Flat Panel TVs
Shop For Flat Panel TVs
Basics
If you're like most people, the first time you looked at a flat panel TV you walked around the back and thought Where's the rest of it? It's perfectly understandable, since bulky traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions have been the standard for more than 50 years. So how is it possible to produce a working television that's thinner than most photo albums? We're glad you asked.
Flat panel TVs can use one of two technologies - Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Plasma Display. While the technology is different for the two displays, both eliminate the need for heavy glass and a large electron gun by controlling picture elements (pixels) individually. Pixels are the tiny colored dots that make up the pictures we see on a television screen. You can think of each pixel in a color image as being made up of a red, green, and blue component, or "subpixel" that work together to create images. (For more information on how a CRT television works, see the Learn About section under Tube TVs).
Liquid Crystal Displays
LCDs first became popular in the early 1970s. Today, they can be found in a variety of digital devices, including calculators, watches, microwave ovens, computers, and front projection TVs. As the name implies, they use a gas-like substance known as Liquid Crystals to create a display.
What are Liquid Crystals?
Liquid crystal is a substance that shares characteristics of both a liquid and a solid. This unique composition makes it possible to use an electric current to manipulate them to allow light to pass through or be blocked out, much like the shutter of a camera. In a rear-projection TV, this light source is located in the back of the television, behind the layer of liquid crystals. In a front-projection TV, a panel of mirrors is positioned in back of the crystals to reflect the light projected from the front of the TV. Images are formed by applying voltage, which changes the properties of each Liquid Crystal Cell (LCC) in the display and, in turn, alters the pixel's light absorption properties.
What Makes Up an LCD?
A Liquid Crystal Display consists of a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two plates of polarized glass. A color filter (composed of transparent pixel electrodes), and a system for controlling the voltage passed to this filter, are positioned on one of the glass plates. LCDs do not produce their own light, so a light source behind the display is also necessary; this is accomplished by using several florescent light bulbs and a "diffuser plate" to help distribute the light evenly. This back light must be powerful, as polarized glass and liquid crystal materials absorb more than half of the light that passes through their layers.
Active versus Passive Matrix Display
As we mentioned earlier, a system is needed to control the pixel electrodes. There are two basic color-producing techniques for LCDs: Passive Matrix and Active Matrix. The design of a Passive Matrix is simple and cost-efficient, but a slow response time and imprecise voltage control results in "ghosting" effects and fuzzy images with poor contrast.
A layer of Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) makes up an Active Matrix; a transistor positioned at each pixel intersection regulates which pixels receive a charge. A beam of light passes through this matrix, which determines whether the pixel should be "on" (LCC activated) or "off" (no light passes through). Light waves that make it through the matrix are then passed through the color filter, which allows only the desired color to be displayed. By controlling the voltage to each pixel, each color can display more than 256 shades to create a palette of nearly 16.8 million colors! This wide selection allows the display to match colors accurately and create a more realistic picture.
Advantages and Limitations
The result of plasma technology is an evenly focused, realistic picture with a wide viewing angle. Plasma displays perform well regardless of lighting conditions and are not affected by magnetic fields. That means you can set one next to your home speaker system without affecting the picture. Most models accept both video and computer inputs, allowing you to watch your favorite movies or display images from the DVD-ROM drive of your computer. One past criticism of plasma technology has been a problem with poor contrast - blacks had a slightly whitish hue and appeared to be more of a dark gray than a true black. However, the quality of contrast has improved significantly since the original plasma displays were introduced, and the images produced by plasma technology today are noticeably cleaner and more defined. Just like LCDs, Plasmas are capable of displaying a palate of almost 16.8 million colors, giving images a more lifelike quality.
Like a CRT television, the phosphors and gases deteriorate over time, causing brightness to fade. The life span of a TV with regard to brightness is measured in terms of a half-life. To put it simply, this is the amount of time it takes for the display to lose half of its original brightness. If you happen to have an older CRT television sitting around your house, you can see how the picture has slowly become darker over time. The life span of a plasma display averages 30,000 hours (compared to 20,000 hours for a CRT). If you were to watch 6 hours of television per day, the half-life of your plasma TV would average 13.7 years. This doesn't mean the TV stops working smack dab in the middle of your favorite rerun of Cop Rock, only that the picture loses some of its brightness over a period of several years.
Plasmas weigh much less than LCDs, and are currently the only flat panel televisions offered in screen sizes larger than twenty inches. These high tech displays don't come cheap and, as with LCDs, a rather limited market stops the manufacturers from producing them in large numbers. It's a catch 22 -- a larger demand for these displays will help to lower the cost, but the cost is limiting the demand. 20% to 50% of the glass plates are currently recycled due to flaws, and these high production costs are passed on to you.
Flat Panels In a (very thin) Nutshell
Of course, the most obvious advantage to owning a flat panel television is an ultra-thin display that weighs considerably less than a traditional TV. In addition to looking like something out of the space age, flat panels might also be categorized as being part of the "space saving" age - they fit almost anywhere! Flat panels are versatile and can be placed on a stand or mounted on just about any flat surface, but before you envision one of them on the ceiling of every room in your home, be aware there are installation issues to consider. This often involves running cables and wires behind walls -- something that should be done by professionals.
Also, be sure to check the model specifications carefully, as many do not come with speakers or built in tuners (though this is changing). Buying one without these components means more than simply purchasing the items separately. It also means you must be cable savvy enough (or know someone who is) to figure out setting up what can be a rather complex system of connections. Bottom line: research carefully before you buy so there are no surprises.
The technology behind individual pixel control produces a realistic picture with rich colors, and it all fits together in a slim, cool looking package. The picture still doesn't match the clarity of a high definition image on a CRT television, particularly with regard to black and white contrast, but flat panel technology is rapidly developing and improvements are continually being integrated into the displays. High production costs and a relatively small demand are the primary reasons for the high price tag on flat panel TVs. As technology improves and demand increases, expect to see a significant drop in the price of both LCD and Plasma television, as well as an increase in reasons to own one.
http://www.circuitcity.com/learnabout.jsp?c=1&b=g&department=Televisions&category=Flat+Panel+TVs&learn=Basics
Shop For Flat Panel TVs
Basics
If you're like most people, the first time you looked at a flat panel TV you walked around the back and thought Where's the rest of it? It's perfectly understandable, since bulky traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions have been the standard for more than 50 years. So how is it possible to produce a working television that's thinner than most photo albums? We're glad you asked.
Flat panel TVs can use one of two technologies - Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Plasma Display. While the technology is different for the two displays, both eliminate the need for heavy glass and a large electron gun by controlling picture elements (pixels) individually. Pixels are the tiny colored dots that make up the pictures we see on a television screen. You can think of each pixel in a color image as being made up of a red, green, and blue component, or "subpixel" that work together to create images. (For more information on how a CRT television works, see the Learn About section under Tube TVs).
Liquid Crystal Displays
LCDs first became popular in the early 1970s. Today, they can be found in a variety of digital devices, including calculators, watches, microwave ovens, computers, and front projection TVs. As the name implies, they use a gas-like substance known as Liquid Crystals to create a display.
What are Liquid Crystals?
Liquid crystal is a substance that shares characteristics of both a liquid and a solid. This unique composition makes it possible to use an electric current to manipulate them to allow light to pass through or be blocked out, much like the shutter of a camera. In a rear-projection TV, this light source is located in the back of the television, behind the layer of liquid crystals. In a front-projection TV, a panel of mirrors is positioned in back of the crystals to reflect the light projected from the front of the TV. Images are formed by applying voltage, which changes the properties of each Liquid Crystal Cell (LCC) in the display and, in turn, alters the pixel's light absorption properties.
What Makes Up an LCD?
A Liquid Crystal Display consists of a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two plates of polarized glass. A color filter (composed of transparent pixel electrodes), and a system for controlling the voltage passed to this filter, are positioned on one of the glass plates. LCDs do not produce their own light, so a light source behind the display is also necessary; this is accomplished by using several florescent light bulbs and a "diffuser plate" to help distribute the light evenly. This back light must be powerful, as polarized glass and liquid crystal materials absorb more than half of the light that passes through their layers.
Active versus Passive Matrix Display
As we mentioned earlier, a system is needed to control the pixel electrodes. There are two basic color-producing techniques for LCDs: Passive Matrix and Active Matrix. The design of a Passive Matrix is simple and cost-efficient, but a slow response time and imprecise voltage control results in "ghosting" effects and fuzzy images with poor contrast.
A layer of Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) makes up an Active Matrix; a transistor positioned at each pixel intersection regulates which pixels receive a charge. A beam of light passes through this matrix, which determines whether the pixel should be "on" (LCC activated) or "off" (no light passes through). Light waves that make it through the matrix are then passed through the color filter, which allows only the desired color to be displayed. By controlling the voltage to each pixel, each color can display more than 256 shades to create a palette of nearly 16.8 million colors! This wide selection allows the display to match colors accurately and create a more realistic picture.
Advantages and Limitations
The result of plasma technology is an evenly focused, realistic picture with a wide viewing angle. Plasma displays perform well regardless of lighting conditions and are not affected by magnetic fields. That means you can set one next to your home speaker system without affecting the picture. Most models accept both video and computer inputs, allowing you to watch your favorite movies or display images from the DVD-ROM drive of your computer. One past criticism of plasma technology has been a problem with poor contrast - blacks had a slightly whitish hue and appeared to be more of a dark gray than a true black. However, the quality of contrast has improved significantly since the original plasma displays were introduced, and the images produced by plasma technology today are noticeably cleaner and more defined. Just like LCDs, Plasmas are capable of displaying a palate of almost 16.8 million colors, giving images a more lifelike quality.
Like a CRT television, the phosphors and gases deteriorate over time, causing brightness to fade. The life span of a TV with regard to brightness is measured in terms of a half-life. To put it simply, this is the amount of time it takes for the display to lose half of its original brightness. If you happen to have an older CRT television sitting around your house, you can see how the picture has slowly become darker over time. The life span of a plasma display averages 30,000 hours (compared to 20,000 hours for a CRT). If you were to watch 6 hours of television per day, the half-life of your plasma TV would average 13.7 years. This doesn't mean the TV stops working smack dab in the middle of your favorite rerun of Cop Rock, only that the picture loses some of its brightness over a period of several years.
Plasmas weigh much less than LCDs, and are currently the only flat panel televisions offered in screen sizes larger than twenty inches. These high tech displays don't come cheap and, as with LCDs, a rather limited market stops the manufacturers from producing them in large numbers. It's a catch 22 -- a larger demand for these displays will help to lower the cost, but the cost is limiting the demand. 20% to 50% of the glass plates are currently recycled due to flaws, and these high production costs are passed on to you.
Flat Panels In a (very thin) Nutshell
Of course, the most obvious advantage to owning a flat panel television is an ultra-thin display that weighs considerably less than a traditional TV. In addition to looking like something out of the space age, flat panels might also be categorized as being part of the "space saving" age - they fit almost anywhere! Flat panels are versatile and can be placed on a stand or mounted on just about any flat surface, but before you envision one of them on the ceiling of every room in your home, be aware there are installation issues to consider. This often involves running cables and wires behind walls -- something that should be done by professionals.
Also, be sure to check the model specifications carefully, as many do not come with speakers or built in tuners (though this is changing). Buying one without these components means more than simply purchasing the items separately. It also means you must be cable savvy enough (or know someone who is) to figure out setting up what can be a rather complex system of connections. Bottom line: research carefully before you buy so there are no surprises.
The technology behind individual pixel control produces a realistic picture with rich colors, and it all fits together in a slim, cool looking package. The picture still doesn't match the clarity of a high definition image on a CRT television, particularly with regard to black and white contrast, but flat panel technology is rapidly developing and improvements are continually being integrated into the displays. High production costs and a relatively small demand are the primary reasons for the high price tag on flat panel TVs. As technology improves and demand increases, expect to see a significant drop in the price of both LCD and Plasma television, as well as an increase in reasons to own one.
http://www.circuitcity.com/learnabout.jsp?c=1&b=g&department=Televisions&category=Flat+Panel+TVs&learn=Basics
Conventional TVs, projection sets, digital TVs, flat screens--you have more (and better) viewing choices than before, at ever-lower prices.
For many consumers, a conventional analog set is still a good bet. Because the transition to digital broadcasts is proceeding slowly, any analog TV you buy now will serve you well for many years. Even when digital programming becomes widespread, the TV you buy now can do the job with the addition of a converter. Results of Consumer Reports tests show that there are plenty of fine TVs to choose from, including some real bargains. You can find a very good 27-inch model for around $450, a 32-inch for about $600, and a 36-inch set for $750. If you like the look of a flat-screen TV, you'll find more models to choose from.
There are several reasons you might consider spending $1,100 or more for a high-definition (HD) ready set. If your antenna or cable connection provides a good, strong signal, an HD-ready set can noticeably improve picture quality compared with an analog set. An HD-ready set will provide even better picture quality when connected to a progressive-scan DVD player. As its name implies, an HD-ready set is capable of displaying the much higher-resolution HD image, but only with the addition of a digital-TV receiver set-top box.
True HDTVs come with a built-in digital-TV receiver, for about $1,500 and up. The availability of high-definition programming is still limited to a smattering of over-the-air fare and a few satellite channels. However, as with an HD-ready set, an HDTV will let you enjoy superior video when hooked up to a progressive-scan DVD player, or when watching standard TV fare, which uses NTSC analog signals.
What's available
Panasonic, RCA, Sony, and Toshiba are among the biggest-selling brands of TVs measuring 27 inches and larger. What about the rest?
Small sets (not included in full report). Sets with a 13-inch screen are usually equipped with monophonic sound and few features. Higher-end models may offer a few more features, such as extra inputs.
Price range: $90 to $300.
Sets with a 19- or 20-inch screen are also pretty basic. Most lack high-end picture refinements such as a comb filter (which can increase visual detail). Models with stereo sound usually have extra inputs for a VCR or a DVD player.
Price range: $140 to $450.
Midsized sets. A 27-inch screen, once thought large, is now the norm. Sets with a 25-inch screen (not included in full report) are difficult to distinguish in size from a 27-incher, and are their economy-minded cousins; together the two are the biggest-selling sizes. Sets with a 27-inch screen frequently offer many features, including picture-in-picture (PIP), an S-video input jack, simulated surround-sound effects, a universal remote control, and, usually, a comb filter. These 27-inch models are among the best values for TVs, and the respectable sound quality found on some 27-inch sets can make them all many people need. What's more, they fit in most entertainment-center cabinets.
Price range: $300 to $1,000. Sets with the new "flat" TV screens are at the high end of the price range.
Large sets. A 32-inch screen represents the entry level for big-screen TV; these sets often offer two-tuner PIP, universal remotes, simulated surround sound, and plenty of input jacks. The largest direct-view sets (with 36-inch screens) are feature-rich but can weigh more than 200 pounds; they might be too wide and too high for conventional component shelving, including entertainment-center cabinets. Price doesn't predict quality, Consumer Reports tests have found.
Price range: $400 to $2,700.
Projection analog sets. Measuring 42 to 73 inches diagonally, these sets typically don't match the picture quality of a conventional picture tube. The image appears dimmer as your viewing position angles away from the center of the screen. Projection sets have plenty of features, such as two-tuner PIP and custom settings. But readers have reported that parts can be hard to get and repairers hard to find.
Price range: $1,000 to more than $4,000.
HD-ready sets. These digital sets can display higher-resolution images, even from analog signals such as a good cable connection or a DVD player. They display superior images when paired with an HD source. They're available both as projection sets and direct-view sets. Picture size comes in one of two shapes, expressed as the width-to-height ratio: the conventional squarish 4:3 and the wider 16:9, which is shaped more like a movie-theater screen. An HD-ready set requires a separate digital-TV receiver ($650 and up) to display high-definition material. One advantage to a separate tuner is that it's possible to upgrade the receiver alone should technology advance in the future.
Price range for HD-ready sets: $1,100 to more than $10,000.
HDTV sets. Also referred to as true high-definition sets, they come with a built-in digital TV receiver. Most of them are projection sets with the 16:9 picture size.
Price range: $4,000 to more than $10,000.
Important features
A comb filter, found on most sets, minimizes minor color flaws at edges within the image and increases picture clarity. Flat tubes, a departure from the decades-old curved TV tubes, reduce off-angle reflections and glare, but they do not necessarily improve picture quality. An auto color control can be set to automatically adjust color balance to make flesh tones look natural. Color "warmth" adjustment, or adjustable color temperature, lets you shade the picture toward the blue ("cooler," better for images with outdoor light) or red ("warmer," preferred for flesh tones and interiors) range.
Picture-in-picture (PIP) shows two channels at once, one on a small picture inserted in the full-screen image. Unless the set has two-tuner PIP, watching two channels typically requires extra connections using the tuner in a VCR or cable box. This can be complicated to set up and use.
All sets over 13 inches have closed captioning, but some also have closed captioning when muted, which automatically displays the dialogue on screen while the sound is muted. Video-noise reduction lowers the picture-degrading "noise" from poor reception but at the expense of detail.
Stereo sound is virtually universal on sets 27 inches or larger, but you'll generally discern little stereo separation from a set's built-in speakers. For a better stereo effect, route the signals to a sound system. A few larger TV sets have an audio amplifier that can power regular (unpowered) speakers connected to the set's audio output jacks, eliminating the need for a receiver. Ambience sound is often termed "surround sound" or the like, but this is not true surround like that from a multispeaker Dolby Digital or Pro Logic home-theater system; rather, it's accomplished through special audio processing. Some people find the wider "soundstage" pleasing; others find it distracting. Side-firing speakers can enhance the stereo effect, but not as much as external speakers, and their sound can be muffled in some TV cabinets. Automatic volume control compensates for the jarring volume jumps that often accompany commercials or changes in channel.
Virtually all TV sets come with a remote control to change channels and adjust sound volume and picture. A universal remote will control all or most of your video (and some audio) devices once you program it by entering codes. Some sets have a "smart" remote, so you don't have to enter a code for each device. (Aftermarket universal remotes typically cost $10 to $40.) Active-channel scan automatically detects and memorizes active channels, eliminating the need to scan manually.
Last-channel recall lets you jump to the previously viewed channel. With channel labeling, you enter channels' names (ESPN, CNN, AMC) so you'll know where you are as you change channels. Some models offer an Extended Data Services (XDS) decoder, which briefly displays channel and programming information on the show that you're watching (if the station transmits that information). Guide Plus, which several manufacturers offer on their sets, displays program listings. The set receives program information when it's off but still in "standby."
Some features are important to specific users: Separate audio program (SAP) lets you receive a second soundtrack, typically in another language. Multilingual menus are also common. Parental controls include the V-chip, found in all sets 13 inches or larger, which blocks specific shows based on their content rating; for access, you must enter a code. A TV with channel block-out will block specific channels and may also prevent use of the audio/video input jacks to which video games are connected. On most sets, you won't be able to watch blocked channels without the remote, which is needed to enter the security code, as well as program the V-chip settings.
Cable/antenna, or radio frequency inputs are the most basic; the next step up is composite video. An S-video input jack lets you take advantage of the superior picture quality from a satellite-dish system, a DVD player, or a digital camcorder. Component video input offers even better quality but is useful only with equipment that comes with component outputs, such as some DVD players.
Two or more audio/video input jacks are useful if you need to connect more than a single video source; for a camcorder or video game, front-mounted jacks are easiest. Most sets of 27 inches or larger have at least two video jacks and one audio input jack, which together allow one external signal source (a VCR, for example) to be connected in a way that generally provides better picture and sound than you would get using the set's antenna jack. Audio output jacks, essential for a home-theater setup, let you direct a stereo TV's audio signal to a receiver or self-powered speakers. A headphone jack lets you watch (and listen) without disturbing others.
Sets that are 1080i/720p capable refer to those that can display digital signals in the two high-definition specifications, termed 1080i and 720p. True HDTV sets have a built-in HDTV tuner, although the technical details remain subject to change. High-definition programming is not yet widely available, but you can watch regular TV programming on these sets. VGA/SVGA input lets your TV accept signals from a computer's graphics card.
How to choos
Performance differences. Most of the TV sets Consumer Reports has tested do at least a good job. Some of the biggest differences show up in the sound quality, which won't matter if you're outputting the audio to the external speakers of a sound system. Price doesn't track with performance.
Recommendations. Before you start shopping, decide whether you want to stick with a direct-view set or go with a big-screen projection set, and whether you want a conventional analog TV or one that can handle high-definition signals--either an HD-ready model or an HDTV set with an integrated tuner.
Size is another key consideration. For a fine picture plus many useful features, a 27-inch model may be the best deal. Prices continue to drop for 32-inch sets; some may go for as little as $400. Spend more and you get PIP, flat tubes, and better sound-enhancing features. A 35- or 36-inch set has about 20 percent more screen--at a price roughly 50 percent higher than a 32-incher.
You also need to consider how your TV will fit in with the other components of your home theater. If you plan to output the sound to external speakers, you'll want audio output jacks. Similarly, plan for whatever you think you might now or later plug into the television. DVD players, digital camcorders, and other devices require one or more S-video jacks; for DVD players, a component video input (available on players priced at about $300 and up) is better. Check with your cable-service provider regarding availability of digital cable service.
Be sure to measure a set before buying it, and make sure you have appropriate furniture--some 36-inch TVs may not fit in an entertainment center's cubbyhole. Given the size and weight of these sets, you may want to look into delivery and setup.
For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/premium/consumerreports/silver.html;_ylt=AmMFw2YHRZq9OX6Gpa_2UQZXv1kB?id=41233492&__yltc=s:22658903,d:0,sec:compare,slk:title
For many consumers, a conventional analog set is still a good bet. Because the transition to digital broadcasts is proceeding slowly, any analog TV you buy now will serve you well for many years. Even when digital programming becomes widespread, the TV you buy now can do the job with the addition of a converter. Results of Consumer Reports tests show that there are plenty of fine TVs to choose from, including some real bargains. You can find a very good 27-inch model for around $450, a 32-inch for about $600, and a 36-inch set for $750. If you like the look of a flat-screen TV, you'll find more models to choose from.
There are several reasons you might consider spending $1,100 or more for a high-definition (HD) ready set. If your antenna or cable connection provides a good, strong signal, an HD-ready set can noticeably improve picture quality compared with an analog set. An HD-ready set will provide even better picture quality when connected to a progressive-scan DVD player. As its name implies, an HD-ready set is capable of displaying the much higher-resolution HD image, but only with the addition of a digital-TV receiver set-top box.
True HDTVs come with a built-in digital-TV receiver, for about $1,500 and up. The availability of high-definition programming is still limited to a smattering of over-the-air fare and a few satellite channels. However, as with an HD-ready set, an HDTV will let you enjoy superior video when hooked up to a progressive-scan DVD player, or when watching standard TV fare, which uses NTSC analog signals.
What's available
Panasonic, RCA, Sony, and Toshiba are among the biggest-selling brands of TVs measuring 27 inches and larger. What about the rest?
Small sets (not included in full report). Sets with a 13-inch screen are usually equipped with monophonic sound and few features. Higher-end models may offer a few more features, such as extra inputs.
Price range: $90 to $300.
Sets with a 19- or 20-inch screen are also pretty basic. Most lack high-end picture refinements such as a comb filter (which can increase visual detail). Models with stereo sound usually have extra inputs for a VCR or a DVD player.
Price range: $140 to $450.
Midsized sets. A 27-inch screen, once thought large, is now the norm. Sets with a 25-inch screen (not included in full report) are difficult to distinguish in size from a 27-incher, and are their economy-minded cousins; together the two are the biggest-selling sizes. Sets with a 27-inch screen frequently offer many features, including picture-in-picture (PIP), an S-video input jack, simulated surround-sound effects, a universal remote control, and, usually, a comb filter. These 27-inch models are among the best values for TVs, and the respectable sound quality found on some 27-inch sets can make them all many people need. What's more, they fit in most entertainment-center cabinets.
Price range: $300 to $1,000. Sets with the new "flat" TV screens are at the high end of the price range.
Large sets. A 32-inch screen represents the entry level for big-screen TV; these sets often offer two-tuner PIP, universal remotes, simulated surround sound, and plenty of input jacks. The largest direct-view sets (with 36-inch screens) are feature-rich but can weigh more than 200 pounds; they might be too wide and too high for conventional component shelving, including entertainment-center cabinets. Price doesn't predict quality, Consumer Reports tests have found.
Price range: $400 to $2,700.
Projection analog sets. Measuring 42 to 73 inches diagonally, these sets typically don't match the picture quality of a conventional picture tube. The image appears dimmer as your viewing position angles away from the center of the screen. Projection sets have plenty of features, such as two-tuner PIP and custom settings. But readers have reported that parts can be hard to get and repairers hard to find.
Price range: $1,000 to more than $4,000.
HD-ready sets. These digital sets can display higher-resolution images, even from analog signals such as a good cable connection or a DVD player. They display superior images when paired with an HD source. They're available both as projection sets and direct-view sets. Picture size comes in one of two shapes, expressed as the width-to-height ratio: the conventional squarish 4:3 and the wider 16:9, which is shaped more like a movie-theater screen. An HD-ready set requires a separate digital-TV receiver ($650 and up) to display high-definition material. One advantage to a separate tuner is that it's possible to upgrade the receiver alone should technology advance in the future.
Price range for HD-ready sets: $1,100 to more than $10,000.
HDTV sets. Also referred to as true high-definition sets, they come with a built-in digital TV receiver. Most of them are projection sets with the 16:9 picture size.
Price range: $4,000 to more than $10,000.
Important features
A comb filter, found on most sets, minimizes minor color flaws at edges within the image and increases picture clarity. Flat tubes, a departure from the decades-old curved TV tubes, reduce off-angle reflections and glare, but they do not necessarily improve picture quality. An auto color control can be set to automatically adjust color balance to make flesh tones look natural. Color "warmth" adjustment, or adjustable color temperature, lets you shade the picture toward the blue ("cooler," better for images with outdoor light) or red ("warmer," preferred for flesh tones and interiors) range.
Picture-in-picture (PIP) shows two channels at once, one on a small picture inserted in the full-screen image. Unless the set has two-tuner PIP, watching two channels typically requires extra connections using the tuner in a VCR or cable box. This can be complicated to set up and use.
All sets over 13 inches have closed captioning, but some also have closed captioning when muted, which automatically displays the dialogue on screen while the sound is muted. Video-noise reduction lowers the picture-degrading "noise" from poor reception but at the expense of detail.
Stereo sound is virtually universal on sets 27 inches or larger, but you'll generally discern little stereo separation from a set's built-in speakers. For a better stereo effect, route the signals to a sound system. A few larger TV sets have an audio amplifier that can power regular (unpowered) speakers connected to the set's audio output jacks, eliminating the need for a receiver. Ambience sound is often termed "surround sound" or the like, but this is not true surround like that from a multispeaker Dolby Digital or Pro Logic home-theater system; rather, it's accomplished through special audio processing. Some people find the wider "soundstage" pleasing; others find it distracting. Side-firing speakers can enhance the stereo effect, but not as much as external speakers, and their sound can be muffled in some TV cabinets. Automatic volume control compensates for the jarring volume jumps that often accompany commercials or changes in channel.
Virtually all TV sets come with a remote control to change channels and adjust sound volume and picture. A universal remote will control all or most of your video (and some audio) devices once you program it by entering codes. Some sets have a "smart" remote, so you don't have to enter a code for each device. (Aftermarket universal remotes typically cost $10 to $40.) Active-channel scan automatically detects and memorizes active channels, eliminating the need to scan manually.
Last-channel recall lets you jump to the previously viewed channel. With channel labeling, you enter channels' names (ESPN, CNN, AMC) so you'll know where you are as you change channels. Some models offer an Extended Data Services (XDS) decoder, which briefly displays channel and programming information on the show that you're watching (if the station transmits that information). Guide Plus, which several manufacturers offer on their sets, displays program listings. The set receives program information when it's off but still in "standby."
Some features are important to specific users: Separate audio program (SAP) lets you receive a second soundtrack, typically in another language. Multilingual menus are also common. Parental controls include the V-chip, found in all sets 13 inches or larger, which blocks specific shows based on their content rating; for access, you must enter a code. A TV with channel block-out will block specific channels and may also prevent use of the audio/video input jacks to which video games are connected. On most sets, you won't be able to watch blocked channels without the remote, which is needed to enter the security code, as well as program the V-chip settings.
Cable/antenna, or radio frequency inputs are the most basic; the next step up is composite video. An S-video input jack lets you take advantage of the superior picture quality from a satellite-dish system, a DVD player, or a digital camcorder. Component video input offers even better quality but is useful only with equipment that comes with component outputs, such as some DVD players.
Two or more audio/video input jacks are useful if you need to connect more than a single video source; for a camcorder or video game, front-mounted jacks are easiest. Most sets of 27 inches or larger have at least two video jacks and one audio input jack, which together allow one external signal source (a VCR, for example) to be connected in a way that generally provides better picture and sound than you would get using the set's antenna jack. Audio output jacks, essential for a home-theater setup, let you direct a stereo TV's audio signal to a receiver or self-powered speakers. A headphone jack lets you watch (and listen) without disturbing others.
Sets that are 1080i/720p capable refer to those that can display digital signals in the two high-definition specifications, termed 1080i and 720p. True HDTV sets have a built-in HDTV tuner, although the technical details remain subject to change. High-definition programming is not yet widely available, but you can watch regular TV programming on these sets. VGA/SVGA input lets your TV accept signals from a computer's graphics card.
How to choos
Performance differences. Most of the TV sets Consumer Reports has tested do at least a good job. Some of the biggest differences show up in the sound quality, which won't matter if you're outputting the audio to the external speakers of a sound system. Price doesn't track with performance.
Recommendations. Before you start shopping, decide whether you want to stick with a direct-view set or go with a big-screen projection set, and whether you want a conventional analog TV or one that can handle high-definition signals--either an HD-ready model or an HDTV set with an integrated tuner.
Size is another key consideration. For a fine picture plus many useful features, a 27-inch model may be the best deal. Prices continue to drop for 32-inch sets; some may go for as little as $400. Spend more and you get PIP, flat tubes, and better sound-enhancing features. A 35- or 36-inch set has about 20 percent more screen--at a price roughly 50 percent higher than a 32-incher.
You also need to consider how your TV will fit in with the other components of your home theater. If you plan to output the sound to external speakers, you'll want audio output jacks. Similarly, plan for whatever you think you might now or later plug into the television. DVD players, digital camcorders, and other devices require one or more S-video jacks; for DVD players, a component video input (available on players priced at about $300 and up) is better. Check with your cable-service provider regarding availability of digital cable service.
Be sure to measure a set before buying it, and make sure you have appropriate furniture--some 36-inch TVs may not fit in an entertainment center's cubbyhole. Given the size and weight of these sets, you may want to look into delivery and setup.
For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.
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