LCD TV Contrast Ratio - Should it Bother You?

While purchasing a LCD display device, the salesperson might inform you about contrast ratio offered by the display. But, do you really understand what this term essentially refers to? The interesting fact is that most of the merchants and salesman selling these products are ignorant about a number of facts related to contrast ratio of lcd tv and other displays. You may learn about this term here, so that you may employ your knowledge next time you make a purchase for LCD display device.

What is LCD contrast ratio?

It is the ratio of light intensities of brightest and darkest colors of the display endowed with LCD capability. It might appear straightforward from the definition, but contrast ratio is difficult to measure. The reason behind this is that there are differences in the measurements of CR from different methods.

Types of Contrast Ratios

In general, there are two types of contrast ratios associated with LCD device displays. First is the static CR, which is the measure of ratio between brightest and darkest colors appearing on the screen concurrently. On the other hand, the second type of contrast ratio, known as dynamic CR, is measured as ratio between brightest and darkest colors appearing on the display at different times. The presence of these two contrast ratio values bring in the difference between different values we get from different methods.

Methods of measuring contrast ratios

There are various methods to measure the contrast ratio displayed by various lcd tvs and other devices. Here are few most popular of these methods:

The most popular method is to measure it in a room, offering no obstacle to reflect the light emitted by TV. This means that whole of these light rays are completely absorbed. However, it is not a good method to measure CR, as the room conditions of the LCD TV customers might vary.
Another method is that of Ansi contrast, which unlike the first method, consider varying room conditions into account. Thus, it is more apposite method to measure contrast ratio of a LCD TV.

Now, the most important question for which, you are reading this page! Should the contrast ratio influence your decision for buying a LCD TV? If you go by the specified value of dynamic CR, the chances are that the value in reality may differ from what is told to you. Thus, it is not advised to consider a particular LCD TV on the basis of dynamic contrast ratio only.

In a layman language, you may consider the contrast ratio of 1000:1 as an appropriate value for appreciating a LCD device. You may also take suggestions from experts in the field to choose a contrast ratio according to prevailing conditions of your room.

Sony KDL-20S3000 - 20" Widescreen Bravia HD Ready LCD TV - Review

This is another great product from Sony and I'm very pleased with this one. The TV is ideal for a kitchen or bedroom (I have mine in the kitchen). When I buy a product I like to do lots a research and narrow down the possible products. Out of the HD TVs I had narrowed down a list of Phillips, Samsung and LG - all round the 20" size. I like to go down to a shop to view and listen to the TVs first before buying, and to me - the Sony looked and sounded the best.

I found that the Samsung was the smallest of my list of possible TVs and also looks very pretty, however as I found with the LG - the sound quality was poor with no decent bass. With the Phillips - I wasn't too impressed with the picture, so while I had to reach a little deeper in my pocket I decided to go for the Sony in the end as the sound and picture seemed much better than the rest - it really does look brilliant! This is a big purchase for me but I like to get something that I'm completely happy with so I'm glad I spent the little extra.

The picture quality is pretty awesome, but going from an old CRT style TV I'm going to notice the difference! The sound is even better than my old TV which I thought wouldn't be the case - so a pleasent suprise there.

If you are going to put the TV in a confined space, have a look on the manufacturers website and check the measurements. Be careful as sometimes they list two dimensions, one with a stand and one without.

I searched high and low on the net for the best price and at the time of writing Amazon is the cheapest. Delivery was great, I placed my order on Tuesday and the set arrived on Thursday at 9am, free delivery as well!

10 Steps to Buying Your New LCD TV!

So you're thinking about buying a new lcd tv? Great, but it's really important to spend your hard earned cash on a TV that's perfect for you, your home and your wallet! So, we've put together a short 'Top 10 Tips' guide to help you make the most out of your new lcd tv.

This is a great time of year to be thinking about electronic big-ticket items and high definition lcd tvs are hot products that we're all looking to buy at the moment. Here's what you should remember...

1. Be sure you know the price market...LCD and plasma sets are both lower in cost than ever before right now. Once you've got a price range in mind, stick to it. That way you'll never regret spending too much afterwards!

2. For the most reliable quality in picture, sound, and performance, the big name brands are usually the better choice to stick to, but some of the smaller companies are beginning to challenge their dominance. Many of the models like JVC and Sony are known for quality, while LG is quickly becoming a quality player in the LCD TV world.

3. A good idea is to look for clearance models and older sets that are being priced to move. The year's newest models are all going to command top dollar price and you can save a lot of money by taking one of last year's perfectly fine models home with you instead. Models that are only just out of season drop massively in price, however they often have exactly the same features as the latest model in the range!

4. You can get more reductions off your television by asking if they have floor or demonstration models available. As they're already out of the box, its normally a nice way to save cash, but be sure there are no faults or damage to the unit, and insist on the regular warranty too. Check the LCD out at the store and look at the screen from different angles.

5. Take advantage of savings that can be had online. Stores like Amazon can offer incredible savings as they don't have the overheads that physical stores do. Also Amazon have regular sales and discounts to suit the season, so there's always a bargain to be had! Finally Amazon have a huge reputation for being reliable and having great customer service, So why not find a model you like in store, then see if you can save on its price with Amazon?

6. As a general rule of thumb, go for image quality over screen size. Its actually possible to get a television with an LCD screen that is too big for your room! You don't want to find yourself dwarfed by a screen that hurts your eyes to watch. You should be able to sit 10 feet away comfortably and still have a great viewing experience.

7. 1080p LCD TV or a 1920 x 1080 set will offer some of the most bang for your buck, with great picture quality and outstanding definition. Always go for great picture quality as a priority and don't forget to match the television size and features to its planned use, for instance a portable for the bedroom or a large screen for video gaming.

8. Check the reliability rating on any LCD flat screen TV before you purchase it. You can do this by looking at the online sites which show expert and consumer ratings as well as checking the reviews of each model before you commit to purchasing anything.

9. Most of these LCD TV models will come with extended warranties for additional fees, but the reliability of these is good enough to make this strictly optional. Your home insurance policy may cover any accidental damage, so you should decide if an extended warranty is for you.

10. The last and final tip may seem a bit obvious but its something many of us neglect to do! Its really important that you follow the manufacturers guide and take car of your LCD TV set as laid out in the manual, this will not only help extend the lifecycle of your new LCD model, but will also help the warranty remain water tight should the unthinkable happen and your set break down. Follow the care instructions and you should enjoy years of fantastic viewing out of your new model.

What to Know About LCD TV Technology

With modern technology, there are rapid changes occurring. This is also true to lcd tv. The features of the traditional televisions are far different from the new models. Now, there are TVs with flat TV LED panel in order to give the users great experience in watching TV programs.

Take the case of LED TV SAMSUNG UN55B8000 55. There are excellent features in this product. To mention, the product is light weight and thin, eco and power consumption friendly, pictures are sharp and clear, it is compatible with the internet, it has fast response and connectivity features and has auto motion.

It can be mounted either in the ceiling, wall or anywhere in your house. In case you mount the equipment, it is easy to be transferred from the living room to the bedroom and vice versa.

The power consumption is less than normal due to its flat panel. Carbon production is also reduced since the unit is environment friendly.

The sharpness of the images and pictures is increase. That's why it is more pleasant to view the pictures and TV shows.

Since the unit is compatible with the internet, you can just plug your internet connections and you can work on the many websites on the net even without using your computer, laptop, net book or notebook.

You'll really love lcd tv in the sense that the response and connectivity features are so good and very important especially to your needs in multimedia. This is also the primary reason why viewers are watching perfect scenes. Compared to the traditional units, lcd tv can create a kind of entertainment which we might call "state of the art" for the entire family especially for the kids.

With the auto motion feature, the television can properly determine the images in the frames. That's the transition is so smooth from one frame to another.

It is really enjoyable watching all the programs using the LCD TV. You'll never regret buying this unit!

How to Buy an Inexpensive LCD TV

Is it possible to buy an expensive lcd tv?

Liquid crystal display television (lcd tv) technology has come a long way in recent years. The implementation of thin file transistor (TFT) technology has removed many of the angular resolution and ghosting problems previously associated with cheap LCD televisions.

It is now possible to buy an inexpensive lcd tv that has state-of-the-art features and superior picture quality.

What is an lcd tv?

An LCD TV is a flat panel television that utilizes advanced materials technology to create a bright, attractive picture on a flat screen.

An LCD TV screen is made up of two glass plates with a thin layer of liquid crystals in between. When electricity passes through the crystals, tiny color pixels light up to produce an image.

How do LCD TVs Compare to Plasma and Tube TVs?

In the past, plasma TVs were the only real flat panel television option. Now, LCD televisions have progressed to the point where they can compete with plasma TVs in terms of picture quality.

LCD televisions are easier to maintain, less likely to degrade with time, and use less power than plasma TVs. And the new crop of LCD TVs have a sharper picture, require less space, and use much less electricity than tube TVs.

What are the Features of an LCD TV?

Here's a list of features found on newer model LCD TVs:

* Digital picture - the picture on an LCD screen is much sharper than on a tube TV and is now comparable to plasma TVs.

* Space saving design - LCD TVs are thinner and lighter than tube or plasma TVs, and can be set up almost anywhere.

* Widescreen format - LCD TVs utilize a widescreen format, similar to movie screens, so they are compatible with HDTV programming.

* Flat screen - LCD TV screens are flat, so there's no distortion as with tube TVs.

Where can I Buy a Cheap LCD Television?

The best way I've found to get the best deal on a television is to first check out various models at your local electronics stores and discount stores. After you get a good idea of what you want in a TV and what's available, go online and check prices and ratings at a comparison shopping site.

With the site I use I can compare various LCD prices and find out which stores are reputable and give good service. I can also get detailed product information, ratings by electronics experts, and even consumer reviews by people who actually own the product.

Forget about sales and discount warehouses. The best way to save money on big ticket items like LCD TVs is to comparison shop online. I've saved thousands of dollars on TVs, computers, appliances, and even furniture using this method (click on the links below for more information on the site I use).

Samsung LN32B460 32-Inch 720p LCD TV

Many would agree that Samsung produces some of the best consumer lcd tvs in the market. Here is a quick review of a model from its Touch of Color series, the Samsung LN32B460 32-Inch 720p lcd tv. Like all other models in this series, it has a hint of dark read in its design. In this particular model, there is a faint shadow of dark red at the bottom frame of the TV. It also has a small hint of dark red on is rectangular stand. Whether the red is a favorable addition to the design is subject to personal taste. Personally, I kind of like it as it adds a little edginess to the LCD TVs design.

The Samsung LN32B460 32-Inch 720p LCD TV has a 50'000:1 contrast ratio, which is pretty good for a LCD TV. This high contrast ration enables the screen to produce sharper and more realistic pictures. It also has a 6ms response time that is a great improvement from older models. Many LCD TVs in the market does a pretty good job at playing movies but are not well suited for playing games. This model has a game mode that increases the speed of image processing to enhance your gaming experience.

The Samsung LN32B460 32-Inch 720p LCD TV comes with two hidden speakers. The quality of the audio is pretty impressive for a LCD TV. The bass was strong and dialogs were crisp and clear. The audio system is incorporated with STS TruSurround HD technology. Considering its reasonable price tag, the Samsung LN32B460 32-Inch 720p LCD TV is a pretty good buy if you are planning to get a LCD TV for your bedroom, office and other small spaces.

My Best Choice: A 26 Inch LCD TV

In the last few weeks, I have been dealing with a really serious problem. I have been wanting to find something to do with my spare timer whenever I am at home and not working. This is because I am not the type of person who enjoys not having anything to do and just being idle all day long. The thing that I wanted to find is something useful and something that could easily enhance my personality and make me an even better, well-rounded person. The family, my wife and kids, suggested tat I just take it easy and relax whenever I am at home, but I balked at the idea. I said I wanted to do something worthwhile. In the end however, they still prevailed over me and managed to convince me to just find a more relaxing thing to do.

Well the thing that they managed to convince me of doing was quite basic, and that was to have an entertainment system at home. I was not so convinced initially, and asked them to do just think of other things to suggest. They were unfazed however, and continued to offer one argument after another about how nice it would be for me to just have some fun while at home. At length, I began to see the wisdom in their arguments, and I finally did agree to what they wanted. I did have some alterations to their suggestions, as I said that a simple television set would do for me. To this they gladly agreed, and so off we went to the local mall to shop for a new TV.

While my family and I were at the local appliance store, we discussed what would be the best type of TV to buy. The thing was, we still had a functioning TV at home, but it was already a few years old. So my kids wanted me to buy the kind of TV that we haven't had before, an lcd tv. I thought about it and agreed that it would be nice to have that. I made the decision to find the best 26 inch lcd tv available in the store. I did not want to get an oversized set, and 26 inches was just the right size for our living room. We looked and asked around inside and finally saw one of the better brands. We got it and now, whenever I'm at home with the family, I share the enjoyment of watching the best 26 TV with my whole family.