LCD Television Buyers Guide

Information on LCD Televisions and How To Buy the Best LCD TVs.

Stylish, sleek and inexpensive, Liquid Crystal Display Televisions are now the best selling TV product on the market. Unlike the old, expensive and bulky tube TV’s of before, LCD Television’s seamlessly integrate into modern homes today.

LCD televisions are lighter and thinner than the older CRT (Cathode Ray Tube’s) models, yet come with similar display size. The best thing about LCD Television’s is that they come in a variety of sizes, which along with its other great features and low manufacturing costs, it’s now much more practical to have in your home. The eventual dominance of LCD Television in the television market is all but guaranteed.

CRT based televisions have actually been left behind for the first time in 2007, when LCD Television’s surpassed its sales. The sales figures of LCD Television’s in relation to similar technologies accelerated significantly as well, displacing major competitors of its large screen market like rear projection television and plasma display panels. LCD Television’s have become the most widely produced and best selling television models today.

LCD televisions are now better, bigger and cheaper and it’s the best alternative from Plasma TV’s. At any rate, in order to make sure your LCD Television is a wise investment, making a wrong choice is not an option. You need to have a better understanding and need to know everything regarding them before you make an informed decision over which LCD Television to buy.

LCD Television Guide - Table of Contents

• 1 LCD Television Product Types
  • 1.1 Twisted Nematic Panel Technology (TN)
  • 1.2 In Plane Switching Panel Technology (IPS)
  • 1.3 Vertical Alignment Panel Technology (VA)
• 2 LCD Television Key Features
• 3 LCD Television Product Advice
• 4 LCD Television Buying Tips
• 5 Popular LCD Television Brands
• 6 LCD Television Glossary

Many buyers purchase LCD Television’s based upon the size and price of the set. However, you should be aware of the many other advantages and disadvantages of different LCD panel types before you decide on one to buy. You need to understand all the different models and features available before you buy an LCD Television.

Twisted Nematic Panel Technology (TN)

This is the most widely used panel type by manufacturers in LCD Television’s. TN panels are usually cheap and offe the best response times, ranging from 2ms (milliseconds) to 5ms. However, the viewing angles, contrast ratios and color reproduction are often of poorer quality than other available LCD models that use different technology. They only mimic the full 16.7 million colors. However, TN panels dominate the LCD Television market because they produce good enough displays for majority of buyers and they are inexpensive compared to other models.

In Plane Switching Panel Technology (IPS)

Generally considered to have the best LCD technology overall due to its good viewing angles, image quality, true 8-bit colors and color accuracy. The response time for IPS is more than adequate, ranging from 6ms to 16ms. However, IPS panel LCD Television’s come at a more expensive price. Some of the best current LCD Television manufacturers with the IPS technology are Philips, LG, Panasonic, Hitachi and Toshiba.

Vertical Alignment Panel Technology (VA)

This type is usually seen as the middle of the road LCD model. They offer wide viewing angles and better color reproduction than TN panels, but they have slow response time, worse than IPS. Its only advantages are its higher contrast ratio means better black levels. Its disadvantages include color shifting, or the "shifts" of an image when viewed from a slightly different angle. VA offer better image quality than TN and they're usually lower in price than IPS. Sony and Samsung are the most common manufacturers using VA panels.

LCD Televisions performs exceedingly well in the most ambient conditions of light. Viewing LCD Television in brightly lit room doesn't wash out the pictures and glare on the TV screen. The beauty of LCD Television is you don't have to turn off the lights just to see an image clearly. It's easier to watch on an LCD television for you don't have to worry about eye-strain.

The most important features of course is that's its colorful, smooth and (best of all) wide. Displays are usually long-lived and multifunctional. LCDs can be HDTV, home video television, regular TV or even a computer monitor. Lifespan of LCD Televisions lasts 60,000 hours. That means the normal viewing habit of 8 hours a day can give you a lifespan of 20 years.

There are a number of considerations you’ll need to consider before deciding on the most suitable LCD Television for you.

Is it HDTV compatible?

You need to get the lowdown on HDTV compatibility before you make a purchase. Your LCD Television should have a better picture (10-15%) from the High Def TV signals carried by Cable Systems. LCDs usually come with the built-in ATSC tuners that let the unit pick-up over-the-air High Definition broadcasts by using antennas. Manufacturers have actually packaged cable and ATSC tuners in LCD sets, which make it possible to watch HDTV on local and national broadcasts.

Screen Size

Determine the right screen size based on your living room, the viewing distance between you and your TV, and your budget. Besides the budget considerations, the area between viewer and TV screen should be considered for an optimal viewing experience.

Here's a guide depending on the TV size that you like:

• 20 inch to 27 inch display- you can sit 2.5 feet to 5 feet from the screen.
• 32 inch to 37 inch TV- you can comfortably watch 6 feet to 8 feet away.
• 42 inch to 46 inch display - best viewed 10 feet to 14 feet away.
• 50 inch LCD Televisions - you'll need to be 12 feet to 16 feet from the screen.