The Consumer-Friendly Translation of LED TV

Consumers already have enough terminology to catch up with as competing marketing campaigns describe the clarity of 1080p, 120Hz, plasma, and LCD televisions. The advent and introduction of LED TVs, then, only worsens the head spin in the absence of a thorough breakdown of what all of these terms mean.

What makes an LED TV?

First, “LED” TVs are by no means a new breed of television. They operate very similarly to LCD TVs with one exception: instead of conventional fluorescent lighting, they utilize light-emitting diodes or LEDs to provide the backlight.

The different LED setups

There are two different ways to arrange the LED displays in these “new” TVs: either across the back panel or in the sides, pointing towards the center of the screen. The second method allows for the recently popularized thinner models that Samsung debuted in 2007. Both configurations offer “local dimming,” or the ability to turn off certain LED lights to sharpen dark colors and reduce glare.

Drawbacks to thin LED TV models.

While the abovementioned LED lighting technique that allows for thinner models offers the benefits of portability and convenience, there is a trade-off. With the lights on the sides, all black or all white images will appear lighter or darker at the edges, respectively.

LED vs. LCD

Many consumers fallaciously believe that LED TV fixes the problem of obscured images when LCD TVs are viewed from an angle. In reality, LED TVs can actually make the problem worse.

LED’s energy efficiency

LED TVs can, however, offer superior energy utilization over most other kinds of televisions. They currently lead the frontier at a humble average wattage of 101 watts, ten less than LCD’s average. Both LED and LCD beat plasma by a considerable amount.

The bottom line

For the moment, LED means “more expensive.” Most quality LED TVs range from at least $1500 to around $4000. As it concerns picture, LED still falls just short of the quality of plasma televisions, although it is catching up with features like local dimming. While LED TVs remain lighter and more efficient than their plasma counterparts, they still have the off-angle viewing issue among others.

Finally, the quality of the technology means nothing if you don’t set the settings correctly. Learning the optimal settings for LED picture quality will guarantee that you squeeze the worth out of every well-spent penny when enjoying crystal clear television.

Further reading...this CNET article provides a more techical assesment.