Choosing An HD TV; The Toughest Decision Of All

HD TV is well and truly with us, offering the ultimate in viewing pleasure, ultra rich detail and sumptuous colour. Unsurprisingly consumers are now choosing to ditch the old CRT televisions set and opt for either an LCD or plasma flat panel model. But when choosing a new television there are a myriad of considerations to be made; the size of the TV must be decided upon, the extent to which it is able to display HD signals should be considered as well as many other factors. Finally this must all come in on a strict budget.

Once the decision has been made to follow the HD TV route the largest choice is between plasma and LCD. These televisions each have various benefits and downsides and will suit some people more than others; hopefully the following article will be able to detail these differences.

Plasma TV sets are both flat, slim and lightweight, although LCD models are marginally lighter. They used cells of gas such as xenon or neon and phosphors to produce images, the result of electric charge being put through the gas. Because of this method the scan rate for plasmas is relatively quick offering a sharp and vibrant image. In addition due to their light size and stylish design they make the perfect addition to any contemporary home. An added benefit of plasmas is that they are not affected by magnetic fields and hence can be placed close to speakers for the ultimate home cinema experience.

Both LCD TV sets and plasmas are wall mountable, offering the homeowner a mounting solution that saves space and also creates a chic, elegant look. For the look to be achieved however it is imperative to hide those pesky wires when wall mounting a HD TV.

LCD TV sets on the other hand are manufactured using a Liquid Crystal Display. These types of TV differ from plasmas in that instead of cells of gas being used to display an image, thousands of tiny pixels are placed in the screen. These tiny pixels fluctuate in colour, shade and brightness in order to produce an image. Once again electric current is put through the screen to achieve this.

LCD TV sets are backlit and hence perform better than plasmas in bright situations although it should be remembered that black levels, that is the richness of black shades is severely limited on LCD models. It is understandable then that people who watch a great deal of television in the dark will be better served with a plasma HD TV.

Currently a great deal of conjecture surrounds the use of plasma HD TV models in the home. Due to the fact they are typically thirty percent less energy efficient than LCD devices, eco groups have called for their production to be ceased. In addition the latest European legislation on energy efficiency in consumer electronics backs the eco groups' views. Seemingly in the future, it is more likely that LCD will become the norm.

Hopefully this article has cleared up some issues with the choice of a modern, flat panel HD TV. With so many factors to consider the choice is certainly difficult. However, with an approach that conducts dedicated research and a logical thinking process, it should be possible to find the right TV for any home.

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