Home
LCD TV Checklist: Are You Prepared?
photo credit: krynskylcd flat screen TVs provide a superior picture as compared to a traditional television - and they can come in more attractive styles to boot. A flat screen lcd TV can be mounted on a wall, under a cabinet, on the ceiling… or can sit on a stand or on top of furniture. LCD TVs are versatile, flexible, and provide a better entertainment experience… but how do they work?
LCD flat screen TVs, and LCD technology itself, is based on the properties of polarized light. LCD TVs consist of two, perpendicularly arranged panes of polarized glass "stuck together" by a liquid-crystal-filled polymer solution. When they are exposed to electrical currents, the crystals untwist to varying degrees, permitting specific amounts and colors of light to pass though them. Flat screen LCD TVs are, in effect, projection TVs that depend on an extremely bright lamp as their light source, so they're considered a "passive" display.
So how do you choose the right flat panel LCD TV for you? You should at least consider the following factors when shopping for a flat panel LCD TV.
1. Look for a HDMI input. This port keeps the signal all-digital, avoiding degradation that can occur as the signal passes through other components (like your cable box). HMDI carries high-definition audio as well as video. Some satellite receivers and DVD players also connect through this port.
2. Match the LCD TV size to the size of the room where it will be placed. Because LCD TVs have higher resolutions than conventional TVs, you can sit closer than you normally would, so you can view a larger screen comfortably. (Keep in mind a 42-inch screen may overwhelm a small room, though.)
3. Decide if you want the picture-in-picture feature. The picture in picture feature allows you to simultaneously view two video sources at once, with one appearing as a small window on the screen. If you do want picture-in-picture in your flat panel LCD TV, keep in mind that single-tuner picture-in-picture lets you watch TV in one window and another source (like a DVD) in the second window. A flat panel LCD TV with two tuners lets you watch two television sources at once.
4. Do you need HDTV? A flat panel LCD TV with EDTV is cheaper, but it can't display high-definition signals. The price difference between smaller flat panel HD-ready LCDs and ED-ready LCDs is fairly low, so you're better off buying a HD-ready set. In fact, most experts say there's little reason to buy a non-HD LCD television. These lower resolution LCD TVs won't be able to accept high-definition signals, so the picture won't look any better than regular analog TV. And small HD-ready LCD TVs can be found for $500 or less, which is cheap enough that there really isn't much to "save" on a non-HD LCD TV.
5. Check to see if the TV comes with a stand or mounting hardware. Most flat panel LCD TVs come with a basic table stand, but wall-mounting hardware costs an additional $100 to $200.
6. Look into the manufacturer's warranty policy before buying online. Some manufacturers have strict policies regarding authorized dealers. If you buy a Sharp LCD Television, for example, from an unauthorized dealer, Sharp may not offer warranty coverage. (However, the retailer may offer a substitute warranty that sufficiently covers you.) The difference in price between an authorized Sharp dealer and a discounter can sometimes be hundreds of dollars, so make sure you're comfortable with the risk of not having a warranty, or make sure you ask the dealer for information about their warranty terms for the flat panel LCD TV you're considering.
7. Finally, learn about LCD TVs. There are far more things to learn about LCD TVs than the above mentioned points. Get educated on how to buy an LCD TV.
How Does An LCD Screen Work?
LCD screens are uniquely modern in style, and the liquid crystals that make them work have allowed humanity to create slimmer, more portable technology than we’ve ever had access to before. From your wrist watch to your laptop, a lot of the on the go electronics that we tote from place to place are only possible because of their thin, light LCD display screens. Liquid crystal display (LCD) technology still has some stumbling blocks in its path that can make it unreliable at times, but on the whole the invention of the LCD screen has allowed great leaps forward in global technological progress.
Although liquid crystals are not really liquid, their molecules behave more like a liquid than they do like a solid, which earns them their name. The crystals in an LCD exist in a kind of a unique middle ground between solid form and liquid form, which gives them the movement and flexibility of a liquid; but can also let them remain in place, like a solid. Heat can quickly melt a solid to liquid, allowing it to move, whereas cool will make the liquid solidify almost instantly. The sensitivity of liquid crystals to temperature can be an advantage, or a disadvantage. It allows for the highly successful use of liquid crystals in devices like thermometers, where temperature responsiveness is a boon; but this same property can unfortunately make LCD screens unreliable in extreme climates.
In an LCD screen, electric currents work at a microscopic level to control the amount of light that passes through the liquid crystal molecules that make up the moving layer of the screen, which is sandwiched between clear glass panels. The currents can force the naturally twisted molecules to unwind or coil tighter, thereby changing the amount of light that can pass from the bulb behind the glass to the eye of the viewer. It may help you understand this process by imagining that light filters through an LCD screen the same way that sunlight filters through the leaves of a tree. Now, imagine that the tree is being blown in the wind, and you will see that the amount and placement of the light that comes through the leaves changes. This is very similar to the dynamic that powers an LCD screen, except that the sun is a small light bulb, the leaves are molecules of liquid crystal, and the wind is made up of electric currents sent by the computer and designed to create a specific light pattern that your eye will interpret as words or images.<
How To Buy A LCD TV In 3 Easy Steps
I've got a confession to make. I love television. And I love big screen TVs. Especially the new flat panel models. Before you know it, everyone will forgo their traditional CRT television sets and own a LCD flat screen TV. This idea really isn't as strange as it sounds. LCD flat screen TVs are becoming more and more popular, and with good reason.
But, you may be wondering, what exactly is a flat screen TV? Flat screen TVs have displays only a few inches thick. This makes them attractive and extremely convenient. You can now hang this kind of TV on the wall, or place the set in thin areas. A LCD flat screen TV can save a lot of room in your home and look stylish doing so. However, there are a few things one should know before he or she buys a LCD flat screen TV.
1. LCD vs. Plasma.
What About Plasma TV?
Plasma TVs heavily rely on the fluorescent light bulb. A plasma flat screen display consists of cells. Inside each cell are two glass panels separated by a narrow gap. These gaps are injected with neon-xenon gas and sealed in plasma form. The gas is electrically charged when the plasma TV set is in use. The gas strikes red, green, and blue phosphors. This is what creates the TV image.
Because plasma TVs use the burning of phosphors to produce an image, they can suffer from the same drawbacks of traditional TVs, such as high heat generation and screen burn-in. Also, plasma TVs tend to be very expensive.
2. Learn about LCD TVs.
What to Know About a LCD Flat Screen TV
A LCD flat screen TV consists of primarily two transparent, glass-like materials, which are polarized, and "glued" together. One of the plates is coated with a polymer that holds the individual liquid crystals. Electric current is then passed through individual crystals. This allow the crystals to pass or block light to create images. Unlike plasma TVs, an external light source is needed.
LCD flat screen TV screens range from 15-inch models that are primarily used as computer monitors or secondary TVs, to 40-inch wide screen TVs. (Although Sharp makes a magnificent 65-inch flat screen TV in its Aquos brand lineup.)
3. Become a True Expert. Know what you are talking about when you purchase your LCD TV. These pointers pale in comparison to the rest of the story. Learn all about LCD TVs today.