Many people are thinking of either upgrading their current tv or buying their first High-definition television. The various technologies for flatscreen tv’s can be confusing so we’ve put together this handy guide to explain the differences between TV types.

Plasma vs LCD vs LED TV

Broadcast technology is now so advanced that the detail and color from a high-definition digital broadcast, blu-ray or DVD is nearly identical to the equipment that created it.

In order to achieve the greatest picture quality where not a bead of sweat or a blade of grass is missed the 3 essential elements of a good picture must be achieved.

The 3 Essential Elements of Good Picture

• Black level is how dark and true to the color black your tv renders it on screen. Black level is very important for displaying detail, but if the picture is too dark detail can be lost in dark scenes. The black level of a good tv interprets the TV signal in a way that looks true black for excellent depth. Poor display quality of black levels can result in a picture that is a bit green or blue.
• Contrast is the brightness of the white parts of the picture and the picture as a whole . This is the “white level” or sometimes referred to as the “picture”. Contrast settings that are too high make the picture too bright and too low won’t make them sharp and crisp.
• Color saturation is how vibrant the colors are on screen. An over-saturated picture looks unnatural and gaudy. Too little saturation usually results in a faded or washed out appearance.

Your home setup can also affect which tv is best for you. Let’s see how each TV technology “picture” rates in regard to what is necessary to render a great picture in which environments.

Plasma TV’s

Plasma TV’s are typically the most affordable  in regards to providing the best black levels, smooth motion, and wide viewing angles. A plasma tv is ideal for movie buffs. The downside to plasma technology is that they have a lower ‘native resolution’, which offers less picture detail than LCD or LED.  Plasma TV’s have shiny, reflective screens which potentially can cause ‘burn in’ of images being permanently visible on the screen however most modern plasma’s have improved upon this tremendously. Since a reflective screen can cause glare in bright environments with direct light if you decide to purchase a plasma look for models with antiglare coating.

To avoid this simply read the owner’s manual on how to run it to minimize burn-in. Most newer models have an automatic process to do so.

Plastma TV UPSIDES

• plasmas have great black levels
• plasmas are good for darker rooms
• plasmas are great for movies
• plasmas are great for wide rooms
• better plasma models display IPS (In-Plane Switching), Super IPS and Alpha IPS. This means you do not have to stand directly in front of the TV to see the picture clearly thus widening the optimum viewing angle.

Plastma TV DOWNSIDES

• plasmas have a slower refresh rate which can result in a blurry or blocky picture when objects are moving fast on screen. This can especially be the case with fast paced sports or video games. To minimize this go for the higher refresh rates such as 200Hz and look for plasmas with a ‘gaming mode’.

Browse the newest technology in Plasma TV

LCD TV’s

LCD TV’s usually come with 100Hz or 200Hz processing engines which enable them to handle fast motion. The more powerful the processing engine the more information that makes it onto the screen from frame to frame. This prevents grass from blurring or blurred motion when a camera pans to follow game action.

LCD TV UPSIDES

• LCD screens have no risk of image ‘burn in’
• LCD TV’s are great in bright environments
• LCD TV’s handle fast motion images well such as sports games and action scenes
• LCD TV’s are ideal for gaming with an X-Box 360, PS3 or Wii

LCD TV DOWNSIDES

• LCD TV screens do not produce ‘true black’
• LCD TV’s have a narrower viewing angle than plasmas.

Browse the newest technology in LCD TV

LED TV’s

LED TV’s are a newer technology and although they tend to be more expensive they are more energy efficient than the previous two. LED technology is very well-rounded and is essentially a type of LCD panel that comes in the two forms of ‘Backlit’ or ‘Edgelit’. The screens are ultra slim and produce plasma-like blacks but with the resolution of LCD with approximately 40% more efficiency than the conventional LCD.

LED TV UPSIDES

• ‘Backlit’ LED screens produce the best black levels similar to plasma. Great for movie viewing.
• ‘Edgelit’ LED screens use less energy containing less diodes emitting less heat in a thinner screen
• Ultra-thin screens

LED TV DOWNSIDES

• LED TV’s have a narrower viewing angle
• LED TV’s are limited to 40′ and above
• LED TV’s are newer technology which results in a higher price tag

Regardless of which TV technology you decide to buy, ensure that you have quality cables, high-definition set-top boxes and recorders, and a programmable remote control that you are comfortable with. Since most sports are now broadcast in HD with 5.1 surround sound feeds ensure you have a high-definition digital cable box with a home theater equipped with 5.1 capable amplifier and matching speakers. If you are viewing outdoors then you will need full weatherproof 5.1 outdoor speakers.

Browse the newest technology in High-Definition TV