Product review by user

What is an LCD Display?

LCD is short for liquid crystal display, and while LCD technology has been around for quite some time, it has been only in the last decade or so that the technology became suitable for the high quality flat panel television and computer monitor displays we see today. The most notable feature of displays using LCD technology, of course, is the thinness of the unit, but the power behind that thin design is actually quite extensive.

The display on an LCD panel is comprised of picture elements, or pixels as they are known to computer geeks everywhere. The resolution the flat panel display is capable of is determined partially by how many pixels are contained in the display. A typical LCD panel display can range from hundreds of thousands of pixels to millions of pixels, and the higher the number of pixels the better the resolution will be. LCD televisions come in a number of different shapes and sizes, but they are typically designed to accommodate a 16 to 9 display ratio. This ratio makes them perfect for watching widescreen displays like DVDs, as well as traditional television shows.

What are the Differences between LCD and Traditional TVs?

LCD televisions, flat panel computer monitors and other devices have a number of built in advantages, and it is these advantages that have made them such a hit with technology buyers everywhere. Some of the many advantages of LCD technology include:

*Brighter display - the displays on LCD televisions are brighter than those on a traditional CRT television, due to the special way these displays work. While a traditional CRT television or monitor uses a tube to create the display, the LCT TV uses pixels, providing for a brighter display.

*Flicker free performance - the display of the LCD television or computer monitor will also be free of flicker, since the LCD display will have a constant source of light throughout the entire screen. Once the pixel is turned on it remains on. Contrast this to the design of the CRT television or monitor, which must refresh the screen periodically with a ray of light moving down the monitor or TV.

*Low power consumption - another big advantage of the LCD TV is its superior energy efficiency. LCD televisions will be up to 65% more energy efficient than traditional televisions, helping to protect the environment while saving you money.

*Ultra slim design - it is of course the thin and sleek design that turns heads and gets the attention of buyers. LCD displays can be as thin as 49mm (just over 19 inches), meaning that these TVs can be placed virtually anywhere.

*Wall mountable designs - Many LCD TVs are so thin that they can be hung on the wall as you would hang a picture. It is important of course to purchase a wall mounting bracket that is suitable for holding the weight of the unit.

A Guide to Some LCD TV Terms

If you are in the market for an LCD TV, you will likely hear a number of new, and sometimes confusing, terms bandied about. It is important to understand what these words mean to you, the television technology shopper.

*Aspect Ratio - the aspect ratio of the TV helps to determine its suitability for watching movies and television programming in true widescreen format. While the traditional television has always used a aspect ratio of 4:3, i.e. 4″ wide, 3″ high, the typical LCD television uses an aspect ratio of 16:9, providing a truer widescreen picture perfect for watching DVD and VHS movies, as well as traditional television programming.

*Candela - one of those words you may hear from time to time is candela. Put simply, the candela is a standard unit of brightness, and it is equivalent to the number of candles that would be required to produce the same intensity of light. Therefore a rating such as 450 cd/m2 means that it would take a concentration of 450 candles in a square meter area to produce the same amount of light.

*Contrast Ratio - the contrast ratio is simply the difference in intensity of light between the darkest black and the brightest white on the display. The higher the contrast ratio the sharper and cleaner the picture will be.

*HDTV - high definition television, or HDTV for short, is quickly becoming the standard for television signal technology, and it is important to look for an LCD TV that is HDTV ready.

*Inputs - the TV inputs are important if you plant to connect a DVD player, VCR, game console, computer or other device to the LCD display panel. There are many different types of inputs, and it is important that the TV you choose provide a number of different options for getting signals to the device. A TV with a great many inputs will allow you to connect a number of different devices to the TV, greatly enhancing its versatility and its value.

It is also important to make sure that LCD TV you choose has the proper tuner for playing the TV signal you have coming in to the house. Many plasma screen and LCD TVs will lack a built in tuner, meaning that they will need to pick up that television signal from a cable box, satellite TV box, DirectTV signal or other similar device. It is important to make sure you understand the type of tuner that comes with the TV you are considering, and it is important to purchase all the accessories you will need when buying the TV.

Speaking of accessories, it is important to buy only the highest quality component cabling to connect that LCD display to your DVD player, VCR, Laser Disk player, computer or other device. The highest quality cables will provide the best picture and sound quality, which will further enhance the display of the LCD TV you have chosen.

It is also important, of course, to get the very best price you can on the LCD TV you want. The suggested retail price of the typical LCD TV will vary according to a number of factors, such as the size of the display, the thinness of the display and the quality of the manufacturer. It is important to shop around as much as possible, and to read the reviews of all the models you are considering.

Finally, the ability to play several different television signal formats, such as PAL, NTSC and SECAM, is an important consideration. Different parts of the world use different formats for television signals and video products, and buying one of these multisystem LCD TVs is a good way to make it more versatile and useful while getting the best value for your money.

For more information see: http://www.planetomni.com

110-220 Volt Electronics - A multisystem TV is a TV capable of receiving and displaying different video systems like PAL, SECAM and NTSC. You’ll be able to operate a multisystem TV in 99% of the world. Their dual voltage design allows them to be plugged into either a 110 voltage source or a 220 voltage source. In some cases, the plug on the television will not fit your country’s outlet, so an inexpensive plug-adapter will be needed. They can generally be picked up at an electronics store such as http://www.planetomni.com for $1.95. With a multisystem TV, such as a plasma, CRT tube type, LCD or DLP, you’ll likely need a codefree (sometimes called region free) DVD player. These exist in many forms. When used with a PAL-NTSC TV you’ll be able to see the full 625 lines of resolution available in the PAL system and the full 525 lines used in the USA NTSC system. There exists a converting type of DVD player which is codefree in that it can read all of the world’s 6 regions and both standards, PAL and NTSC. 140,000 other products are available here: http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984

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Are you searching for a LCD monitor with TV tuner? Are you on a budget and looking for a decent LCD monitor with TV tuner that is in your price range? The internet is a great place to start your search for a LCD monitor with TV tuner. Here you can not only read reviews and get an idea of what kind of model you are looking for, but you can also comparison shop to find the best deal on the web for a LCD monitor with TV tuner.

A great place to start your search for a LCD monitor with TV tuner is through Consumer Reports. They will give you unbiased reviews of the LCD monitors with TV tuners out there. You can find Consumer Reports online at http://www.consumerreports.org.

If you are the type of person who needs to see in person what it is they will be buying, then it is a good idea to visit a major big box retailer in order to get an idea of what kind of LCD monitor with TV tuner you are interested in. Make sure you take a pad and pencil with you so you can write down the model numbers of the LCD monitors with TV tuners that you liked the best. This will give you a good place to start comparison shopping.

Here are a couple tips if you decide to buy a LCD monitor with TV tuner for yourself online as opposed to a bricks and mortar store. First of all, you need to take into consideration the cost of shipping and what that will add to the overall price. Let’s say you find the LCD monitor with TV tuner model you’ve been searching for online, it is in your price range and it appears to be a couple hundred dollars less than it would be if you bought it at a major retailer. Shipping could easily add an extra couple hundred dollars to the total price, so you wouldn’t be getting much of a deal after all.

Another thing to consider when shopping for a LCD monitor with TV tuner online is that you should shop through a reputable dealer. Before whipping out your credit card you want to make sure that they are a reputable business and offer a warranty as well as everything else you would get from shopping at a reputable bricks and mortar store such as one that might be located near your house.

That being said, LCD monitors with TV tuners currently available on the market change often so it’s hard to write a review that will stay valid for a long time. Things change often, so it might be best to just stop by our site and see what we have to offer you today.

Ryan Tenney writes for http://bestlcd.tv. Come visit our site for all sorts of lcd tv news and cool lcd television info.

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The two newest technologies in the world of TV are plasma and LCD. Plasma, the most recent technology, has been quickly coming down in price in the last couple of years, and is now relatively affordable. Currently, a 42-inch plasma display sells for approximately $2500, with cheaper - and smaller - versions available. LCD, or liquid crystal display, TVs have only recently taken off, and are currently more expensive than plasma. LCD technology, however, has existed for quite some time; it has been used in laptop computer screens for over a decade. Not until recently have larger versions of the LCD screen been produced. As larger LCD screen become available, along with decreasing prices, LCD becomes a much stronger plasma competitor.

The LCD screen has several benefits over plasma. For instance, LCD screens run much cooler than the average plasma TV, and thus require less power to operate. Plasma TVs run so hot, in fact, that they require a fan to cool them down - which can be noisy. In addition, plasma screens have a tendency to degrade over time, slowly becoming dimmer. LCD screens, on the other hand, run relatively cool, and do not degrade over time. Some Plasma owners, who have used their TVs for a few years now, have already witnessed the dimming of their screens. Also, LCD screens tend to have overall better picture quality, and are typically 10 to 15 percent lighter than plasma.

Thus, it seems that although Plasma has been the best selling of the two technologies up to this time, there is likely to soon be a trend in the opposite direction. The only obvious downside to LCD is currently its high price. Comparatively, LCD is twice as expensive has Plasma. However, as the price of LCD technology comes down, it is likely to be the overwhelming choice of flat-screen TV consumers.

Bradley James is a senior editor at SciNet.cc, a website containing many helpful consumer electronics review articles. For more information on LCD and Plasma TV technology, please visit our LCD vs Plasma TV webpage.

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