Years ago, the only high definition televisions (HDTV) were bulky rear projection sets which have parts that generally break after only a year or two and are literally hundreds of pounds, making them difficult and at times nearly impossible to move. A few years ago, two new technologies were introduced that would forever change how we all watch high definition content. Old rear projection televisions looked like they belonged to decades past, but new plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) televisions were sleek and futuristic in appearance. Flat screen HDTVs look much nicer, weigh less, and use a fraction of the energy of older televisions, but there are several differences you should be aware of before making a purchasing decision.

Plasma and LCD

Plasma and LCD flat screen HDTVs are fairly different from one another, although they can both display the highest resolution high definition content today or 1080p video. They are both very slim comparatively to rear projection televisions, and use less power. However, for image quality, video enthusiasts tend to like plasma flat screen HDTVs more because of their higher contrast ratio (how many different shades of a color which can be displayed so that colors can be deeper or lighter). Most people claim that plasma screens can get deeper blacks, which improve the overall image quality of the whole picture.

LCD flat screen HDTVs in recent years have nearly reached the contrast ratio of plasma screens though, and they are generally much cheaper than plasma televisions as well. In years past, LCD screens were not as large as plasma screens, but this has also changed in recent years so that LCD flat screen HDTVs can reach sizes or 60” (five feet diagonally) or even larger. Also, both technologies have matured, and as with all other technologies (computers, for example), LCDs and plasma screens have dramatically fallen in price to the point where they are a fraction of what they used to cost.

However, some new exciting technologies are about to be released which are set to beat plasma and LCD flat screen HDTVs in terms of power usage and image quality. The most talked about one is the organic light-emitting diode (OLED). Not only will they draw significantly less power and produce better visuals, but they can also be used with many different materials, and they are expected to be significantly cheaper to produce, resulting in greater affordability for the consumer. If you are looking to watch high definition content, look no further than flat screen HDTVs.

When you go out looking for the best LCD HDTV, you need to consider this a s being an activity that is more of an art rather than an out and out purchase, because when the LCD TV first hit the market, it was only available in small size, though now it is available in sizes up to even fifty inches in diameter, which makes it all the more necessary to learn about which LCD TV to buy and which to ignore. Furthermore, whether you are buying a large screen LCT TV or one with a small screen, each type will have certain flaws in them.

No Flaws, Or One With Least Number Of Flaws

Thus, the best LCD HDTV would obviously be one that does not have any of these flaws, or the least number of them such as things like not having low contrast ratios, slow refresh rates as well as not wide enough angle of viewing. However, you can easily determine which the best LCD HDTV is if you take simple precautions before buying one, especially by choosing from among big brand names such as Sony, Panasonic, LG, Samsung and Philips as well as Sharp. In fact, you could even include other big names such as computer monitor makers like Gateway and Dell that have also entered into the fray of selling LCT TVs.

However, the best LCD HDTV need not necessarily be from among the big brand names, since most of these big companies buy their components from small companies, many of them from other countries, which will thus have a direct bearing on the quality of the TV, which means that you need to enquire about this aspect as well before you put your money down on a particular LCD TV.

Nevertheless, there is certainly one thing that will help you decide which the best LCD HDTV is and that is the aspect ratio, which in some LCD TVs (widescreen) are as high as 16 to 9, though beware that some manufacturers may actually simply be stretching the image so that it fits the screen which in turn will result in jagged as well as washed out images. However, the best LCD HDTV will be sure to retain resolution despite the image being stretched and so you need to closely scrutinize the image on the screen to judge this important feature.

Another important feature that can help decide which the best LCD HDTV is, is the angle of viewing, since due to the technology used in making LCD monitors, sometimes the image becomes invisible from obtuse angles. Still, today contemporary LCD TVs are able to resolve this problem by providing visibility from even as obtuse an angle as 160 degrees.

Lastly, you need to determine which variety of LCD TV suits you the best and decide from among standard definition, enhanced definition as well as from high definition, though you can be sure that the best LCD HDTV would more often than not be one that is of the high definition variety.

Though it is not possible to find Sharp HDTV in the Plasma range, there no doubts the fact that among the LCD arena, there is a lot of variety available ranging from the excellent twenty-six inch Sharp HDTV to the much bigger models which are as large as sixty-five inches. In fact, even if you opt for the lesser models in the Sharp HDTV range, you would still find excellent options with impressive specifications to satisfy your viewing needs.

 Comparison Specs

One of the other advantages of choosing the Sharp HDTV is that the company provides you with accurate and detailed comparison specs for each of their models which will let you find out for yourself what you are sure to get from Sharp Electronics that is not available in other competing makes. In addition, the Sharp HDTV will come with excellent contrast as well as a picture that is capable of providing excellent deep black, which are significant features that make for better television pictures.

You also won’t find low contrast ratios in the Sharp HDTV and so you can be assured that your HDTV won’t provide washed out images as is the case with most LCD computer monitors. In fact, as you choose from the upper end of the Sharp HDTV range you will come across something known as ‘full HD’ or 1920 x 1080 resolution as well as wide enough viewing angles. In addition, another advantage to opting for a Sharp HDTV is that response times in their models are very low and thus, you won’t have to contend with blurry pictures.

Perhaps, the best example of the Sharp HDTV range is its sixty-five inches TV that boasts of 1200:1 contrast ration as well as rapid response time of as little as 6ms that is certainly outstanding in TVs with such large screens. In addition, this model comes with 1920 x 1080 resolution as well as complete support for 1080p which means you are assured of getting nothing less than outstanding pictures.

The sixty-five inch Sharp HDTV is also equipped with a CableCard that means that you won’t need external cable box. In addition, it comes with ten watts of sound output along with Dolby stereo reproduction and in addition there are a number of ports which allow you to connect an optical digital output that will enable you to get the most outstanding audio experience.

Thus, you can safely put your money down on any Sharp HDTV and get value for money, and since many of their models are affordable, there should be nothing stopping you from even buying one for your kids’ room as well.

Another new technology that is taking the television industry by storm is that of Digital Light Processing or DLP which is the creation of Texas Instruments and involves a process in which over a million microscopic mirrors of Digital Micromirror Devices or DMDs are used in order to get a lot more pixels on a HDTV or high definition television screen, which in turn ensures that the final image on your DLP HDTV screen is a lot clearer. In addition, you need to understand that it is the DMD or Digital Micromirror Devices that drive the DLP HDTVs and in fact, the DMD is made out of aluminum and thus is sure to be of a very light weight.

Many Millions Of Pixels Means Better Picture Quality

The advantage to using millions of DMDs is that because just one DMD has the capability of storing 1,280 pixels, in total they add up to a stupendous numbers of pixels, which means much better picture quality. In fact, there is continuing enhancement being made to how DMDs function with Hewlett Packard coming up with the possibility of allowing a DMD process to produce not one, but two pixels in one go. Obviously, with such improvements in DMD processes, the DLP HDTV will only go from better to excellent, in the times to come.

In addition, the DLP HDTV also has price competitiveness as compared to what you will pay for say a flat panel Plasma TV or even an LCD TV, and besides the price advantage, the DLP HDTV also ensures that you get excellent picture quality and also a longer shelf life as compared to the traditional tube TV set. However, on the downside, the DLP HDTV has less of contrast as compared to LCD television sets and even the range of colors offered by the DLP HDTV is not very wide.

Nevertheless, the DLP HDTV wins hands down when it is sporting action that you want to view or even when you are watching action oriented movies.

Basically, a DLP HDTV uses a color wheel system to give you the colors that you have selected and there are three primary colors used including red, blue and green and by mixing these primary colors with the help of DMD process, you are able to get about two hundred and fifty-six different color shades.

Among the better DLP HDTVs you may want to consider the Samsung fifty-six inch model HLR5667W that retails from between sixteen hundred to two thousand seven hundred dollars, which could yet prove to be a good purchase for you.