The Complete LCD TV Guide: System Guidelines and LCD HDTV Reviews

Up to not long ago, you had no choice for a direct-view display - all TV sets were of the same kind, using that old but reliable cathode-ray tube technology, simply referred to as CRT.

That is no longer true. LCD display technology that has become so popular with laptop screens, is being used to a great effect in small to medium screen size televisions - up to about 46-inch.

Larger screen sizes up to 55-inch are also readily available, but at these sizes, plasma HDTVs are still cheaper.

Price difference however is highly dependent on model and brand, while within the same brand, the price difference between sets of similar specs is just marginal. For example, the Samsung 55-inch LN55B650 LCD HDTV is selling at $2,500 - which is practically the same as that of the slightly bigger 58-inch Samsung PN58B650 plasma HDTV.

Interesting is that the most targeted TV market segment by LCD TV makers is the 50 to 55 inch.

With the latest affordable prices for medium to large flat panel TVs, 50-inch plus TV sets are turning out to be the real favorite screen size in home entertainment.

It is a screen size that does provide a more immersive movie experience over smaller 40 to 46 inch sets with only a minimal increase in the invested capital.

Larger LCD HDTVs are also readily available. Way back in 2006, Samsung and Sony had already come up with the then largest LCD panel, an 82-inch prototype LCD TV. A year later, during CES2007, Sharp presented an LCD giant prototype that was 108-inch in diagonal - that's over 2.5m long!

But it is not just prototypes that are available in massive sizes. LCDs up to 65-inch are available but you do not have the same choice when it comes to LCDs as instead is the case with plasma HDTVs. The only few 65-inch models we are aware of all come from Sharp, with the most affordable of these being the 65-inch LC-65D64U ($3,200).

The situation is somewhat different at the 55-inch where the market seems to have been flooded with various models from all major brands.

Developments in LCD TVs

However, development in LCD flat-panel display technology does not imply only a bigger screen size at a lower price. During these last years, we have also seen a leap in overall picture performance of LCD HDTVs, with sets capable of improved screen uniformity, better off-angle viewing that is in excess of 170 degrees, deeper blacks, more accurate colors, higher refresh rates and improved LCD response times, high contrast ratios, and improved dynamic resolution.

This is all apart from cleaner video processing, enhanced features, a thinner profile, and equally important, lower power consumption.

And speaking of LCD display developments, one surely cannot leave out the latest LED LCD TVs using cutting-edge LED backlighting technology. Admittedly, LED TVs does not necessarily imply improved overall picture performance with respect to conventional CCFL-based LCDs - in particular if you are dealing with the latest trend in LED TVs - edge-lit LED LCDs. More expensive LCDs using LED backlights based on local dimming technology can do better here as further explained in our LCD display technology guide here.

But even edge-lit LED TVs offer significant improvements with respect to conventional LCDs when it comes to the rendering of deep blacks, improved contrast ratios, improved power consumption that is some 40% less than that of conventional LCD TVs, and a 1-inch thick profile even for 55-inch LCD HDTVs.

Mind you, nothing is perfect. For example, the latest Samsung edge-lit LED TVs reviewed on our site do suffer from what appears to be lack of screen uniformity and fluctuations in the backlight especially with the dynamic contrast activated. It is not that these Samsung LED TVs are worst than others; Sony's edge lit LED KLV-40ZX1M LED LCD television exhibits an even worse uniformity than the Samsung LED TVs. But at the prices LED TVs are selling, one expects something better...

This is their real problem - these LED TV sets are relatively expensive. Expect to spend almost $1,000 more than corresponding conventional LCD HDTVs. The popular Samsung LN46B750 1080p LCD Television is selling at almost $2,000 as against the $2,990 of the Samsung UN46B7000 LED HDTV. And considering, the LED TV comes with 120Hz while the B750 comes with 240Hz refresh rate.

Performance: Plasma vs. LCD

While one cannot say that both display technologies are equal, yet there is no doubt that when it comes to picture performance, LCD display panels are basically on par with the best plasma counterparts; in particular, this is so with the latest LED TVs. This means that high refresh rates, supported wide viewing angle, high contrast levels, accurate colors and deep levels of black are no longer the dominion of plasma televisions.

The reality is that both plasma and LCD display technologies have their share of advantageous and disadvantageous; there is no winner here. And while up to two to three years ago, the price factor was a major issue, this is no longer the case; the price difference between these two different display technologies have practically vanished even at the larger screen sizes.

What's more, there are many similarities between plasma TVs and LCD televisions. Like plasma televisions, LCD HDTVs are just a few inches thick. Large LCDs can literally be hung on the wall, while smaller sets, up to around 21-inch, can easily fold under a wall cabinet. Their unobtrusive nature integrates well with the rest of any room furniture and decor.

Choosing one technology over the other is therefore more a matter of personal preference and your specific needs. For a detailed discussion on the pros and cons of plasmas and LCDs, please check our Plasma vs. LCD Guide.

Though LCD Television sets have become more affordable than ever - and though the price difference between LCD and plasma HDTVs have practically disappeared - yet LCD HDTVs still represent an expensive investment. In addition, the vast choice of LCD televisions of all brands available for the consumer is such that selecting an LCD television can turn out to be challenging and even frustrating.

We therefore hope that you will find the information contained in the LCD HDTV guides covered under this section of some assistance; these guides should lead you to a more informed buy. We also hope that products featured under our LCD TV reviews area will help make your choice a bit easier.

LCD Television Guide - Section Index:

	LCD Display Panel: How-it-works What is LCD Display Technology, and how does LCD panels work?
	Developments in LCD flat-panel Technology: Discussing some of the latest advancements in flat-panel display technology - including improved CCFL backlights, LED LCDs, and Color Field Sequential technology.
	Plasma vs. LCD Television: A detailed 360⁰ comparative guide to choosing between a plasma TV and an LCD television. Issues discussed include Price and Size, Picture Matters, and Functional Considerations.
	The Contrast Ratio Game - Playing with Numbers! Discover to what extent high contrast ratio ratings affect the performance of a video display device.
	LCD Response Time and Image Lag: Is faster always better? Is it possible to compare LCD TV response times between different manufactures when the different ways of reporting seems simply designed by some to disguise the hard facts?
	Image Sticking in LCD Televisions: Image sticking is surely one of the least known phenomena associated with the use of TFT LCD panels, yet image retention is not just an issue with plasma televisions. Discover what causes image retention in LCD TVs. What can you do to avoid it?
	Buying a refurbished LCD Television - Is it worth the risk? A way to a cheap LCD TV is to opt for a refurbished product but... Discover all you need to know in our guide to buying refurbished electronics and see how you can transform the risk into a smart buy!
	Buying a new HDTV - Buy now or wait till later? Following the CES, many end up engulfed in the dilemma of whether they should opt for a premium line LCD TV from the previous year at a heavily discounted price, or simply wait for the new models to start filling stores shelves and get the latest... at a significantly higher price tag. We discuss this hotly debated issue to help you make a better choice.
	A Guide to LCD Television Installation: Thanks to the use of LCD mounts, installing an LCD TV should be a fairly straightforward task, but... Help is on the way. This installation guide looks at various installation issues from placement to running cables and safety considerations.
	LCD Television Mounts: The different types of LCD TV mounts give rise to mounting options undreamed off with CRT and RPTVs. In this second part of our LCD television installation guide, we discuss the various LCD mounts - identifying their pros, cons and use.
	Wiring Solutions for Flat Panel TVs - Superb Home Theater Wiring Channels The Superb Home Theater wiring solution concept is easy home theater installation. It is designed for the home installer with basic DIY skills, but not only; more info in this review article.
	Home Media Cabinets for that Unique Finishing Touch in Flat-panel TV Installation Maria Yee Line of EcoLuxury™ Home Theater Furniture represents an exclusive three-piece collection of AV cabinets that offers more than just style and functionality. Read here to discover more.
LCD HDTV Reviews
	Choosing Your LCD Television Set - A Product Guide As always, it is not easy to choose especially when considering that more manufactures are competing to come up with feature-packed LCD HDTV sets that are larger, better and cheaper than ever. To assist you in this selection process, we are presenting a number of product reviews featuring some of the best-selling LCD televisions on the market; products covered so far include: Featured LCD TV Reviews: 2009 Samsung LCD TVs: Samsung Series-7 LCD HDTVs 2009 Samsung LED TV Lineup - Full Product Evaluation covering the B6000, B7000/7100, and B8000 series of LED LCD TVs Part 1: Samsung B6000, B7000, and B8000 - Main Features Part 2: Performance Issues and discussion Samsung Series 7 LCD TVs vs. Samsung edge-lit LED TVs LED LCD TV Review: Samsung A950 vs. Sony XBR8 Part 1: Samsung A950 LED LCD HDTV Series Part 2: Sony XBR8 LED Triluminos LCD HDTVs Part 3: Which is Better - Samsung or Sony? Samsung 2008 LCD HDTV Product Guide: Series 9, 8, 7, and 6 Samsung 2008 LCD HDTV Product Guide: Series 5, 4, and 3 Sony Bravia KDL-S4100 Series of LCD 1080p entry-level HDTVs Sony KDL-46XBR4 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV Samsung LN-T4665F 1080p LCD Television Samsung LN-T53/54H 720p LCD HDTV Series More LCD TV reviews will follow soon.

LCD HDTV sets at amazon

The LCD television sets featured under our LCD HDTV Reviews section are all available at amazon. We suggest checking out the amazon portal for the latest prices from some of the major stores featured on their site.

Even more important, accessing the product page at amazon gives you the possibility to see what other customers had to say about these LCD TV sets. We believe that there is no better insight to a product than to go through what others had to say about their experience with the product.

Accessing customer feedback is relatively easy; just click on the respective product link below and then follow through the 'Customers Reviews' section on the same webpage: