While there was intense debate when LCDs and plasma displays were introduced, LCD proved to be the definitive winner over the past few years. (That said, plasma TVs are still available and there are good reasons for owning one, which we'll describe below.) But the recent introduction of LED TVs, with their smaller form factors and increased dynamic color ranges, brings another angle to the debate. Hopefully this article will help you make sense of the different arguments.

The Short Answer: The short answer is that we think LCD is a better choice now because of the wide availability of full 1080p resolution sets at reasonable price points. You will usually have to pay more for a 1080p LCD than for a 720p plasma of the same size, but much less than the cost of a comparable LED. While plasma does offer a great picture with fantastic color and contrast, we think its higher power consumption and lower resolution makes plasma HDTVs less desirable than the latest generation of LCDs. And while LED is a compelling choice for its size and improved color range over conventional LCDs, the increased cost over LCD and cost of some picture detail to achieve that dynamic color range means that LCD, for the moment, makes the most sense for the most people.

When discussing the pros and cons of LCD vs. Plasma vs. LED, we think these are the key areas to look at: picture quality, price, and power consumption. Image quality is the hardest to understand so we'll focus the most explanation there.

Picture Quality: When trying to gauge the picture quality a flat-panel HDTV is capable of producing, attributes and features to consider are contrast ratio, resolution, panel response time, refresh rate, and the image processing involved. There are no easy answers for whether plasma, LED, or LCD wins at any one of these measures. Because the image processing involved can have such a big effect on the other features, any two panels of the same size and year from two different manufacturers could have vastly different performance. Whichever you choose, we highly recommend top tier brands as these companies are furthest ahead in new processing technologies for improving picture quality. LCD brands we recommend are Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Philips, and JVC. Plasma brands we recommend are Hitachi, Panasonic, Pioneer, and Samsung. LED brands we recommend are LG, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, and VIZIO.

Contrast Ratio: Contrast ratio measures the difference in light and dark tones a panel can produce. A higher contrast ratio means more subtle details in an image will become apparent-so this is a good thing. It can be measured either statically or dynamically. A static measure is one taken with a single still image on the screen (generally in black and white), and a dynamic measurement involves color and moving image and creates an average. Manufacturer information should say whether the contrast ratio they give is static or dynamic, but usually they don't. When you see really high contrast ratios listed, these are typically static measurements. In the past LCD panels have had a lower contrast ratio than plasmas because they use a backlight system which tends to bleed through darkened pixels and lighten the image, but the recent crop of LCDs from major manufacturers have much better contrast ratios that are more competitive with Plasma. LEDs, which are actually LED-backlit LCDs, lie somewhere in between, improving the dynamic contrast ratios available over conventional LCD but still lagging slightly behind the contrast quality of plasma. Measured fairly apples to apples, and viewed by most observers, plasma still has an edge in contrast ratio, though it is now a pretty slim one.

Resolution: The whole point of HDTV is getting higher resolution than standard TV. Currently you can find flat-panel HDTVs in 720p, 1080i, or 1080p, with 1080p being the highest resolution available. These numbers refer to the number of vertical lines, and whether they are drawn progressively (all at the same time) or interlaced (in two passes). The other thing to look for is the full pixel resolution including the vertical and horizontal, typically displayed as 1920x1080 (for full 1080p). All three display types are currently capable of producing true 1080p resolution. For now, resolution isn't as much of a deciding factor as it used to be, but that will change in the coming years as the HDMI spec gets more refined.

Response Time and Refresh Rate: These two attributes work together to determine how fast a moving picture a panel can reproduces without blurring the image. Response time measures how fast a panel can make changes on the screen from the time an input is received. It used to be the case couple years back that LCD panels had slow response times, and response time was the limiting factor causing motion blur on these sets. That's because LCD technology requires each pixel to go from an on state, to an off state to back on in order to refresh an image. Panel response times have by now been improved enough that the actual response time is no longer a limiting factor, and to the extent that motion blur still exists with LCD sets, it's a function of the refresh rate, or the frame rate.

LCDs have until now had frame rates of 60 frames per second, which is the same rate found in native SDTV and HDTV signals. Today, main manufacturers of LCD and LED HDTVs all produce high end lines of panels with a 120 Hz refresh rate that makes up any motion blur gap LCD may have had in the past. Since the signal itself is only 60 Hz (or frames per second) the additional frames are filled in with signal processing software which interpolates what the extra frames should look like. The results, when ideal, are moving pictures that lose little to no definition at all. To get this new technology, you'll have to pay more for an HDTV. For now, Plasma has a slight margin over most LCDs and LEDs for motion response.

More about Frame Rates: It's generally accepted by most viewers that film images look better than TV images. In one key respect, TV actually has an advantage over film, and that is in the frame rate. TV and video signals (both SD and HD) use a frame rate of 60 frames per second, whereas film is all shot at 24 frames per second. A problem arises when you convert content shot on film for viewing on TVs or HDTVs. To fit the 24 frame per second content into the 60 frame standard of TV, a process called 3:2 pulldown is used. Some frames get duplicated 3 times, and some get duplicated 2 times to make the fit. Without some really good image processing to interpolate intermediate steps and remove artifacts, this process can result in jerky movement. Advances from couple of the big HDTV manufacturers address the problem in a couple different ways. One way will be to eliminate 3:2 altogether and offer TVs capable of a 24 frame setting which can detect film originated content, remove the 3:2 duplicate frames and display the content in 24 frames just like you were watching a film. Another method uses interpolated frames instead of 3:2 duplicates to produce a smooth transition between frames, and still show at the great 60 frames per second.

Image Processing: Flat-panel HDTVs don't just take a signal and send it straight to the screen. They run all sorts of image processing on it first, that is designed to enhance some of the attributes above, and fill in any gaps in the transition that may have occurred. Good image processing typically does scaling work on content that's not full 1080p, converting it to 1080i. A 720p set will use software to down-convert the original 1080i signal by half, and then upconvert that to 720p. A full 1080p set will process the 1080i signal, doubling it to make it display progressively. To the extent that HDTV manufacturers give good explanations and images depicting what all their processing does for the image, we try to include that on individual product detail pages. We don't give an edge in this department to either LCD or Plasma, but for good image processing, we highly recommend sticking with the list of brands mentioned above as these all take image processing very seriously, and the quality of the software used can have a big impact on the final picture you get.

Price: Nothing changes faster in HDTV than price. The truth is, LCD is fast becoming the technology of choice at screen sizes 52-inches and below-Plasma's traditional territory. To compete, plasma prices came way down, and we don't forsee them going back up. Currently there are incredibly good deals to be had on 42-inch and 50-inch 720p plasma HDTVs from top brands like Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, and Hitachi. For a little more money you could opt for a full 1080p LCD HDTV at a slightly smaller screen size. In the short run, expect the plasma companies to do their best to give LCD stiff competition on price. For now LEDs are a new enough technology that they're not price-competitive with LCDs, so LCDs are still provide the best balance between features and price.

Power Consumption: Because LCD uses a backlight system and closes pixels off to produce darkness, the power consumption of an LCD HDTV is constant whether the image is bright or dark. LEDs are so named because they're actually LCD TVs that use LEDs for the backlights, which offer 20-30% lower power consumption and better contrasts over regular LCDs. Plasma panels produce more brightness by pumping more energy into each cell or pixel that needs to be brightened, and it turns down the power to cells that need to be darkened. As a result, plasma power consumption varies with the brightness of the picture. For most content people tend to watch, Plasma HDTVs tend to use more power. It is true that plasmas are likely to use less power displaying dark scenes, or movies that are dark in general, but averaged out; plasmas do tend to use more power. Even with recent efficiency improvements in plasma technology, plasma HDTVs will tend to consume a third more power than the same size LCD HDTV. In power consumption, LEDs are definitely the winner here.

Screen Burn-in: One complaint about plasma technology has been that still images left on the screen can burn in and leave a ghost image. This was problematic especially for things like video games which tend to keep a stationary score counter on the screen, or sports on TV that tend to keep a box up with scores and stats. In recent years the major plasma manufacturers have introduced new technology to prevent this from happening, and burn-in is no longer a real issue in our view.

High Altitude: Because plasma technology depends on gas compressed in tiny cells, people living at very high altitudes have reported issues. The problem is that as the air pressure goes down the gas in each pixels cell expands, and no longer behaves a intended when power is supplied. Complaints have ranged from strange whistling or buzzing noises emanating from the plasmas, all the way to TVs not displaying correct color. The first thing to note when you read about high altitude and plasma, is that the effects only happen at high altitudes, and by high, we're talking about higher altitudes than Denver Colorado, the highest altitude city in the US. Unless you are way up in the mountains, this is not going to be a problem for you at all and should not be a deterrent to choosing plasma. For all but a small handful of households in the US, this is a non-issue.

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17.  HDTV Choices: Do I Need 3D? What About Internet Connectivity?

The Short Answer: 3D and Internet connectivity can really extend the functionality of your HDTV, but comes at a markup. For now, not much 3D content is actually available, although that is changing rapidly so getting a set that's prepared for next-generation content can be a good investment. Internet connectivity is great if you want to watch web content with no setup hassles or additional equipment, but the simplicity of it comes at a loss of versatility--it's usually not extendible to add content and services--so you'll need to do research to make sure that the TV you want supports the Internet content you want.

3D vs. "3D-Ready": If you're shopping for an HDTV, 3D capability is going to come up. The term can be confusing since most such sets are "3D-ready", which refers to the TV's compatibility with the latest HDMI standard, and will only operate as a typical TV without additional hardware. These HDTVs are capable of normal 2D operation or a 3D mode that requires extra equipment, such as a compatible set-top box and special LCD shutter glasses, in order to see a 3D picture. There are a very few "true 3D" (autostereoscopic) HDTVs on the market that don't require any extra equipment to see 3D, and while they are amazing, they are much more expensive than 3D-ready sets with LCD glasses.

While "3D" is a popular buzzword, be aware that the content you watch will only be in 3D if the source is 3D, which at the moment means a limited selection of movies though the number of 3D movie titles is increasing every day. 3D television broadcasts exist but are very few and far between--there has been a recent push to increase the number of 3D broadcasts, but adoption has been slow. So if you're shopping for a 3D HDTV, be prepared for the fact that, for now, the majority of what you'll be watching will only be in 2D even if you have the needed equipment.

Want more in-depth information on how you can take advantage of 3D HDTVs? Check out our 3D 101 help page.

If you do want 3D, a number of sets are available from Samsung, Mitsubishi, and Panasonic, but it will cost more (up to twice as much) versus an LCD of the same size. There is a benefit, however, in that these sets are more "future-proof"--you can use it as a normal HDTV, enjoying a fantastic picture with all the benefits that come with buying a higher-end model, and simply upgrade to 3D capability whenever you're ready.

Internet Connectivity: One of the more exciting developments in recent HDTV models is the introduction of network connectivity. Internet-ready televisions can connect directly to your home network and directly deliver Internet content such as YouTube and Netflix. In the past this could be accomplished with additional hardware such as an Apple TV or Roku media center, but Internet-ready HDTVs both remove the need for extra hardware, saving money and space, and are designed to work out of the box without complicated setups. Many of these televisions support Yahoo! widgets as part of their connectivity, so you can extend functionality by adding widgets that allow you to browse Facebook and Netflix, for example.

The key trade-off for sets with Internet connectivity is that the set's capabilities are often limited by the firmware that the manufacturer installed. That is, with some sets you might be able to stream YouTube and Netflix, but not your iTunes music collection, or vice versa, and these limitations vary widely by manufacturer and model. And while these TVs automatically update themselves with new firmware as needed, such updates rarely extend functionality, so be prepared to search to make sure the TV can actually stream the content you want to play.

If you just want a simple way to watch Internet content without hassles, Internet-ready HDTVs are great--just ensure that the TVs you're shopping for support the content you want to watch. But if you want to be absolutely sure that you can play whatever digital content you have on your TV, the best solution for the moment is still to build out an alternative solution with an HTPC or dedicated media player.

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18.  What's the Difference Between 1080p, 1080i, and 720p Resolution?

The Short Answer: In screens larger than 40 inches, get as much resolution as you can afford--in most cases, this means stepping up to a 1080p set. There are great 1080i sets available (from Hitachi in particular) that offer a comparable picture for most viewing experiences. At sizes smaller than 40 inches, few people can see the difference between a 1080p set and a 720p set, so 720p is the more cost-efficient resolution.

The Long Answer: Often, the maximum resolution of an HDTV is expressed in two different ways. One is the straight width multiplied by height pixel count--such as 1920 x 1080. In this case, the 1920 represents the number of columns of pixels wide, and the 1080 represents the number rows of pixels high the screen can display. The other way resolution is expressed shows just the number of vertical rows and a letter showing whether they are shown progressively or interlaced. It's possible to have two different HDTVs that both support 1920 x 1080 resolution, but with one being 1080i and the other being 1080p. You also might find some sets that have 1080 lines of vertical resolution and only 1280 lines of horizontal resolution.

Progressive vs. Interlaced (aka 1080i vs. 1080p): Much ballyhoo is being made of 1080p, as it's the highest resolution available in an HDTV today. The difference between 1080p and 1080i is whether all the vertical lines of resolution are displayed in a single pass (1080p) or in two passes (1080i). A 1080i set will take the first half of the signal and display it in alternating scan lines, and then display the second half. The entire signal still gets to you. What people might not realize is that HD content broadcast on TV (and cable, for that matter) comes in 1080i, so 1080p sets are not actually showing any more of the original signal than 1080i sets; they're just showing it in one pass and then doubling that.

For LCDs and LEDs that have a longer panel response time, this makes a difference. A 1080i LCD would be more likely to suffer from motion blur effects than a panel that shows the picture progressively. For plasma--where response time is much faster--showing the 1080i signal as it comes will not have an effect on image quality. A 1080i set will be able to show the signal as it is sent without extra processing that could leave room for errors and visual artifacts. That's the gist of the argument in favor of 1080i sets.

The issue comes in with true high-definition sources, such as Blu-ray content, that are released in full 1080p. Some people say that you can see the difference watching this content on a 1080i vs. a 1080p set. Others say that the difference is small and claim that the human eye can't see it when viewing from more than four feet away. Is a 1080p LCD better than a 1080i plasma? If there's a difference, it's minimal--save for the new content available on Blu-ray with 1080p only, in which case the difference is significant. However, both are preferable to 720p sets of either technology.

The Argument for 1080i: The 1080i advocates will inform you that for HDTV program viewing, they believe 1080i sets are capable of a better picture since these show the original signal as it comes from the broadcaster, cable provider, or satellite with no software scaling involved in either direction. A few broadcasters (ABC, for example) broadcast in 720p. Taking this signal and showing it on a 1080p or 1080i set involves all kinds of up and down scaling to get the image to fit correctly (involving math that won't be attempted here). A more common example of scaling is when a 720p set has to display a 1080i signal. To get the whole picture on the screen, the set has to scale it down and then scale it back up to 720p. The more software scaling and converting you do of the signal, the higher the likelihood that unintended artifacts will be introduced into the image. 1080p sets showing a 1080i signal aren't scaling the signal, they're simply doubling it. It's hard to make a clear argument for how that could degrade the original signal. It's also hard to argue that it adds anything worthwhile.

Another argument you might hear in favor of 1080p is that buying a full 1080p set will future-proof you to a new standard. But how long do you expect a TV to last? Given the investment that broadcasters have made in the current 1080i signal standard, it's unlikely they would be switching to a new standard again within the life of your HDTV. So if your viewing habits consist mostly of conventional TV programming, DVDs, and streaming content to your TV (which tends to be 720p or below anyway), then you can save some money picking up a 1080i TV and almost never notice a loss of picture quality vs. 1080p.

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If the TV you need for your room is 40 inches or less, a flat-panel LCD TV is your best bet. Between 42 and 60 inches, you can choose between plasma, LCD, or rear-projection sets. Plasma HDTVs tend to be the most popular choice in this size range, as they offer good picture quality and flat-panel allure at a competitive price versus comparably-sized LCD HDTVs.

But if you want to go really big with your TV (it's OK, don't be ashamed to admit it), HDTVs up to 65 inches in size may not even be enough. For screens bigger than 70 inches, you need a front projector, also known as a home theater projector or a home entertainment projector. These are just what they sound like; they project the image forward like a movie projector does. The technologies available are the same as for rear-projection TVs. If you buy a home theater projector, be aware that you'll also need to think about purchasing a home theater projector screen to project onto--don't cheat yourself out of a true hi-def experience by projecting straight onto your wall. Also remember that home theater projectors don't come with built-in TV tuners; these are really just for projecting an image. To get TV, you'll need to hook your projector up to an external tuner and/or DVD player. At this size, seriously consider stepping up to Blu-ray for your movie needs. At the very least, make sure you have an upconverting DVD player. Standard-definition images look pretty poor at really large sizes. You'll get the most out of a really large video image if all of your equipment is rated for 1080p.

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