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techjunky · 02-08-2006, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zedd

Why LCD technology often is the best choice for flat-panel HDTV

By Bruce Berkoff, CEO Enuclia

With sales of flat-panel TVs having seen incredible growth over the past few years, a blizzard of advertising and marketing campaigns has left the average consumer confused about the relative merits of the two main contenders in the high-end of this market: LCD and Plasma Display Panel (PDP) TVs. For those of us in the industry, this confusion signals that the time and energy being spent on product R&D and advertising needs to be matched by the amount of effort put into educating consumers. This article aims to help educate the market by addressing some of the key advantages of LCDs, and perhaps to set the record straight on why LCD is often the best solution for a flat High-Definition Television (HDTV).

Resolution

Almost all LCD TVs on the market today offer at least HD resolution of 1366 by 768, which is more than 1 megapixel. Stores now are starting to carry LCD TVs with full HD resolution of 1920 by 1080, which is more than 2 megapixels.

However, the majority of PDP TVs in the market today deliver Enhanced Definition (ED) resolution of only 850 by 480, i.e. 0.4 megapixel, and full HD resolution is not likely to become available in 42-inch PDP TVs due to pixel-size limitations. In fact, we know of only one very large and very expensive PDP, a 71-inch model, on the market today that supports full HD resolution.

Thus, as HDTV broadcasting becomes more widespread, and as HD DVDs and gaming consoles are released in 2006 and beyond, the LCD’s significant resolution advantage over the PDP becomes more apparent.

Viewing Angle

One of the most common misperceptions about LCD TVs is that they suffer from limited viewing angles, which often is considered a disadvantage compared to PDP TVs. While LCD technology had viewing-angle limitations in its infancy, leading manufacturers have developed technology that can deliver viewing angles of up to 178 degrees, resulting in a crisp and clear picture that is visible from any seat in the house.

Real-Life Performance

One of the least understood and most overemphasized points of comparison between LCD and PDP are contrast ratio ratings. When comparing these vaunted numbers, it is important to remember that performance in your living room is what really counts, not the performance measured in some unrealistic laboratory setting.

While many PDP TVs claim contrast ratios of 10,000:1 or more, they often deliver an actual ratio of about 200:1 or less in a regular living room with real content. Furthermore, the picture can be difficult to see due to high screen reflectivity.

On the other hand, LCD TVs reporting contrast ratios of 500:1 or more usually achieve about 300:1 in real-life settings. This wide gap between reported and actual specs is because most TVs are tested in totally dark laboratories, and PDPs usually are tested using less than 1 percent of the display switched on, with no real picture and often not even with fully-assembled sets.

Other points to consider when comparing specifications is that LCDs have significantly less reflection and glare than PDPs. They also have a higher average brightness across the screen, higher luminance at full white, wider dynamic range and can even achieve better black levels when using dynamic contrast circuitry.

The bottom line is that consumers should judge flat-panel TVs for themselves in real-life viewing conditions rather than blindly trusting spec sheets. We believe that when you personally compare flat-panel TVs, especially with HD content, higher-resolution LCD TVs will certainly stand out from the crowd.

Response Times

With Super-In-Plane-Switching (S-IPS) and over-driving circuitry technology, LCD response times can be improved dramatically. Thus, with the best sets today, we are at the point where the human eye cannot perceive any significant differences in the vast majority of images. Today’s improved effective response times, combined with up-and-coming technology such as scanning backlights, mean that high-quality LCD TV sets will not suffer from problems with image trailing and color distortion, as was the case with earlier generations.

Other Considerations

Another consideration when comparing LCD TVs and PDP TVs is pricing. Backed by the already-established desktop monitor and notebook PC markets, LCDs have better economies of scale; the overall LCD market is more than 50 times larger than the overall PDP market. Because of this, new-generation LCD sets can be developed more quickly and at ever-lower price points—especially higher-resolution full-HD sets.

LCDs also weigh less, making them easier to move around and to mount on walls—eliminating the need for a steel reinforced wall or expensive mount.

Furthermore, LCD is the only flat-panel solution that offers a full range of large and wide product sizes, including 20, 23, 26, 32, 37, 42, 47 and even 55 inches. In particular, 37-inch and smaller LCD TVs already are available at very attractive consumer price points, and 42- and 47-inch models are expected to follow soon.

Finally, LCDs are more environmentally friendly than PDPs, because they consume less power and use fewer toxic materials, such as lead.

The Bottom Line

While both LCDs and PDPs continue to improve, LCD TVs possess significant advantages over PDP TVs. LCD is currently the only technology well suited for HDTVs at sizes of 37 inches and smaller, and will soon be the best for all full HDTVs at 42 inches and below, making it the best future-proof solution for the coming high-definition era.

Source:
Westighouse.com

Get ready Zedd! The Plasma boys are going to go ballistic after that post. I think I'll just sit back and watch the show.lol