INTRODUCTION

Like popular LCD monitors that are very common to be used for computers, LCD TVs have a slim design and a flat viewing surface, but they have been fine tuned for video display. Recent advances in flat panel LCD technology now allow for larger screens, wider viewing angles, and higher-quality video images. LCD TVs are also competition for trendy-but-heavy, plasma display technology. They are several times lighter than comparably sized plasmas, and are far more durable.

HOW IT WORKS?

An LCD TV is sometimes referred to as a "transmissive" display — light isn't created by the liquid crystals themselves; a light source (bulb) behind the panel shines light through the display. A white diffusion panel behind the LCD redirects and scatters the light evenly to ensure a uniform image.

The display consists of two polarizing transparent panels and a liquid crystal solution in between them. The screen's front layer of glass is etched on the inside surface in a grid pattern to form a template for the layer of liquid crystals. Liquid crystals are rod-shaped molecules that bend light in response to an electric current, the crystals align so that light cannot pass through them. Each crystal acts like a shutter, either allowing light to pass through or blocking the light. The pattern of transparent and dark crystals forms the image. It's the same display technology found in your digital watch but way more sophisticated.

LCD TVs use the most advanced type of LCD, known as an "active-matrix" LCD. This design is based on thin film transistors (TFT) which are tiny switching transistors and capacitors that are arranged in a matrix on a glass substrate. Their job is to rapidly switch the LCD's pixels on and off. In a color TV's LCD, each color pixel is created by three sub-pixels with red, green and blue color filters.

One of the biggest challenges for LCD TV manufacturers has been speeding up the "pixel response" time (how fast an individual pixel's color can change without blurring) to ensure that fast-moving objects don't exhibit "motion lag" or ghosting. It's especially critical for larger-screen LCD TVs where much of the viewing will be DVD movies and/or HDTV.

An important difference between plasma and LCD technology is that an LCD screen doesn't have a coating of phosphor dots (colors are created through the use of filters). That means you'll never have to worry about image burn-in, which is great news, especially for anyone planning to connect a PC or video game system. LCD TVs are extremely energy-efficient, typically consuming 60% less power than comparably-sized tube-type direct-view TVs!

BRAND COMPARISON

Because LCD flat-panel TVs haven't been in widespread use for very long, there isn’t enough survey data to provide full detail on how numerous brands have performed. However, the preliminary repair data that has been gathered so far is very promising.

During the first year of use, LCD flat panels appear to be as reliable as conventional picture-tube TVs, though it's too soon to know how they'll hold up over time. For the first time, numerous brands have had the same excellent results; LCD flat panels from Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Toshiba have had relatively low repair rates. There isn’t enough data yet to comment on other brands.

 

COST VS TRADITIONAL TV’S

A traditional picture tube TV comes with the reliability due to proven technology over a long period of time. However the largest screen size is 36 inches and they are very bulky, about two feet deep and can weigh over a 100 pounds. The price for a 32 inch HD TV is around $800. Visit the Web and you'll find 19-inch models for just $150--not counting nearly $40 in freight charges for the beasts.

An LCD TV is most noticeably different because it is thin, light and can be wall mounted. They are known for displaying very good, bright HD images.  The LCD TV does also have an antireflective screen that minimizes glare from bright light. There is also no risk of burn-in from fixed items displayed onscreen for long periods of time. However the price goes up sharply as screen size increases. Most sets can't render deepest black, and some can't distinguish subtle shades of gray and black. Fast motion may blur. Long-term reliability not yet known, but preliminary data indicate low rate of repairs during the first year. A 32 LCD HDTV can be from $1,200 to $2,000.

Consumers are learning that paying several hundred dollars more for a flat-panel LCD display can be a better deal. LCD's run cooler, look sleeker, save space and energy, and generally deliver sharper, brighter images. And tube models inflate their dimensions by at least an inch, while LCD’s give you accurate dimensions of the picture.

CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY

Most big competitors in the LCD market are now building new, next-generation plants that will be able to produce bigger screens more cost-effectively, making the large flat screens that so many crave much more affordable. Next year it is expected LCD shipments will jump 142% and 92% more plasma screens to flood the market.

Matsushita, the makers of the Panasonic brand, should have a new plasma plant up and running this month and that Pioneer has a new one set to open a year from now. Samsung just brought a new plasma plant online in December, and LG Electronics has one scheduled to open in the second quarter.

The new LCD TV factories will be key to making LCD more competitive with plasma in the large television market because they can cut much bigger sheets of glass in high volumes, and therefore in a more cost-efficient manner. Samsung and Sony have a joint venture making LCD TVs with a new plant opening in June 2005. Sharp opened a new plant in January, and LG.Philips, the joint venture between LG Electronics and Philips Electronics, also expects its facility to open this year. Also destined soon for the shelves of Best Buy and Circuit City are tons of LCD televisions from Taiwanese makers like AU Optronics.

CONCLUSION

The trouble for consumers trying to comparison-shop is that plasma and LCD TVs both have their flaws. The trick is deciding which you can live with. For now LCD’s come in smaller packages but tend to have a resolution of at least 1024 x 768 pixels, which creates a higher quality image. Plasmas are bigger, but generally have a lower resolution: 852 x 480 pixels. Both are pricey; a 32-inch LCD TV can run about $3,500, while a 42-inch plasma screen will run about $5,000.