest black. Obviously, the higher the contrast ratio the better, but it gets a bit complicated.

There are two contrast ratios to every LCD TV, dynamic and static, so be sure to compare dynamic to dynamic, or static to static to get an accurate comparison. Also, there is no single, industry-wide method of measuring contrast ratios, so contrast ratios between TVs are more of a general indication of performance.

LED LCD TV

LCD TVs have traditionally relied on fluorescent lamps for the backlight; however this year, several manufacturers introduced TVs that use light emitting diodes (LEDs) for the backlight. LEDs allow TVs to be more energy efficient and much thinner than standard LCD TVs, and provide contrast ratios up to an incredible 2,000,000:1. They also can create deep, inky black shades traditional LCD TVs can’t match.

One leading manufacturer has been advertising “LED TVs” when in reality these are LCD TVs that use LEDs for the backlight. LED backlights in LCD TVs are the Next Big Thing in LCD technology, and as manufacturers gain more experience building them the price will drop, but today these TVs can cost more than twice as much as a comparably sized standard LCD TV.

LED LCD TVs use 40 percent less electricity than comparable LCD sets, and they can save even more power by using technologies that adjust the screen’s brightness. A technology called local dimming, analyzes images and significantly reduces power to dark areas on the screen.

Internet and More

A growing number of LCD TVs are Internet-enabled, allowing viewers to access sites including YouTube and eBay, and photo-sharing sites such as Flickr without a computer using an Ethernet port. Using Internet-enabling technology, viewers also can stream movies from Netflix, Amazon on Demand or Blockbuster on Demand, directly to their LCD TV, making it easier to watch movies without leaving home during a blizzard. Ask your salesperson for more details.

Although LCD TVs are much more energy efficient than the CRT TVs they replace, because of the increase in screen sizes the largest LCD TVs use substantial amounts of electricity to operate. To minimize energy costs, be sure to buy a TV that is ENERGY STAR 3.0 certified – the highest available efficiency rating.

Check the sound quality on the set you plan to buy to ensure adequate sound replication. In an effort to distinguish their TVs from competitors, some manufacturers feature significantly enhanced speakers. It might be worth paying a little more to have better sound quality – and enjoy a better TV and movie-watching experience.

Ask about the extended warranty – what it does and doesn’t cover, but don’t buy it immediately. Take a copy of the agreement home, and read it carefully before deciding whether it’s worth the price. Also, ask if TV set-up and adjustment is included in the warranty agreement. If you’re good, or lucky, you just might be able to negotiate the set-up if you purchase the warranty.

Knowing what questions to ask and what features to look for, will help ensure you are giving the best LCD TV that meets the needs of that special person on your list. They might just invite you over to watch the big game or a favorite movie, so you’ll be glad you did your homework.

Tom Brandes is a freelance writer in Minnesota. He follows the LCD industry and enjoys annual visits to the Granite State where he hopes to watch movies on an LCD TV.