As one would expect, the prices of LCD televisions will vary quite a bit depending on the size of the display, the quality of the display, the resolution of the screen, the brand name of the television and a number of other factors. The prices of LCD TVs has come down quite a bit, and the smaller models are generally available for a couple hundred dollars at many discount retailers and electronics stores. When it comes to the high end of the market, however, the sky is still the limit, and it is possible to purchase a room filling LCD or plasma display that can run to $10,000 or even more. Most LCD TV shoppers, of course, will fall somewhere in the middle, and most consumer sized TVs, those in the 23 to 40 inch range, will have retail prices set from just under $1,000 to just under $3,000. The world of LCD technology is populated by the biggest names in the world of electronics manufacturers, including such names as Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Phillips, Panasonic and Toshiba. Computer maker Dell also makes a line of LCD television displays that have been generating a great deal of excitement with all kinds of technology buffs. While the prices of these LCD televisions are still quite a bit higher than traditional CRT (cathode ray tube) models, consumers do get a number of important advantages for this extra outlay of cash. Some of the most significant benefits of the new LCD TV technology include: Perfectly Flat Screens The curvature built into the display of a traditional CRT television can introduce edge distortion and shadows on the screen. The true flat nature of the LCD screen eliminates this edge distortion and provides a steady and more reliable display. True Widescreen Performance Unlike traditional televisions, the LCD television display uses a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9. This aspect ratio is the relationship of the width and height of the screen, and the LCD display will appear much longer than it is high. The 16:9 aspect ratio is used to send HDTV signals, and it is also used in the production of widescreen DVDs and VHS videos. The LCD aspect ratio allows owners of these TVs to watch movies as they were intended to be seen in the theater. Superior Viewing Angle Compared to rear projection TVs, LCD television displays provide a 160 degree viewing angle, and they can be viewed at virtually any angle, horizontally or vertically. Exceptional Color Accuracy The best LCD displays are capable of producing more than 16 million unique colors, and this incredible depth of color provides for exceptional color quality and superior color accuracy. Flexibility and Versatility Many LCD televisions are designed to accept input from a variety of different devices, including computers, DVD players, VCRs, Laser Disc players and of course satellite and cable TV systems. In addition, multisystem LCD displays are designed to work with a variety of different television signals, including PAL, NTSC and SECAM. This allows the same television to be used in a variety of different countries, as the television broadcast standards vary from location to location. Better Expected Reliability Tests of LCD and plasma TVs have found that the average life expectancy for such devices are approximately 35,000 hours. That means that if the display was used for four hours a day it should last about 20 years. In order to better understand these important advantages it is a good idea to understand just how this technology works. The LCD display is made up of a large number of picture elements, known in the industry as pixels. The number of pixels is one of the elements that will determine the overall quality of the picture. The number of pixels used in an LCD display will vary from hundreds of thousands to many millions, and the higher the number of pixels the better and sharper the display of the unit should be. The aspect ratio of the LCD display is also different from that of the traditional CRT television. While the traditional CRT display uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, the LCD display uses a 16:9 aspect ratio. Simply put the aspect ratio is the relationship between the length and height of the TV, and the 16:9 aspect ratio is used to broadcast HDTV signals, as well as being used by manufacturers of widescreen DVDs and VHS tapes. This widescreen aspect ratio allows watchers of LCD displays to experience movies in true movie theatre format. There are a number of considerations when looking shopping for an LCD display, including the tuner used by the set. The LCD TV should be able to accept inputs from a variety of different tuning sources, including satellite TV boxes, cable TV boxes, DVD players, VCRs and the like. For those living around the world, it is also important to make sure that the LCD TV you choose be capable of accepting not only NTSC video signals, which are the standard in North America and Japan, but also the PAL and SECAM standards used around the world. Of course it is important to shop for the highest quality LCD TV you can afford, just as it is important to shop for the best price on the highest quality TVs. It is often possible to shave hundreds of dollars off of the retail price of an LCD display simply by shopping around at a wide variety of retailers, both on and off the internet. In addition, it is important that the accessories and cables you purchase are of the highest quality. The right cables will enhance the value and versatility of the television itself, and it is important to spend a little more and get the highest quality cables to connect your DVD player, VCR, game console, computer or other device to that great looking LCD display. For information on LCD TVs and PAL LCD TVs see: http://www.planetomni.com |
