April 11, 2011
Why You Should Consider Buying a High Definition LED Television
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The decision to purchase a new television is not an easy one to make.
LCD, Plasma or LED TVs are the three primary choices to take into
consideration when planning to buy a new television. While many people
tend
to go with an LCD TV simply because of the lower price tag per inch of
screen, LED HDTVs are gaining ground.
What is an LED HDTV
Despite what the marketing geniuses at consumer electronics companies
would lead you to believe, an LED TV is not a new kind of HDTV
technology. It is basically the LCD TV, but with a different source of
illumination (backlight). LCD TVs are backlit with fluorescent linghts,
while the LED TVs use light-emiting diodes (LEDs). The early LED HDTVs
featured a complete array of LEDs behind the LCD display. The create
thinner TVs, the LEDs were moved to the sides of the LCD display -
these are the most common "edge-lit"
LED-based LCD HDTVs where LEDs project the light from the sides
inward. But as companies developed thinner LED arrays, it became
possible to go back to full-array LED designs while maintaning TV
"thin-ness". Such TVs are usually referred to as "local dimming" LED HDTVs because
they are able to dim or brighten portions of the backlight individually.
Note that LED HDTVs are not the same as OLED HDTVs where each pixel has
its own light source. As this time OLED HDTVs are largely too expensive
for the mass market.
Contrast Ratio and Color Accuracy
Generally, "local dimming" LED HDTVs
offer a better contrast ratio than their LCD counterparts or "edge-lit"
LEDs. To
create blacks, an LCD screen twists the LCD crystals to block light. A
locally-dimmed
LED screen simply dims the area to produce a dark color like black.
This results in darker and more realistic colors and crisper image.
Some of the edge-lit LEDs try to simulate local dimming, but overall
the "true" local-dimming LEDs win in this category.
Most LED TVs produce better color accuracy by using colored
back-lighting. Some still use white back-lighting which can
cause some
colors to look a little washed out. Those particular models are not
much of an improvement over an LCD TV. LED televisions that use colored
back-lighting, on the other hand, often produce a much more realistic
and vivid color.
Viewing Angle
The viewing angle of an LED television is usually broader than that of
an LCD but not as good as that of
a plasma television. If the viewing angle is highly important, plasma
should probably be your choice.
Power Consumption
Everyone looks for a way to lower their carbon footprint. Edge-lit LED
HDTVs are
slightly more energy efficient than an LCD or local-dimming LED. Both
LED and LCD TVs are more energy
efficient than a plasma television.
Response Time and Refresh Rate
Response time and refresh rate
affect how well your TV will handle fast transitions in video (e.g., a
game or an action movie). These features are largely independent of LED
vs. LCD implementation.
Picture Quality
LED HDTVs - especially the local-dimming LEDs with colored backlighting
- offer better picture quality than LCDs, with better contrast and
richer colors. Having said that, plasma still offers the best picture
quality overall, especially when off-angle viewing is taken into
account.
Price Range
LED HDTVs - especially the local-dimming LEDs - are more expensive than
LCDs or plasma. While prices vary widely, generally you should expect to pay about 20% to 40% more for an
an LED HDTV than an LCD HDTV of similar size and features.
Recommended Models
These are some of the better reviewed 2D LED HDTVs. We did not include
3D-enabled TVs: if you don't need 3D, there is no point in paying extra
for it. Most of these TVs will have a 3D counterpart for about $500
more.
LG
Infinia 47LE8500: Local-dimming LG's 47" 1080p 240Hz LED TVs.
Great color and detail, extensive features, stylish, only 1.4" thick.
Can get it on sale for about $1500.
Samsung UN46C6500: Samsung's
46"1080p 120Hz Edge-lit LED HDTV is only 1.1" thin. Better contrast and
colors than most edge-lit LEDs, but not as good as the top
local-dimming LEDs. Great styling and feature set. Well integrated Apps
platform (common to most newer Samsung TVs). Can get it on sale for
about $1200.
Sony Bravia KDL-52NX800: Sony's
52"1080p 240Hz Edge-lit LED HDTV features great colors, excellent
design, solid picture quality and built-in Wi-Fi. Can get it on sale
for
about $1700.
Vizio XVT553SV:
Local-dimming Vizio's 55" 1080p 240Hz LED TVs. Solid picture quality
and integrated Wi-Fi. The overall design and picture are not as good as
some models but the price is very reasonable - can get it on sale for
about $1700.
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