LCD Televisions - Technology uncovered

LCD is one of the biggest technologies in television at the moment, set to go head-to-head against plasma screens for the future of TVs.

But what do LCD televisions mean to you? Well, to begin with, the picture you get is a lot sharper. By now you’ve probably replaced your old bulky computer monitor with a flat, LCD one, and you’ve no doubt noticed the difference in picture quality and clarity. Now the companies behind LCD want it to do the same for televisions, making them flatter, clearer and altogether better.

Another thing to note is that the rise of HDTV (high-definition television) is linked to the rise of LCD televisions. HDTV allows the original TV signal to be broadcast in even better quality than a DVD, and digital LCD TVs can then display the signal perfectly.

It really makes TV as we know it today look ridiculously primitive by comparison – and if you’re willing to splash out on an LCD TV and an HDTV subscription, you can have it today. Every year, LCD screens are decreasing in price and increasing in size, making them an ever-better competitor against other screen technologies.

When you buy an LCD television, the main things to look for are size and price, although there are also more technical features you might be interested in, like colour depth (the number of colours the screen can display). Response time is one that is often considered important, as LCDs with a long response time can produce a blurring effect when showing pictures of something that is moving quickly. There is also a measurement called dot pitch, which roughly indicates how sharp the picture produced by the TV will be (lower numbers are better).

As a final word of advice, if you do decide to buy an LCD TV, make sure you see it in use in the shop first. You should watch to see how it handles different kinds of pictures, and what the display is like compared to other LCDs, as well as compared to plasma screens.

Buyers Guide to Home Theater Projectors

Over the years, I have grown really attached to my home theater system. I must say, of all the rooms in the house, my own little movie theater is the one I could not live without. I am absolutely in love with my home theater system and, if you are anything like me, I am sure you will love yours too. I found, when I was initially building my system, that there was so much information to absorb. Every product out there seemed better than the next, and I found myself unsure about which to buy. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a new home theater projector.

There are two main types of projectors on the market; DLP and LCD. DLP stands for digital light processing. It was invented by Texas Instruments, and utilizes a microscopic array of over 2 million mirrors. DLP has a higher contrast than LCD, but there are some unfavorable consumer reports that note something called the "rainbow effect". The "rainbow effect" is noticeable when looking from one side of the screen to the other, and is characterized by a sudden burst of color.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display. These projectors have three distinct glass LCD panels inside; one for each component of the video signal (red, green, and blue). While DLP chips reflect light, the LCD panels allow light to pass through them. LCD projectors produce brighter images, and they are known for having excellent color saturation. In the end, you will be hard-pressed to notice a great difference between the two types of projection systems.

When shopping for a new projector, keep your particular needs in the forefront of your thoughts. As I mentioned above, it is really easy to lose yourself in the minutiae of each particular system. Connectivity is a definitely something to be mindful of. Make sure that you are able to connect all of your components, including your gaming system. Nothing beats playing Halo in real-life size! Contract ratio is another important factor; the higher the ratio, the better the picture will be.

The brightness of your projector is another thing to consider. Light output is measured in ANSI (American National Standards Institute) lumens. You will want to avoid a projector that produces anything shy of 1000 lumens. As you are likely aware, the projection resolution is extremely important. This refers to the number of pixels that can be displayed on the screen. Go for something that is no less than 1024x768, as this will allow you to fully appreciate the depth and quality of HDTV. In the end, you should buy the projector that is in line with your needs and your budget. Soprano's is coming on right now! Time to go!