LCD TVs Guide
How They Work
It's quite difficult to distinguish an LCD TV from a Plasma set just by their looks, as both are only a few inches thick and have large screens. However they work in a completely different way to Plasma sets. While Plasma TVs have gasses inside that help form the picture the LCD TV relies on liquid crystals that react to electrical pulses. The LCD TV has a light source at the back shining through the screen some crystals block light while others let light pass through depending on whether or not hey are receiving an electrical pulse. Green, Red and Blue points of light are created by colour filters and these can be triggered in millions of different combinations helping form the picture.
The LCD TV comes into its own when you are watching high-definition broadcasts. The picture quality is excellent and there is a noticeable difference than when watching images transmitted in noon high definition.
Good Points Bad Points
The good things about an LCD TV are:
- They do not get screen burn like some Plasma TVs
- They are slim and are only a couple of inches deep.
- They are lighter than Plasma sets.
- They use less power than a Plasma screen TV.
- The light source can be replaced if something goes wrong.
Bad points are:
- The contrast in many LCD sets is not as good as traditional or Plasma TVs.
- LCD TVs don't have as quick a response time as Plasma sets.
- Colours are not as vivid as they are on Plasma sets.
- Viewing angles can be restrictive. This means if you are viewing the set from a side angle the picture may fade.
Buying an LCD TV
Don't buy an LCD TV that is too big for the room you are going to use it in. (For a 32 inch Screen you should have at least six feet between where you view and the screen. For a 42 Inch screen you should be at least 10 feet away to get optimum viewing quality. If you sit any closer then the structure of the screen can be clearly seen and you don't get the full effect of the picture quality)
Before buying check the viewing angle to make sure you can view from an angle off centre.
Buy a set with high definition capability-although moss sets these days have it.
LCD sets can be used as PC monitors. If you want to use yours in this way make sure it comes with PC inputs.
It's also worth noting that for bigger screens Plasma TVs can be slightly cheaper, so always compare specs before buying.
