LED TV Buyers Guide

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

Light Emitting Diode technology has actually been around since the 1970's, yet it is only recently that television manufacturers have started using LED backlighting rather than CCFL in LCD TVs, thus leading to a brand new HDTV category, the LED TV.

The integration of LED's in flat panel TV’s offers something different to consumers who find the fluorescent backlight problematic. The trouble with CCFL illumination is that the television finds it hard to achieve the deep set blacks taken for granted in Plasma screen models.

LED TVs use "local dimming" to improve the contrast of the television display. You can actually control this panel of LED lights, located behind the TV screen, during viewing. There are other models that use LED ‘edge lighting’ at the LED banks around the edge of the screen, which then allows manufacturers to produce amazingly thin LED TVs.

LED televisions offers exciting new developments, its contrasts, brightness, better colors and efficiency are the nifty perks of its backlighting technology. LEDs gives a superior viewing experience than the florescent LCDs.

LED TV Guide - Table of Contents

• 1 LED TV Product Types
  • 1.1 Edge Lit LED TV
  • 1.2 Full Matrix LED TV
  • 1.3 Other Features
• 2 LED TV Key Features
• 3 LED TV Product Advice
• 4 LED TV Buying Tips
• 5 Popular LED TV Brands
• 6 LED TV Glossary

Edge Lit LED TV

This model uses an LED row around the panel's edge. The set of lights shine into the multi-layered diffuser panel which then provides a uniform light source behind the panel of the LCD. Since the lighting elements are placed around the perimeter and not behind the TV screen, this allows for some seriously sleek and slim HDTVs.

Full Matrix LED TV

This LED type uses an array of LED lighting elements placed across the back of the screen. It also uses diffuser panels so it can create a more uniform backlight. Not all full matrix LED TV’s offer "local dimming". However most of the models do allow the lighting elements to shut off or get dimmed while some areas are at full brightness, whatever the picture content requires. The end result is an exceptionally good contrast as it overcomes the traditional LCD weakness of poor black levels.

Other Features

Some edge-lit models also have feature variations like fewer dimming zones than some full matrix LEDs. Samsung calls its local dimming feature on their edge lit models as "Precision Dimming" which is available in their C8000 and C6800 series.

The new wave of LED TV’s has seen an improvement of the black levels when compared to plasma TV’s, but its contrast levels still lag behind the best plasmas by some distance. LED’s make up for this with the consistency of color information offered within its expanded range of gamut colors, in particular when RGB LED backlighting used. Ultimately LED models produce screen images that are sharper, with faster response times and more superior contrast ratios than LCDs.

More than the technological improvements, LEDs usually are more environmentally friendly since manufacturers have removed lead from its creation process. In theory, LED backlit TVs have longer lifespan LCDs and even Plasmas.

Budget

The choice of LED TVs is a subjective and personal choice. However, the most important consideration regarding LED TV’s is the cost that you are willing to pay. LED televisions usually are more expensive than LCD’s because of the high cost of LED lighting system.

What features will you need?

When you've taken care of budget concerns, think about the functional capabilities of LED TVs. There's a big difference in the amount and kinds of technology available with LED TVs, and so you’ll need to consider what features you actually need. For example, if you want to play video games, you should consider a model that offers a gaming mode. If there's no gaming mode, expect a significant input lag of the TV processing, especially if it has to keep in-tune with the speed of your video game.