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The Only LCD HDTV Guide You'll Need - for 2009!
The ultimate one-page guide to LCD HDTVs: all of the "need to know" information about LCD and HDTV technology you'll need before making that final decision! See the current top 5 best HDTVs, too.
Shopping for an LCD HDTV? Know Your Stuff!
The ultimate one-page HDTV resource
(Updated for July 2009!) Super crisp, yet energy efficient: LCD televisions provide an amazing picture with a wonderfully thin screen, perfect for anyone looking to conserve room space! Here, we'll review the current top sellers in terms of customer satisfaction and product excellence. Add a LCD HDTV to your home today! This page is created so that you can follow these logical steps:
- Learn about today's HDTV technology... in lay-person's terms
- Read about the differences between formats & their misconceptions
- Compare today's best LCD High Definition Televisions!
LCD & HDTV Learning Resources On This Page:
- LCD HDTV Explained
- Interlaced vs. Progressive LCD HDTVs
- What is DLP HDTV?
- HDTV Salesman Tricks
- LCD HDTV Aspect Ratio
- What Does "720" or "1080" HDTV Mean?
- 1080p vs. 1080i HDTV...Which One Wins?
- What is DTV ? What does it mean for my HDTV?
- HDTV Antennas
- A Review of What To Look For in Your New HDTV
- Tips to Improve Your HDTV Energy Efficiency
- HDTV HDMI Cables: More Expensive Doesn't = Better!
- What is Laser TV? Is it better than HDTV?
- Need an HDTV for the kitchen?
This Month's Top 5 HDTVs
LCD HDTV Explained
How exactly does it work?
Much like other LCD devices you're more used to, such as alarm clocks and computer monitors - LCD televisions also utilize a technology based on polarized light, where two polarized panels are located in front of and in back of a thin layer of liquid crystal gel, that is divided up into individual pixels. Each pixel is activated individually thanks to two axis of wires, which polarizes them accordingly."Ghosting" used to be a noticeable problem with older model LCDs. It's a term that describes how certain bright parts of a movie would "hang around" for a few seconds, or even display a trail as it moved across the screen. This is due to brighter pixels that would 'maintain' light for a time period of 20 milliseconds, while undergoing the transition to another color or light intensity for another 15-20 milliseconds of time. Since the inception of LCD televisions, that time was shortened to only 8 milliseconds.
In order to improve the quality of LCD televisions going forward, a viable strategy is to increase the refresh rate (the 'invisible' line that scrolls and refreshes the screen constantly), and to reduce the backlight response of the LCD screen itself.
Interlaced vs. Progressive LCD HDTVs
How scan rate affects your viewing experience
Another factor in LCD HDTVs are the scan rate: which include an interlaced and a progressive picture. Have you ever seen video tape footage of a PC screen? If so, you may have noticed how the screen seems to "sweep" up and down constantly, almost like a slide show. That is an interlaced picture. Similarly, interlaced HDTVs (and monitors) refresh every other line of the picture, every other time. The process is unseen by the naked eye. However, interlaced screens are known to cause "eye distress," which your mother warned you about when you sat too close to the TV set.Progressive sets, on the other hand, refresh every line every single time, much like one long "sweep" down the screen after another. Progressive pictures are easier on the eyes, display a smooth viewing image with less "jaggies," and consequentially, cost a little more.
What is DLP HDTV?
Learn about this projection technology
DLP or "Digital Light Processing" is a rear projection technology for television. DLP HDTVs are typically less expensive and more lightweight that LCD or Plasma TVs, immune from screen burn-in & color decay, and able to represent high speed images without ghosting or blurring effects that other television technologies suffer from. DLP TVs are known to have excellent color and grayscale representation.LED DLP TVs never need a lamp replacement. Note that non-LED DLP's (typically older models, as most today are LED) *will* need lamp replacements after several years of usage, and the cost can be rather high. Overall, an LED DLP HDTV is a worthy investment for its long life, great color quality and slim size. Avoid older DLP HDTVs, as they're known to suffer from a condition known as the "rainbow effect," in which bright white tones projected over black backgrounds appear in a multi-color effect. Newer televisions do not have this issue.
HDTV Salesman Tricks
Ever wonder why some HDTVs look so much better than others at the store? A common sales tactic that retailers use to upsell certain HDTV models is to modify their video signal. HDTVs with a dedicated video signal are working at their full capacity, whereas HDTVs that are all using a split signal will have significantly less strength, and therefore, not look as good. This is how stores make certain HDTVs look more favorable -- typically, the ones whose inventory they are looking to reduce. Be sure to look behind the HDTV to see if the cable behind it is leading to other HDTVs around it (split), or, if it has a cable leading directly into it (dedicated).
Wait, there's more! Another salesman trick is to turn up the backlight brightness of an HDTV, which makes an HDTV stand out amongst the store display's lineup. Don't fall for it!
LCD HDTV Aspect Ratio
Understanding an HDTV's viewing size
You may have already seen terms here, such as "16:9 aspect ratio," and had no clue what it meant. Aspect ratio simply means "units high x units wide." So, a 16:9 HDTV is 16 units wide x 9 units high ("units" meaning the measurement of an original video production, a broadcasting term).Wide sets allow you to see widescreen movies in their "natural mode," without the letterbox crop bars. They also allow you to watch the older, non-narrow shows as well, albeit with the black crop bars on the left and right. Overall, the newer, wider 16:9 is the winner over the older 4:3 "standard" television screens for their breadth of view, and ability to watch older formats, as well!
What Does "720" or "1080" HDTV Mean?
It's all about the pixels
HDTVs are always defined by the resolution, or the number of vertical pixels that they have. For instance, a 720 HDTV has 720 pixels per line going up and down (rather, vertically) the screen itself, and across 1,280 lines going horizontally to the other end of the screen.In contrast, a 1080 HDTV has 1080 pixels per line going vertically, with 1,920 lines going across, horizontally. In these cases, the 1080 HDTV set is the better of the two - since more pixels means more detail.
Note that the resolution and the actual size of the screen in inches are not directly related: therefore, a 22" 1080p HDTV and a 22" 720p HDTV can both exist (don't assume that smaller screens are always 720p!)
1080p vs. 1080i HDTV...Which One Wins?
A major consideration for choosing an LCD HDTV
Naturally, you'll want to go with the best option for the most technologically long-lasting, satisfying, high quality LCD television set; especially in a consumer market where things keep changing so rapidly.The question of 1080p and 1080i comes up in this case. What does it mean? In short, these are two popular HDTV video modes found in the newer model TV sets. 1080"p" represents "Progressive Scan." This means that the pictures on a 1080p television screen are drawn with a moving line, similarly to the way computer monitors work.
Conclusively: the 1080p HDTV is the superior product, although it is the more expensive choice. If you're going for a somewhat larger screen, you'll appreciate the 1080p's progressive nature. It's always best practice to go with the "newer" format; which in this case, is the 1080p.
There is one important thing to mention here: if you're going for larger screens, there's no doubt that you should only consider a 1080p...however, if your screen is 50" or less, there will be no visible difference with the additional pixels that come with the 1080p. So, stick with a 720p for a screen that's 50" or less -- you'll save a lot of money without sacrificing quality.
Let's review the pros and cons of the 1080p, vs. that of the older 1980i format. Despite the fact that 1080i has its own set of proficiencies, the 1080p is the superior technology:
1080p HDTV Pros (vs. 1080i)
- Simpy put, it's newer than 1080i. It will, in fact, eventually become the "standard."
- Has twice the resolution of a 1080i signal, technically capable of displaying every single pixel of an HD broadcast.
- Progressive TV sets (flat LCDs, Plasmas) are already progressive in nature, can use progressive scan as a default (no need to convert from another type).
- Conveys all "lines" in a single sweep, resulting in a smoother, crisper image
1080p HDTV Cons (vs. 1080i)
- Has half the frame rate of 1080i
- More expensive than 1080i sets
- The difference in resolution between 1080p and 1080i may not be seen by the naked eye, except on larger TV sets
What is DTV ? What does it mean for my HDTV?
Making the Switch: If you're not DTV compliant, read on:
Since you're visiting this page, you are most likely interested in HDTV - a broadcasting format that runs at a higher resolution than the traditional analog (i.e., buy a TV, plug it in and watch it) broadcasting signal. HDTV is recognized by three video modes: 1080i, 1080p and 720p. The HDTV format sends a signal that encodes color formats for each pixel, making it an ideal technology for the previously aforementioned video modes, especially in LCD format. Similarly, HDTV broadcasting conforms to a 16:9 aspect ratio without having to distort or stretch the image, giving a truly vivid, crisp image.HDTV is also capable of vastly improved sound quality, as it is Dolby Digital compliant and supports 5.1 surround sound. HDTVs are capable of receiving DTV or Digital Television signals.
About 2009 and the DTV Switch: In the United States, the government mandated a transition from the "standard" broadcasting signal to an "HDTV" signal, which was effective as of June 12, 2009. This meant that all current non-HDTV sets were no longer be functional without the usage of a converter box. The good news is that DTV is a standard format on all LCD HDTVs, leaving many people with the attractive prospect of ditching their old 1980's TV sets for a new HDTV. It's a win-win situation, as you'll get the better picture and sound quality, without having to attach yet another peripheral to it!
Learn More about Digital TV Converters & the DTV Switch
-
All About the Digital TV Converter and 2009
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As of June 12, 2009, anyone in the USA using standard analog TV reception will need a digital TV converter to pick up the new DTV transmission. Learn more about DTV converters and the new digital TV signal here!
HDTV Antennas
Since you can't simply plug-in and watch an HDTV
(If you will be using an HDTV that does *not* have a cable connection, you'll want to read this!) So, you've gotten that new LCD HDTV, plugged it in, and see a wonderful screen that says "NO SIGNAL!" Yes, that's right. You can't simply plug in an HDTV and flip channels like the good old days - you actually need an HDTV antenna, like it or not. If you're looking for a great antenna to plug into your new HDTV, so that you can start watching all network and local stations, look toward the Winegard SS-2000 Squareshooter
. This UHF-only amplified antenna can be used indoors or outdoors, and will get signals from up to 40 miles away! For just a fraction of the cost, the RCA Indoor Passive Antenna
gets the job done. This rabbit ear model is HDTV compatible.(For you non-HDTV owners: If you're wondering about using a DTV converter box with an antenna, know that you'll have to plug your antenna into the DTV converter box, and the converter box into your TV.)
A Review of What To Look For in Your New HDTV
All of the information reviewed above is all you'll need to narrow down your final decision...it also helps to see what current owners of HDTVs are saying about their set. Take reviews with a grain of salt, as some people tend to over-dramatize issues, or even rate a product poorly due to the price of shipping! Look for intelligent, well-written and concise reviews, regardless if they're positive or negative.Here's a concluding list of what to look for in your next LCD HDTV!
- LCD vs. Plasma vs. DLP: There's no doubt that LCD is phasing out Plasma HDTV technology. DLP offers great colors, lifespan and are lightweight. Stick with a LED DLP HDTV, or an LCD HDTV!
- DTV Ready: Your LCD HDTV should be DTV ready, to prepare for the new DTV signal in '09. This shouldn't be a problem, as it is basically standard in all new HDTVs.
- Screen rate: HDTVs are progressive: nothing to check up on here!
- Resolution: For better picture quality (and an avoidance of buyer's remorse), get a 1080 LCD HDTV. If your HDTV is 50" or less, there will be no difference between 720p and 1080p, so either is fine.
- Video Mode: Remember our "p" vs. "i" argument before? The conclusion is that you'll want to get the "p," not the "i."
Tips to Improve Your HDTV Energy Efficiency
Going Green: Tips for Long HDTV Life & Energy Conservation
- Turn your HDTV off if you're not using it. Sounds ridiculous, but if you're away from your TV for 15 minutes or more, you might as well turn it off, and help prolong the HDTV's life while avoiding screen burnout through the years.
- Keep the lighting low in the room where your HDTV is. Despite the myth - there is nothing wrong with watching TV in the dark, it won't spoil your eyesight! By keeping the lights down low, your HDTV's ambiance will be more sufficient, and you'll be less included to turn up its brightness (which uses power). Also, note that by using less light in the room, that will reduce power throughout the year, too.
- With that in mind, keep the HDTV backlight low to reduce its energy consumption. Its image quality will actually improve at lower levels, anyway! HDTVs that are overly bright tend to saturate their picture with white light. Tone it down to bring out the shadow and definitions of the picture.
- One HDTV on at a time. If your household has more than one HDTV, make it a home policy that only one TV is on at a time, when possible. Watch TV together, and save energy together.
- Get an HDTV that is Energy Star compliant. It's that little scribbled star logo that you've probably seen a million times on cardboard boxes: Energy Star is a guideline imposed by the EPA and the Department of Energy to regulate energy saving measures for consumer electronics. What it means for you? Energy Star approved products simply use less energy and are more cost-efficient, yet, suffer no performance losses.
HDTV HDMI Cables: More Expensive Doesn't = Better!
What is Laser TV? Is it better than HDTV?
A new technology steps in...to replace LCD HDTV?
Laser TV is a new technology that has been formally developed in 2006 by the Necsel company. With Laser TV, the reproduction of color is literally doubled than that in even the best LCD HDTVs on the market. Currently, HDTVs only reproduce about 40% of colors that are visible to the human eye, whereas Laser TV technology reproduces approximately 80% of those colors. Laser TV was introduced to the consumer market on November 16, 2008 by Mitsubishi, with its history-making laser TV, the LaserVue.Laser TVs use laser optoelectronics to display video, which involves using lasers to detect and control light, using three different laser wavelengths: red, green and blue. Laser TV sets enjoy benefits far and beyond that of HDTV, including blubs that practically never blow out, and drastically less power consumption and reduced weight of the TV set itself.
Do you need to worry about Laser TV phasing out HDTV in the short-run? Probably not. As with everything else, this is new technology, and it may take a decade for HDTVs to hit the bargain bin as Laser TV makes its way to the top. Even then, who knows...Holographic TV might be ready (yes...that's coming in the distant future, too!) For now, leave Laser TV to the multimillionaires, as the rest of us probably are not willing to shell out $7,000 for a television.
Mitsubishi LaserVue Laser TV
Mitsubishi L65A90 65-Inch LaserVue Rear Projection HDTV
Amazon Price: $6,949.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $6,999.00
Mitsubishi's LaserVue Laser TV (Item #L65-A90) is the world's first laser powered TV set! This 1080p ultra thin HDTV delivers twice the color of HDTV technology while using only one third of the power that an HDTV uses! (...read more about the Mitsubishi LaserVue)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Need an HDTV for the kitchen?
...because using a DTV converter for an outdated 13" is insane.
With the whole DTV converter box fiasco, you'll have to get rid of the current kitchen TV, or find a place to stuff the converter box (that is, if you have any room). Why not just upgrade to a HDTV that can fit on the kitchen countertop?Don't bother with those flip-down LCD TV & radio combinations -- they're neither DTV compliant, nor do they last longer than a year (just read the customer reviews on them, and you'll see what I mean). If you're looking for the most affordable tiny HDTV at the best price, look toward the Insignia 19" HDTV
, for about $90 more. The Current Top 5 Best 1080p HDTVs
View a list of the current top 5 best HDTVs! This data is a combination of top selling TVs, as well as overall consumer satisfaction. It was gathered by a comprehensive comparison of several top industry reviews and lists updated this month, including CNET, and top seller's lists from Amazon Electronics.It's that time again...here are the new HDTV picks, fresh for April 2009! As usual, everything is based on sales volume and consumer rankings:
#1: Pioneer PRO-111FD 50" Elite KURO HDTV
Pioneer PRO 111FD - 50" Elite KURO plasma TV with built-in network media player - widescreen - 1080p (FullHD) - HDTV
Sure, it's expensive, but damn, is it good...it has the highest industry rating for deep black tones, along with spectacular color. This superior plasma HDTV is stunning right out of the box!
* High-Definition 1080p Resolution (1920 x 1080p)
* 5x Deeper Black for Unmatched Contrast
* Ability to accept 480i / 480p / 720p / 1080i / and TRUE 1080p 24fps signals
* New Thinner Cosmetic Design with Elegant Acrylic Bezel
* IP Network Compatibility Designed to DLNATM Guidelines: DLNA Version 1.5
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $4,499.99
#2: Panasonic Viera TH-58PZ800U 58"
Panasonic Viera TH-58PZ800U 58-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
If you can't afford the Pioneer Pro (see: above), this is your next best bet, and an awesome one at that. Lower price doesn't mean lower quality here: this THX-certified plasma HDTV is amongst the best in today's market, bar none!
* 1080p Full-HD Plasma panel
* THX
* 4 HDMI inputs
* PC Input
* contrast ratio 1,000,000:1 Dynamic
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $2,096.00 (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $3,699.95
#3: Sony Bravia XBR KDL-55XBR8 55"
Sony Bravia XBR KDL-55XBR8 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz Triluminos LED LCD HDTV
It's no surprise that Sony continues to output the most expensive HDTVs on the market. The 55XBR8 is a superior addition to the famous XBR line, featuring a unique LED powered LCD screen that's surprisingly lightweight.
* 16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)
* TRILUMINOS RGB Dynamic LED Backlight Display
* BRAVIA Engine 2 PRO fully digital video processor
* Motionflow 120Hz PRO technology
* DMex capable
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $4,499.98 (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $4,999.99
#4: Samsung HL61A750 61"
Samsung HL61A750 61-Inch 1080p LED Powered DLP HDTV
This is one massive screen from HDTV favorite, Samsung. Look to this mammoth 61" screen for incredible picture quality at one of the most competitive prices amongst all competing brands!
* 1080p HD Resolution
* LED Light Source, No Lamp Required
* 3D Gaming Ready
* 1 Tuner PIP
* 3 HDMI Inputs, HDMI-CEC
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $1,899.99
#5: Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U 42"
Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV
Last but definitely not least, Panasonic's 42" Viera is the ultimate choice for those who are looking for the best bang-for-the-buck: affordable and high quality, it's a favorite amongst those who aren't willing to throw down twice the amount for a high profile HDTV.
* 1024 x 768 Resolution
* 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the Brightest whites and darkest blacks
* 4096 Shades of Gradation for spectacular Color Reproduction
* Viera LinK%u2122 HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your home theater components by pressing a single button on your TV's remote control
* GalleryPlayer® allows you to enjoy the world's finest high definition art and photography on your Panasonic HD plasma TV
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $799.99 (as of 07/11/2009)
List Price: $999.99
Sony Bravia XBR: Top of the Line, Top Quality...Top Price!
If you're serious about HDTV technology and want to look into today's top contender, check out the Bravia XBR. It's not exactly for those on strict budgets, but you can't beat its superior performance!-
Best Television Ever
-
If you're looking for the best television ever, look no further than the hottest one on the market today: the Sony Bravia XBR. Easy to remember! Best.Television.Ever.com
Best HDTV: Reader Feedback
Thanks for visiting the LCD TV Lens. This was my first Squidoo lens, and I have been researching HDTVs for quite awhile. Since then, I've been categorizing all of my findings, and have used them to put this guide together. hopefully you've learned something new! Please leave your comments below. Web visitors: you'll need a Squidoo account to post your comment or link here. A sincere thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions for improvement in helping this strive to be the best one-page HDTV resource!
nhcomms54 wrote...
great lens. Check this lens out http://www.squidoo.com/pcsec
Posted July 09, 2009
pcwahoo wrote...
Great lens, some very interesting points youv'e given I own a Sony and I would not trade it for anything. Sounds like you might have sold 1 or 2 before with your tricks of the trade
Thank You
Posted July 02, 2009
5staro wrote...
Excellent lens! Beautiful layout, and I didn't know how much I didn't know about HDTV!
Posted July 02, 2009
greenorganic wrote...
Great lens. Still haven't decided on what TV to get. But your lens narrowed down my options considerably. Your lens certainly caters to shoppersneeds for HDTVs. Keep it up.
Posted June 30, 2009
DrJamesMartin wrote...
awesome info. didnt know the difference. Awesome info thanks. Dr. James Martin
Posted June 16, 2009
gourownway wrote...
Great info! You made it very easy to understand and the salesman tricks where great!
Posted June 08, 2009
AbbasAbedi wrote...
Excellent Lens. 5*
If you get a chance check out my Instant Stress Management lens.
Posted June 02, 2009
Find the Best HDTV on eBay
Current contender: Pioneer PRO-111FD
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
by Pixelrage
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