HDTV Reviews

When they were introduced, the only high definition televisions (HDTV) were bulky rear-projection units with parts that were not known for their quality or longevity. Some weighed hundreds of pounds and took up a lot of space. New technologies came along later that would forever change HDTV and the future became bright for the new generations of units that have followed.

Plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions were sleek and futuristic in appearance and offered clear, sharp pictures with a fraction of the energy used by their predecessors.

They also have a sleek look, are generally lightweight, and fit nicely into most interior designer’s ideas about how a room should look. Plasma and LCD are not the same thing, so keep in mind the following distinctions between the two.

Plasma and LCD

Plasma and LCD flat can both display the highest resolution high definition content today or 1080p video. They are both very slim compared to rear projection televisions, and both use less power.

However, for image quality, video enthusiasts tend prefer plasma flat screen HDTVs because of their higher contrast ratio (how many different shades of a color that are displayed resulting in deeper or lighter coloring). Most people think that plasma screens achieve a deeper black tone, which improves the overall image quality.

LCD flat screen HDTVs have approached the contrast ratio of plasma screens over the years, and they generally cost much less than their plasma competition. In the past, LCD screens were generally not as large as plasma screens, but over time the LCD flat screen HDTVs have increased in size, reaching sizes or 60” (five feet diagonally) or larger.

LCD and plasma screens have improved dramatically over the years, and along with all of the other electronic technologies, LCDs and plasma screens have seen price reductions with time.

However, some exciting new technologies are soon to be introduced which will surpass plasma and LCD flat screen HDTVs in terms of power usage and image quality.

Perhaps the most notable is the organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Not only will they draw significantly less power and produce superior picture quality, they are expected to be significantly cheaper to produce, resulting in greater affordability for the consumer. If you want the best visual display of your DVD movie content, look no further than flat screen HDTVs.