LCD TVs have firmly taken their place in our homes. It is unlikely that anyone would think of buying a CRT or lamp equipment, except perhaps for lovers of rarities and collectors. Moreover, the cost of the latter is already calculated not as an indicator of practicality, but rather as a museum value.
Today's market offers a huge number of types, types and specific models of LCD TVs. And it is very easy to get confused in all this diversity, especially for the average consumer. When choosing such a technique, many factors must be taken into account. Here is the service life of the LCD TV, and the diagonal, and the matrix, and the backlight, and much more. So the purchase must be approached meaningfully and seriously. But everything is in order.
From our article you will find out which LCD TVs can be found on sale, what to look for when choosing a technique of this kind and how not to miscalculate with a purchase. We take into account the advice of experts in this field and consumer reviews. So let's get started.
What is a liquid crystal display?
Before we tell you what LCD TVs are, first let's deal with the technology itself. If you drop everythingtechnological moments that will be of interest only to engineers, then we can say that the LCD panel is a sandwich.
The main structural elements of such a TV are two electronic boards. A kind of liquid passes between them, where small granules - crystals are located. The latter just play the role of pixels - dots on the screen from which the whole picture is formed.
But the crystals themselves do not glow, so this part of the work falls on the shoulders of the LEDs placed at the ends or behind the panel. It is also worth noting that they emit only white light, which is colored using RGB filters. There is at least one in front of each crystal, but there is.
This technology is called LED. The previous generation LCD TVs were powered by LCD backlight, where the main ones were small fluorescent lamps and one large cold cathode lamp. This technology did not allow to achieve uniform dimming of the screen, and the use of LEDs solved this problem.
So all modern digital LCD TVs come with LED backlighting. LCD models can also be found on sale, and they have their advantages, but experts in this field still recommend stopping at more modern technology. So at this point (LED / LCD) you need to pay special attention when choosing TV equipment.
Next, let's see how LCD TVs with LED backlighting differ from each other.
Varieties of LED
The location of the LEDs on the panel is also a determining factor for the rowscreen characteristics. Currently, you can find two main varieties of this technology - "Direct Ice" and "Edge Ice". Let's take a closer look at them.
Direct LED
This type of illumination is also called direct. Here we have a uniform arrangement of crystals throughout the panel. There is a special flow diffuser between the screen itself and the light source.
This technology requires space between each element. They should not be located close, otherwise a complete picture will not work. The thickness of models with Direct Ice technology is noticeably greater than that of Edge Ice, but at the same time, the image quality is clearly better. This is confirmed not only by experts, but also by numerous reviews of LCD TVs with Direct LED.
Edge LED
This type of backlight is called edge. In this case, all LEDs are located on the side edges of the screen. One of the main features of this design is a significant saving of internal space. Because of this, Edge Ice TVs are much thinner than Direct Ice TVs.
But this technology has its obvious disadvantages. The biggest problem is the presence of "glare" or uneven lighting. If the side rails are at least slightly deformed, then problems cannot be avoided. For this reason, experts strongly advise against purchasing Edge Ice models with an inclined or suspended installation.
In this case, the thin body is particularly prone to deformation. Most premium models are not threatened due to the abundancemetal elements, but with devices from the mid-price and budget segments, you need to be more careful and attentive.
Matrix
Matrix is the main element of the TV, responsible for the picture quality. In stores you can find a lot of its varieties, but only four types stand out among others. Other output parameters of the image depend on the type of matrix, as well as the ability to fine-tune the LCD TV. Let's take a closer look at each type.
IPS
One of the main advantages of IPS matrices is the widest viewing angle to date, that is, 178 degrees. If the user is within this angle, the image will be clear and not blurry.
The black color of IPS-matrices differs in depth and looks almost perfect. Perhaps the only significant drawback of this type is the response time. IPS in this case loses a little to other matrices. The problem was partially solved by modifying S-IPS, but the life of the LCD TV was slightly reduced.
This technology is the most common and affordable. There are a lot of reviews about her, most of them are written in a positive way. IPS matrices simply do not have any serious drawbacks.
PLS
This is a proprietary development of Samsung, which is a close analogue of the IPS-matrix. The performance remained almost the same, with the only difference that the brand managed to significantly reduce production costs, as well as the cost of theTVs.
VA
This type of matrix has many modifications. The first generation VA had one significant drawback: when the viewing angle was changed, the colors on the screen began to “dance”, although the clarity and detail remained the same.
The problem was solved with the help of a modern modification of S-PVA. The latter was adopted and actively used by the Sony brands in their Bravia and LG with Samsung. Here, dynamic scenes are already displayed as they should and the response time is significantly reduced. The only thing inferior to VA IPS is in the elaboration of halftones. This is especially noticeable when both types of LCD TVs are connected in a dark room.
Reviews about VA technology are mostly positive. The matrices of the latest generation made on it are good in many respects, but the only fly in the ointment is the viewing angles. Like it or not, but IPS have more of them. Another advantage of VA that cannot be discounted is its cheapness.
UV2A
This is a proprietary development of the Sharp brand. Pixel control in this case is based on ultraviolet. UV2A sensors have the highest level of contrast and brightness. Also, the owners in their reviews note that UV2A technology is much more economical than the analogues described above, and at the same time it allows, albeit not by much, but everything to increase the life of the LCD TV.
Permission
The clarity of the image depends on the resolution of the matrix. The more dots the screen can display, the more detailed the picture will be. The SD format with layout has long gone640 by 480 pixels. It was replaced by new generations that can be seen on store shelves.
Actual layout of modern TVs:
- HD - 1366 by 768 dots.
- Full HD - 1920x1080.
- UHD/4K - 3840 x 2160.
This parameter is fully disclosed when watching digital television and separate video content. But you should not expect any significant changes during the broadcast of analog air, because it is already in a predetermined layout.
The most common resolution today is Full HD. Most manufacturers of both TVs and content are guided by this format. Yes, 4K movies are being added every day, but there are still too few of them for the mass consumer.
Diagonal
Some mistakenly believe that this parameter is the main one when choosing a TV, but in reality it is not so simple. The diagonal of the LCD TV must be selected taking into account the size of the room where it will stand. For example, in a small bedroom it will be very difficult to enjoy all the benefits of a massive LED panel, because the user simply cannot capture the entire image with one glance - he will have to turn his head from side to side in order not to miss an important moment on the screen.
Judging by the reviews of the owners, for modest-sized rooms like the kitchen or the same bedroom, the best option would be a diagonal of 19 to 26 inches. If roomslarge, then you can look at the devices at 32”. In general, a diagonal of 32-49 inches is a universal option for living rooms and other rather big rooms.
When it comes to organizing a home theater, then it is worth considering models from 50 to 64”. Devices with a larger diagonal can be found in commercial institutions, because such dimensions imply decent dimensions of the room.
Sound
When choosing an LCD model, many people overlook such an important parameter as sound. Even if the model produces an amazing picture, all positive emotions will go down the drain due to mediocre sound.
Here it is worth noting right away that due to the design features of LCD TVs, in principle, they cannot take professional acoustics on board. So in most cases you will have to take care of an independent system. Nevertheless, many manufacturers are trying to maintain, if not professional, then at least simply a high level of acoustics.
For example, Sony equips its models with technically advanced Long DuctSpeakers, which have a spiral shape. They do not take up much space, but despite their modest size, they give out quite an adequate sound - clear and powerful. Naturally, one cannot count on exceptional low frequencies with such "kids", but it is quite comfortable to watch movies, videos and other content that excludes the direction of heavy metal.
Some manufacturers include TV firmwaresome innovative software that allows you to process and produce good sound even on mediocre speakers. Other systems include ClearAudio, Bass Reflex, Clear Phase, etc.
Interfaces
When buying an LCD TV, it is clearly useful to pay attention to the quantity and quality of interfaces. The list of connected peripherals directly depends on them. Experts strongly recommend checking for a USB interface and an HDMI output.
The first one is necessary for working with external drives, as well as viewing third-party content, and the second is a universal port for most modern peripheral equipment. The latter include media devices, game consoles and various players. All of them must be equipped with an HDMI interface.
Lifetime
I should immediately warn you about some legal aspects of this parameter. If the service life of the LCD TV is not specified in the instructions, then the default is 10 years. It's spelled out in black and white in the Consumer Protection Act for Durable Goods.
The fact is that manufacturers deliberately underestimate the operational life of such equipment in order to simply not service it. This approach is justified by the inexpediency of repair. The cost of the latter is almost equal to the new device.
On average, LED LCD TVs last about 30,000 hours (continuous operation). If we take into account the reviews of the owners of such equipment, then the device is enough for aboutfive years. If the model is premium, then for 7 years or more.
Plasma technology in this case noticeably outperforms LCDs, where panels last 100,000 hours. But even here there are pitfalls. The fact is that plasma TVs are 3 or even 4 times more gluttonous in terms of electricity than LCDs. In addition, the screen resolution of the "plasma" is lower, and hence the clarity with detail at a low level. So this is a double-edged sword - you have to sacrifice something.
