Flat Screen TV

Getting My New LCD.

After setting up my Sharp AQUOS LC52D85U, I connected it with HDMI to my AT&T HD-DVR. It was difficult to find the HDMI connection set in the onscreen menu. It has so many inputs it was trial and error. No point bothering with the manual, no time!

After some trial and error, input 4 was the live HDMI connection. The channel delivered a full HD channel showing Fleetwood Mac in concert from 2004. It showed in full, glorious 1080i! Every strand of hair was shown flying away from the faces, split ends and all. It was so incredible, it floored me.THAT degree of picture quality was startling. It gives you  goosebumps just watching this beauty.

Impressions.

This HDTV is simply magnificent. It has a bright, crisp picture. There are no banding issues. It should please the most demanding customers.

You can change settings like hue and saturation as much as you like. Color temperature, active contrast, and fine motion can all be changed.

This TV makes 480i HBO broadcasts look almost HD, in quality.

Concerns.

The TV has an already perfect, gorgeous picture right out of the box! So, it makes you not want to use the fine tuning controls for fear of ruining the picture.

Glare.

The matte screen reduces reflective glare. The room where this Sharp sits is so sunny, a CRT set becomes unwatchable during the brightest morning hours. This is not so with this Sharp LCD HDTV. The anti-reflective surface eliminates bothersome reflections.

Viewing.

Viewing angles are as advertised. Standing almost 75 degrees to the side still allows you to view the screen.

This TV indicates screen resolution when you change channels.. You can set the range of the OPC and power saving feature. This controls the limit when the TV automatically reduces brightness in a dark room.

Is It A Good TV?

This a just a great HDTV. If you are considering this Sharp LC52D85U at all, just go for it.

When it comes to picture quality, there are two main attributes… brightness and contrast.

Brightness determines how deep black is. Better quality means a deep black while lesser quality shows a faded black.

Contrast determines how white looks. Good contrast means whites look white and not yellow or yellowish.

It is difficult to judge contrast if brightness is not calibrated correctly.

LCD.

The different types of LCD are…

• tn – quick refresh time but low quality;
• s-pva and s-ips – better color reproduction but slower refresh times;
• led backlit monitors – best quality;

Flat Screen Lifespan.

When a HDTV advertises a 50,000 or 60,000 hour lifespan, they mean the “half-life” of the screen. Half-life is when the screen has half the brightness and colors it did when it was brand new.

Dissipation of brightness and color vary by TV the moment you turn the set on. If a HDTV has a half-life of 50,000 hours, and it is watched 5 hours a day, that comes to over 27 years of usage. For 60,000 hours, and 8 hours of daily use, it is 20 years.

NEC states LEDs last much longer than fluorescent LCDs. This increases display life from a typical 25,000 hours to 50,000 hours.

LED Backlight: RGB vs white.

Despite the white LED backlight, it has the “Highest image quality” for a LCD.

Toshiba’s LED differs from Sony and Sharp because it uses a different LED light source. Sony and Sharp use RGB 3-color LED light sources. Toshiba uses a white LED light source.

RGB LED.

Generally, RGB LEDs broaden “color gamut” compared to white LEDs. This affects image quality. While it would seem the white LED would be inferior, Toshiba claims “the highest image quality” is found in its Regza models that use it.

White LED.

Toshiba says white LEDs are more efficient. With RGB LEDs, white balance tends to fluctuate more, hurting image quality. Second, image quality degrades if the color gamut extends more than necessary. This causes the display to render colors incorrectly. While RGB LED backlights offer a wider color gamut, white LEDs are sufficient to render colors of most objects, according to Toshiba.

Get The Most From Contrast.

Ambient light reduces contrast to a lesser quality. To improve it, no ambient light should be greater than that of a candle in the room where you watch the HDTV.

240Hz and 120Hz LCD TVs.

A true 240Hz HDTV is expensive. To reduce cost, makers take a 120Hz TV and add technology so it seems like a 240Hz TV. This is called “interpolation” or a “pulldown.”

Pulldown repeats a frame multiple times before showing the next frame. Interpolation takes frames and adds video information not found in the source video but created by the technology of the HDTV.

48Hz/96hz Plasma TVs.

Plasma TVs use pulldown not interpolation.

Plasma TVs have 48Hz or 96Hz pulldown. Some claim 48Hz is Flickery, while 96Hz is not.

48Hz and 96Hz pulldown are used with a video source at 24P. A plasma TV offers the option in the tv menu to set the display to either 48Hz or 96Hz.

Pulldown in plasma maintains film perception. Interpolation makes video look like a 60Hz Soap Opera video.

After my 3rd HDTV purchase and about 3 years worth of research, I have become quite familiar with the market for HDTVs, such as what they offer, pros and cons, size considerations, etc. During this time, now seems to be the best ever to get an LCD as far as price and performance are concerned.

My Background.

Amazon is my favorites source to buy HDTVs because they have…

• Reliable Customer Service;
• No Sales Tax;
• Extended premium warranties (far better and cheaper than brick and mortar stores);
• Customer Reviews (extrememly helpful from real people); and,
• Free Shipping.

I have bought 2 Sonys and 1 Samsung LCD from Amazon. Countless other HDTV installs I have done for friends and family.

Getting the Samsung 46 inch LCD TV.

This Samsung LN46B530 panel is NON-REFLECTIVE. You may notice a HDTV that is insanely polished, that looks great in the store. Yet, what happens at home is that a window or lamp makes a glare in the middle or half the screen. It may seem no big a deal at first. However, after a few weeks, it gets really annoying.

The power cord is NOT very long. It is maybe 5 1/2 to 6ft, tops. To get around this, get a Belkin 12ft AC Replacement Power Cord (AC Male to AC Female).

It comes with a nice TV stand that is sturdy and swivels from side to side. The TV has no side inputs but the TV controls are on the lower right hand side of the TV. That is nice for wall mounting or using the stand. It’s also good when you can’t find the remote.

Cleaning.

This TV is shiny everywhere except the screen. You will need to dust it weekly to keep it looking nice. DO NOT use windex or alcohol or soap and water to clean the viewing screen. Use a soft cotton cloth with just a little water (lightly damp not dripping). This cleans the screen well.

The TV comes with a small microfiber dusting cloth. This is fine to use, just keep it dry. The shiny surfaces around the screen are fingerprint magnets.

Sound.

The TV’s internal speakers are satisfactory. I noticed no buzzing, including at maximum volume. The TV has weak bass but I didn’t really try the volume settings. A surround sound system is preferred, but I can get by without it.

Standard Definition.

Standard Definition is the best I have seen on a HDTV. Since this is a 46 inch LCD HDTV, I figured SD picture quality would be painful. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

The TV DOES has an internal ASTC tuner. It receives and decodes DTV transmissions from local TV stations from the air waves using “rabbit ear antenna”.

High-Definition.

The HD picture is phenominal. The difference between 60HZ and 120HZ was not noticeable enough to justify paying a higher price.

Issues.

This TV lacks inputs. There are plenty of HDMI inputs (3) but only 1 component and 1 composite. Component and composite switches are available to expand input capacity but it just adds cost and inconvenience. With so much HDMI support now, it may not be an issue for you.

Is It Worth It?

Next time, Samsung needs to add more component and composite inputs. But, considering the cost and features, I would buy this LN46B530 LCD again.

Pioneer has a really good reputation when it comes to Plasma TVs. They and Panasonic seem to be the standard by which the other makers try to compare. Their engineers and technology push the limit on features, picture, and support.

This Pioneer plasma TV is from 2007. Despite being available since then, there are very few ratings and no reviews for this TV. Availability seems to be very limited. However, given Pioneer’s reputation in the plasma field, there is a chance this set may be a keeper.

Where To Get It?

Amazon has this set listed. But it is substantially more than at TheNerds.Net.

Pioneeer PDP-507CMX

The problem is that theNerds.Net only has 1 available. So, if you want it, you had better act fast!

• 16:9
• 50″ Plasma TV
• 1 x Power Cord
• Remote Control
• 2 x “AA” Batteries
• 1 x Cleaning Cloth
• 3 x Speed Clamps
• 3 x Cable Bands
• 3 x Ferrite Cores (for Audio Cable)
• Operating Instructions Plasma TV PDP-507CMX

Pioneer’s Crystal Emissive Layer technology
Pioneer’s First-Surface Pure Color Filter – reduce ambient light reflection.

Height:29 Inch
Width:48 Inch
Depth:3.90 Inches
Weight:78 lbs

The Sharp LC-60E77UN is a dream flat screen TV. It’s excellent picture quality, superb black levels, and smooth motion give it a real home theater experience.

My Search.

I wanted to replace my 2 year old Sharp Aquos 42 inch LCD. It was a great LCD. However, I recently moved and wanted a bigger screen for the bigger room.

That 42 inch flat screen tv was great for a variety of uses: computer monitor, games, dvds bluray and regular tv viewing.

Weighing My Options.

My search included plasma, LED LCD, DLP, and CCFL LCD. A 55 inch screen seemed best for reading internet-sized font from my couch (8-10 feet away) while still using 1080p. The immersive effect is great from a big screen, too! I wanted deep blacks, wide viewing angles, good motion, and an excellent contrast ratio.

Plasmas.

My first step was looking at plasmas. In fact, I bought one. I got a great price on a 65 inch Panasonic S1. However, learning about the prevalent burn-in issues and huge (780w!) power consumption discouraged me. That plasma would give me a huge electric bill the way running a hairdryer for 4-6 hours a day would. And, that would not have been pleasant! So, I decided to return it. LCD would be my choice.

LED LCDs.

Next, I considered the new LED LCDs from Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Vizio. While the contrast ratios were great and they had deep blacks, the prices were much higher than traditional CCFL LCDs. They also stopped at 55 inch screen size and I wanted something bigger.

DLP.

The DLP HDTVs sidetracked me with their huge sizes and low prices. While there have been major improvements over the years, a few problems (such as the lamp) turned me away.

CCFL LCDs.

Finally, I researched the traditional CCFL backlit LCDs. Most makers max out at a 55 inch flat screen TV. However, Sharp had a new 60 inch and 65 inch LCD TV at a decent price.

Choosing the Best Size.

While the difference in screen size between a 55 inch and a 60 inch or a 60 inch and a 65 inch may not sound like much, believe me it is. That extra 5 inches added along the diagonal adds a TON more viewing area. For instance, a 60 inch tv more than DOUBLES the viewing area of a 42 inch. A 60 inch adds a very noticeable increase from a 55 inch.

While the 60 inch version of this TV is what I chose, the 65 inch certainly was attractive. It just wasn’t worth the extra price. At sizes that big, 1080p stops being impressive, unless you are watching it from far away.

Going to the Store.

The price of this 60 inch flat screen TV was comparable to 55 inch LED LCD HDTVs. So, my decision was whether to go with a bigger CCFL LCD or a smaller LED LCD. The store I visited set the more expensive LED LCDs to more colorful and bright settings. This is to make them look better than their cheaper, backlit counterparts.

In-Store Comparison.

After looking at other 55 inch CCFL LCD backlit HDTVs, I couldn’t set them to look as good as the LED LCDs. So, I looked at the 60 inch Sharp AQUOS. It was a totally different experience. After setting the backlight to more common levels, reducing brightness, ncreasing color, and improving contrast a little, I got it to look as good (if not better!) than any 55 inch LED (including the Samsung 8-series).

Performance.

The black black levels on this Sharp are very deep. Plus, the whites are still sparkly white. The black levels compete with the Panasonic S1 plasma. Yet, the colors and bright scenes are much more vivid.

Sharp Features.

Many HDTV makers use 8-bit panels to reduce cost. This Sharp is one of the few 10-bit panels available at this size. A color expert can explain the technical difference between 8-bit and 10-bit color better than I can. However, to my eyes, it means deeper and richer colors.

Best Features.

This panel has a semi-gloss screen. My previous, 42-inch Sharp had a full matte screen. The results of the matte finish was a washed-out image at wider viewing angles. This TV keeps its deep black levels at wider viewing angles. While plasmas have noticeably wider viewing angles than any LCD I saw, it wasn’t enough to overcome plasma’s other drawbacks.

This Sharp has some screen glare in the daytime. However, it is partially diffused and not very distracting. At night, this LCD is really spectacular!

Trying Out The Features.

I connected a laptop through HDMI to the TV. After playing with the window resolution, I got full 1080p. After standing back 10 feet, I could still read google news, facebook, the weather forecast, and all my other internet websites. A slight increase in windows DPI lets people with less than perfect vision read the text. It’s great to avoid paying hundreds more for internet connectivity when I can just connect a $300 computer and watch bluray’s, go to ANY internet website, and stream music and video.

More LED vs. CCFL Comparisons.

While almost every new LCD has LED backlighting, many don’t realize CCFL backlights have been changing over the past 10+ years. 6 years ago, black levels were horrible on LCDs. Those were backlit CCFLs, just like my Sharp. What is the difference? Sharp virtually perfected the technology with this new model.

Black levels are smooth, and even dark blacks are on par with any LED TV I’ve watched. I do believe LED is a superior technology with greater future potential. For now, LEDs are 1st and 2nd generation. So, they still have bugs to fix.

CCFL blacklighting is tried and tested. It is on its 10th or more generation. I admit, LED is a great marketing gimmick to get people to pay inflated prices. But, actually, CCFL backlighting (at least on this Sharp) is as good.

Other features.

Supposedly, the 120hz Sharp technology helps with motion. Personally, I’ve never noticed that as a problem with modern LCDs. Film modes convert a 1080p/24hz bluray to a 60hz one. I prefer not to use it and get a more “natural” movie viewing experience. After watching Underworld on bluray, it is hard to imagine going to the movie theater again. It was immersive, beautiful, and in my own home!

Design.

Some don’t like the Gold bezel. At first, I didn’t like it either. The pictures on the web didn’t glorify it. Truth is, seeing it in my room, it is very faint and barely noticeable. I still would like black, but it’s an insignificant issue.

My Experience.

I’m surprised there are so few reviews for this LCD. I took the jump anyway and feel great for taking the chance. It is exactly what I wanted. It is a HUGE screen with satisfyingly rich colors, no dead pixels, extremely deep black levels, smooth motion, lots of inputs, and the ability to surf the web while sitting on my couch.

This is a great LCD compared to a 55 inch LED or any other tv in this size range. Don’t assume LED is automatically better. That LED screen would have cost me a 5 inch bigger screen with top-notch picture quality. I would have paid a lot more for it too!

I give a big thumbs up to Sharp for offering such an awesome, affordable screen!

My old television was a 32 inch CRT Toshiba from October of 1999. The closest replacement I could find was a Toshiba 40 inch. Everywhere I looked, the price was about $740. It almost seemed like the price was price fixed!

Choosing a Plasma.

While browsing at a warehouse store, I saw the Samsung. It stood out from all the others TVs. I wanted a plasma and decided to choose between Pioneer, Panasonic, and Samsung. They seem to be the standard manufacturers for plasma TVs.

I narrowed my choices to two 42-inch plasma models. First was the Panasonic P42X1. Next, was the Samsung PN42B450.

Panasonic P42X1

Panasonic’s long-standing reputation with plasma technology convinced me to order the P42X1. It is a well-built TV with a huge stand of solid construction. I watched HD feeds (Discovery Channel, etc.) on Dish HD. Next, I performed some image adjustments suggested in online forums. It seems the 42X1’s lack of multiple user adjustments hurts what would be excellent picture quality.

Panasonic Settings.

The Panasonic only offered brightness, color, contrast, tint, and sharpness. After days of experimenting, it was too difficult to get the perfect balance of color and fleshtones.

Contrast.

What was more bothersome was that the Panasonic 42X1 had trouble with very bright and very dark images on the screen at once. The effect was subtle but very obvious when viewing the Dish Network program guide.

The Dish Network program guide has an inset “view” of the selected program over the dark blue/gray guide which fills the screen. When the inset view displayed high brightness, the dark blue background on the rest of the screen would change or “flicker” in brightness. It appears the TV was being fooled by the high-brightness from one small area of the screen. To adjust, it would change the brightness in other parts of the screen (this would happen with old CRT TVs).

Unfortunately, this flicker happened with normal HD programming. If one image became bright, the darker areas would “flicker” in brightness. It is unusual and noticeable when viewing different programs.

Final Thoughts on the Panasonic.

I did a full-screen “plasma break-in” of various color gradations. In the lower left area. About a dozen blue and red pixels were brighter than the rest. This could only be seen if you are close to the screen.

There were small dirt/dust particles in a few areas behind the outer glass. I gave the Panasonic 42X1 every chance to impress me. Yet, the shortcomings mentioned really gave me a hard time.

Samsung PN42B450

Next, I got the Samsung PN42B450 plasma. It is similar to the Panasonic in size and price.

Once I got it home, I compared both the Panasonic 42X1 and Samsung 42B450 side-by-side. As needed, tweaks were made to both TVs. Each looked good but the Samsung had the clear advantage in overall color fidelity, contrast, and fine detail.

Controls.

The Samsung’s wealth of picture controls made calibrating the black level, gamma, white balance, etc. very easy. These adjustments cannot be made in the Panasonic user menu.

The Samsung was easy to adjust to match the black level of the Panasonic. In fact, after several calibration test patterns for brightness and contrast, the Panasonic could not display dark gray patterns on my test disc. It didn’t matter how much the brightness and contrast were adjusted. Samsung didn’t have these problems.

The Better Choice.

I appreciated the abundance of adjustment options on the Samsung to suit my individual tastes. Careful inspection of Samsung’s screen showed no defective pixels. It had no problem displaying bright images on dark backgrounds. The “flickering” problems on the Panasonic were absent on the Samsung.

The only problem with the Samsung is its somewhat wobbly stand. But, the stand allows the TV to rotate to your viewing position, so it does have its benefits. Another drawback is the plastic bezel around the screen. It makes crackling noises when the TV starts.

REPLACEMENT UPDATE: After exchanging my first Samsung 42B450, the second makes no crackling noises! From my research, it seems a brief production run of the Samsungs built in late 2009/early 2010 had “noisy” plastic bezels. Most Samsung customers do not appear to have this problem.

Panasonic vs. Samsung – Picture.

Samsung is the easy choice. It has better color fidelity, contrast, and an abundance of user adjustments. Both Panasonic and Samsung achieve good black levels compared to your typical LCD.

Sound.

No clear winner here. Each has adequate down-firing speakers for casual listening.

Menu and Controls.

Samsung has an extensive menu system compared to Panasonic’s basic options.

On the front bezel, the Samsung has attractive, touch-sensitive controls. They are easy to see and access. Panasonic’s controls are on the side, behind the TV. It can be difficult to find them.

The remote controls for both are adequate. However, Samsung’s remote looks better on the coffee table.

Audio/Video Support.

Both Panasonic and Samsung have similar numbers of HDMI and Component inputs. Samsung has a VGA connector for a PC. Panasonic provides an S-Video input with no PC connection. Panasonic has an SD Card reader so you can easily view photos. On the back of the Samsung, you get a built-in cable tie to bundle your wires.

Style and Appearance.

The bezel is more attractive on the Samsung, with its dark red accents. The Panasonic bezel is black with a bright silver strip along the bottom edge. The Samsung plasma is thinner than the Panasonic.

Quality of Construction.

Each plasma has solid construction with all-metal back panels. The base of the Panasonic is remarkably sturdy. It feels adequate to keep it from tipping over. The Samsung base rotates for different viewing angles. This causes it to have a more wobbly base.

Both TVs are built and assembled in Mexico.

Once It’s All Said And Done.

I’m happy with the features and performance of the Samsung PN42B450. HD looks fantastic and the Winter Olympics looked great! Originally, the Panasonic P42X1 was my choice. However, I quickly found performance shortcomings (poor color, pixel defects, and brightness fluctuations) that changed my mind.

The Samsung products I own have consistently delivered style, excellent features, and good reliability. This Samsung plasma continues that tradition.

This is a 120 Hz LED.

Where to Begin?

I wanted a new TV to replace my 5-year-old plasma. This TV was not my first choice. The Samsung LN52B750 was what I wanted. The Samsung is a 52-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV. It is a Charcoal Grey Touch of Color. My plan was to wait for a price drop on the Samsung and get it.

One day I saw Sharp’s new AQUOS LC52LE700UN. It was next to the Samsung LN52B750. They both looked very similar with Samsung’s screen appearing slightly brighter. Picture quality looked similar. So, I took the Sharp’s remote and changed the picture settings. It let me increase the backlight to match Samsung’s level. After the change, the Sharp Aquos still maintained amazing contrast ratio and black levels.

The in-store LCD displays were mostly horrible. There was oversaturated color, lousy or non-existent blacks, and an overall unrealistic picture. The Sharp Aquos was the exception. After carefully watching the demo video, it showed rich blacks, properly saturated color, and a superior picture.

Sharp Aquos It Is!

After making my comparison, I bought the Sharp AQUOS. The picture looks great, any time of the day. In a room that is dark or lit (my side window faces south), the Sharp performs well.

Sound.

The sound is not average, it is pathetic. Full volume doesn’t sound like much at all. The bass and treble controls do very little. Don’t expect ANY bass out of this TV. You will need external speakers, or a sound bar/subwoofer just to make it usable.

Features.

The Sharp AQUOS has a VGA input. This is nice for connecting a computer or laptop. It also has an S-Video input. After connecting my MacBook Pro, it was able to display 1344×756 at 16:9 and 1344×1008 at 4:3. However, I couldn’t get 1920×1080. The picture appears crisp, and was good enough to watch Hulu on it.

The Remote.

I don’t like the remote. It is not really stylish (Samsung’s glossy remote looks much better). That wasn’t a deal breaker, though. The common functions, such as power, volume, and input selection, can be used with almost any Blu-ray remote. I use the Samsung BD-P3600 blu-ray player remote.

Issues.

The moment I turned on the Sharp, I thought “uh oh, what’s with this picture?” In normal, non-demo video, black does not exist on this TV. Unless the screen is completely dark, the backlight displays the screen in varying degrees of gray.

When you look at it, while standing directly in front of the screen, you see it at its blackest. But, if you move your head side-to-side, it causes the black/gray zone to shift dramatically.

What’s worse is the “automatic” backlight. It is almost comical watching movie credits scroll. When no credits are on screen, it is black. When the first credit shows, the black background shifts to gray in about a second. When the credit text scrolls off screen, the gray background shifts to black again. This process repeats.

Fortunately, you can turn off this horrible “feature” on this Sharp AQUOS. But, that just leaves you with the moving gray background all the time.

Should You Get It?

The Sharp AQUOS 52 Inch is an excellent TV. The picture quality is comparable to higher-end Samsung TVs.

Is Projection the Answer?

Projection screen TVs have upkeep costs associated with them not found with LCDs or Plasmas. This includes the need for external audio and replacement lamps. Expect to pay around $300 or so for a new lamp, when it’s time to change it.

Don’t let the manufacturers guidelines on lamp life fool you. Typically, their lamp warranty is usually only 90 days. Or, it could be a several hundred hours, whichever is reached first.

If you decide to get a projector flat screen TV, don’t get one 60 inches or bigger. Don’t just go buy the cheapest one you find. Instead, really think about how you want to use it (bedroom, living room, entertainment center, home theater), while keeping in mind image quality.

Is It Too Bright?

It is possible that a flat screen TV can be too bright. It may cause eyestrain and headaches. It can destroy black levels. For a large projector TV, you…

• lose color accuracy,
• lose shadow detail,
• add heat and noise to the room, and
• diminish the entire experience.

A Better Choice.

For a 60 inch screen, get a large flat screen tv that will last 10 or more years without maintenance. Or, get yourself a rear projection TV with lamps that last much longer and are 1080p native.

For those who are determined to get a projection screen, get a home theater projector. A good one is the Optoma HD20.

Put the projection screen TV in the back of the room. Maximize your screen size given your seating distance. Do this as best you can. Just be sure you understand the costs associated with front projection.

Important Points of Flat Screen TVs.

Today, buying a flat screen TV means…

• knowing what resolution you need,
• knowing the contrast ratio a set produces,
• hearing the sound system to determine if the sound is adequate,
• finding out if you can connect the set to the Internet, and
• how to distinguish important features from marketing gimmicks.
• perceived image sharpness,
• the richness of its blacks and,
• price.

Flat Screen TV Technology Choices.

The basic technologies are Plasma, LCD, and LED. LCD TVs seem to have captured the imagination of the public with the market share. When it comes to plasma TV, it still has a leg up for…

Smaller sets (a 40 inch set and smaller) are available only as LCDs. Larger sets, a 50 inch and up, plasma is still generally cheaper than LCD.

Flat Screen LED TVs.

To increase sales and profit, manufacturers, including LG, Samsung and Toshiba, introduced so-called LED TVs. An LED TV does not exist. They are LCD TVs using LED illumination, rather than fluorescent lamps.

Compared to standard LCD TVs, some LED LCD TVs have richer blacks from a so-called backlight array . It approaches a plasma flat screen TV. Beware. If you get an LED-lit LCD today, expect to pay a hefty price premium compared to a plasma or regular LCD. You may be looking at a 100% markup!

Plasma Myths.

Early plasma flat screen TVs were plagued with problems of…

• image burn-in,
• high power consumption, and
• a relatively short display life.

Today, plasma sets have conquered those issues.

For example, Panasonic Plasma flat screen TVs offer 100,000 hours of life before image dimming reaches 50 percent of its original brightness. Let’s say you watch TV four hours a night, all year. It would take 68 years to reach that point.

For picture quality, plasma TV is the benchmark. Generally, it has…

• higher black levels (or higher perceived resolution),
• better motion rendition, and
• better viewing angles than most LCD TVs.

For the best LCD flat screen TVs, they are now approaching plasmas in their black levels.

Your Viewing Angle.

Some watch TV with family members on the floor. Other times, you may have friends sprawled across the couch to watch the big game. LCD TVs, with their limited view angles, may not be for you. As you move from the center of the screen, LCD TVs tend to lose contrast and color saturation.

While LCD viewing angles improved from poor to good, many are only fair.

LCD Motion Dection.

Traditionally, LCD flat screen TVs had more trouble displaying motion than plasma. For sitcoms and news shows, that’s not a problem. For fast-moving sports, you want a set that won’t turn a first base slide into a blurred mess.

Manufacturers have improved LCD TVs motion handling. They introduced sets with 120 Hz technology. It’ss circuitry that doubles the number of video frames, smoothing the motion display.

Some manufacturers have gone further with 240 Hz TVs. These quadruple the number of frames.

Is there a visible difference? Unless you buy a gigantic TV, probably not. This is according to executives at the top TV manufacturers. However, it’s great for marketing. Before you pay that 240 Hz premium, watch a favorite DVD on it and compare to the less-expensive 120 Hz technology. See if you can tell the difference.

Screen Resolution.

1080p TVs are almost standard issue. If you’re on a budget you can still save with a lower-resolution 720p or 1080i resolution set. Whether you see the difference in screen sharpness depends partly on your viewing distance. If you watch a 30-inch HDTV screen from 20 feet away, they all look the same.

Charts are available to show you how far to sit for a particular size screen to maximize the perceived resolution.

Thick And Thin.

Some plasma and LCD sets are no more than an inch deep. Flat screen TVs are not your CRT.

The thinner, the higher the price. Unless you mounting the TV on the wall, thinner sets only mean bragging rights, but with higher prices. That means a thinner wallet.

The thinner the set, the more difficult to get decent sound. It’s because the speakers, typically, need to face down to conserve space. Speakers that face down do not work well. It sounds as if you’re speaking to someone while facing away from them.

Well-connected.

Modern HDTVs use HDMI cables as the standard connection method. This includes the audio and video components you join to them. HDMI combines audio and video, unlike other cables. Blu-ray signals only pass through an HDMI plug.

Find out how many HDMI inputs you need on the TV. If you connect a Blu-ray or DVD player, an audio receiver, a digital video recorder and a video game console, it could be as many as 4. Some manufacturers have a side-mounted HDMI input. That is handy for the occasional times you plug-in a digital video camcorder.

Flat Screen TV and the Internet.

For most manufacturers, including LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp and Vizio, the newer HDTVs have proprietary Web-based content. This is things like news, YouTube videos, weather, the Picasa photo site and certain movies and TV shows from Netflix and Amazon’s online download services.

To get it, you need an HDTV with an Ethernet connection. Newer models have wireless connections. This is perfect for those whose Ethernet access is in another room.

Whether you’re interested in accessing Webcontent on your TV or not, an Ethernet connection can be useful. Your manufacturer can upgrade the digital TV’s operating system to address incompatibilities between it and a set-top box.

Eventually, manufacturers may be able to connect to your TV’s Internet connection to remotely diagnose problems with the set.

Technicians from the electronics maker Sharp already remotely adjust picture quality over the Internet.