LCD vs. LED

[Chris_Doane]

So I was all set to go buy a nice LCD flat screen this week. I figured I would get one of the Bravias or this Samsung:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1218076081627

I walk into Best Buy and Samsung's new LED TV was there:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?sk...d=1218065985439

Man its incredible. Hanging next to the LCD's, it's pretty easy to see how much better the LED is. Originally I was thinking I'd spend about as much as the Samsung LCD is. Heh, but how can I not get the superior LED product? Anyone have an uncle who works at Best Buy?

Anyone know a reason I shouldn't get the LED? Other than the fact that Im sure they will be hundreds less this time next year.

[Drew Dowdell]

The LEDs also use a lot less power.

[Justin Bimmer]

here is a review from Amazon that talks about the bad part of the LED Television

I purchased this TV and ended up returning it a week later. The physical TV is gorgeous, but unfortunately it has issues with the screen that I couldn't live with.

During normal viewing (in the store, in a lit room during the day), the picture quality is awesome - it has inky blacks and vibrant colors. The problem has to do with its "screen uniformity", something I didn't even know was a "feature" to consider when I was researching TVs.

This TV has an "edge-lit LED screen", which means the LED lights are along the edges of the screen shining inwards toward the center. Unfortunately, this makes for very uneven lighting across the screen. It's not noticeable during the day, but at night in a dark room watching a dark scene, there were a number of faint glowing streaks coming from the edges of the screen. It was very apparent in the letterboxing (the black bands over and below a widescreen image), in which there were feint cones of light coming from the corners of the screen.

I researched the issue (I searched for the TV's model number and the words "screen uniformity") and it turns out this is an issue all the LEDs have. The review sites offer the technical explanations for it.

I'm by no means a A/V snob, but the problem was almost instantly noticed by me and everyone I had look at the TV.

I returned the TV and instead purchased the Samsung LN46B650 Samsung LN46B650 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color. It costs almost $600 less, has just as gorgeous of a picture (I don't notice the contrast ratio difference), and has none of the screen uniformity issues.

I'll say that again - the NON-LED 46'' Samsung TV has a BETTER quality picture and costs hundreds of dollars less. Unless you are using this TV in a lit room during the day and you value only the aesthetics of such a thin TV, go with the regular LCD. You won't be disappointed.

[Satty]

We've had no problems with LCDs, I haven't checked out LEDs, but unless the difference between the LCD and LED is greater than (or equal to) the difference between a CRT and an LCD, I wouldn't think it is worth the extra bank.

A side note, how do people still live with those archaic CRT tvs? The picture quality is absolute $h! compared to even the cheapest LCD.

[Chris_Doane]

Yea I saw that review on amazon. I dunno, most people seem to love it and the LED def has a better picture (in the store anyway.)

[Satty]

Yea I saw that review on amazon. I dunno, most people seem to love it and the LED def has a better picture (in the store anyway.)

See what the return policy is, then buy it, go home and watch your favorite porn and if the picture quality doesn't work for you, take it back.

[Robert Hall]

We've had no problems with LCDs, I haven't checked out LEDs, but unless the difference between the LCD and LED is greater than (or equal to) the difference between a CRT and an LCD, I wouldn't think it is worth the extra bank.

A side note, how do people still live with those archaic CRT tvs? The picture quality is absolute $h! compared to even the cheapest LCD.

They've never been exposed to HD.

I haven't paid attention to LED, will have to look into it when I buy my next TV...still enjoying my older 1080p DLP and 1080p LCDs...

[Chris_Doane]

See what the return policy is, then buy it, go home and watch your favorite porn and if the picture quality doesn't work for you, take it back.

Haha yea I'd had that thought as well.

Well...not the porn part. Who still watches porn on their TV?

[Camino LS6]

I have still never purchased a TV - ever.

Kinda proud of that fact.

[Satty]

Well...not the porn part. Who still watches porn on their TV?

The same people who still use CRT tvs, because once you see high-def porn, you'll never want to see a naked human being again in your life.

[FAPTurbo]

Yea I saw that review on amazon. I dunno, most people seem to love it and the LED def has a better picture (in the store anyway.)

One thing to make sure is that the connection being used by both TV's is the same. It's been more than a couple instances where I've looked at two TV's, and where one is connected by a legacy cable, and one down the way uses something like HDMI/DVI.

You may also want to see if you can play with the LCD TV's contrast, colour modes, etc. Fiddling with the picture quality can do wonders.

LCD's are very reliable, and proven too, so that could mean for fewer headaches down the road. My IBM LCD monitor is from 1997, and hasn't had any problems yet, despite being used for a good 11/12 years, and the TV's today are much more advanced than that. Like any technology, LED is likely to have a couple glitches in the first couple years.

[Chris_Doane]

Yea maybe the best move is to wait for the LEDs to be refined some...and hopefully drop in price.

[Satty]

Yea maybe the best move is to wait for the LEDs to be refined some...and hopefully drop in price.

Or steal one.

[Intrepidation]

Actually, CRTs have better picture quality for non high def video than HD TVs. Of course, if the video is HD, which more and more are, it's no contest.

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

CRT is the TV of choice for 480i, which is what i primarily watch.

Plus you can play dock hunt on it, you cant play duck hunt on a LCD.

[fightingbee]

Non-HD on an HDTV often looks just slightly out of focus IMO.

Of course high quality CRT sets haven't been made for several years now anyway so when buying new an HDTV is really the only way to go.

[Satty]

Wal-Mart's website shows CRTs for around $140 and LCDs for about $180, thats a no-brainer. CRTs take up a ton of room.

[Croc]

Between the motion blur of LCDs, and issues with color saturation, I think I'm going to stick to Plasma. Plasmas have come down so much in price, and they last forever now, and no longer have issues with burn-in.

[Intrepidation]

Between the motion blur of LCDs, and issues with color saturation, I think I'm going to stick to Plasma. Plasmas have come down so much in price, and they last forever now, and no longer have issues with burn-in.

Oh yeah? That's good that they fixed the burn-in issues. I remember that was a big issue VS LCDs for a while.

[fightingbee]

Wal-Mart's website shows CRTs for around $140 and LCDs for about $180, thats a no-brainer. CRTs take up a ton of room.

Yeah, plus the picture and especially the sound from the craptacular $140 Wal-Mart CRT could probably still be put to shame by a 15-20 yr. Zenith or Sony CRT set in good shape.

[Chris_Doane]

Between the motion blur of LCDs, and issues with color saturation

It seems like those aren't really issues anymore with the good LCDs. As far as I can tell from looking at them in the store anyway.

[Croc]

Oh yeah? That's good that they fixed the burn-in issues. I remember that was a big issue VS LCDs for a while.

Burn-in hasn't been an issue with plasmas for over 5 years. Even if you get burn-in, just run "snow" for a few minutes and it goes away.

It seems like those aren't really issues anymore with the good LCDs. As far as I can tell from looking at them in the store anyway.

It's still noticeable. Not as bad as they were a year or two ago, but I can't stand watching football on an LCD. And the LCD I have has a strange issue with oversaturating the color red. I've noticed this on others as well, plus LCDs just don't do blacks as well as plasmas. The Panasonic plasmas are really some of the best--incredible inky blacks.

Edited June 6, 2009 by Croc

[Teh Ricer Civic!]

CRT still has the best black.

[Chris_Doane]

It's still noticeable. Not as bad as they were a year or two ago, but I can't stand watching football on an LCD. And the LCD I have has a strange issue with oversaturating the color red. I've noticed this on others as well, plus LCDs just don't do blacks as well as plasmas. The Panasonic plasmas are really some of the best--incredible inky blacks.

*shrug* The fast motion stuff seems pretty good on the newest products in the store right now. Maybe you're thinking of the LCDs with the 60Hz refresh rate? 120Hz seems to do a pretty nice job. The thing about the blacks is still true though...but getting better. I didn't notice anything with the reds.

[RichW5]

A side note, how do people still live with those archaic CRT tvs? The picture quality is absolute $h! compared to even the cheapest LCD.

Is there a slight possibility that someone out there has a life and doesn't rely on TV for his/her human interaction?

[Satty]

Is there a slight possibility that someone out there has a life and doesn't rely on TV for his/her human interaction?

That statement is slightly ironic, being made on the internet and all.

And this is America we're talking about, the average household has a tv on for like 8 hours a day.

[Camino LS6]

I'd don't give a $h! about my TV, it just isn't important to me and never has been. In fact, I spent about a year without one.

[loki]

CRT still has the best black.

yes, same as if the new tech tv, that is based on crt, but flat screen.. can't think of what it's called, jus tlooked, SED tech. LCD's with CR's of 1 million+ are on sale now... they should come hella close

just a clarification, the title is the screen tech vs how it's back lit.... should be more like, fluorescent vs LED

[Croc]

*shrug* The fast motion stuff seems pretty good on the newest products in the store right now. Maybe you're thinking of the LCDs with the 60Hz refresh rate? 120Hz seems to do a pretty nice job. The thing about the blacks is still true though...but getting better. I didn't notice anything with the reds.

120Hz. It isn't constant, but under certain image circumstances, it's pronounced.

[Croc]

just a clarification, the title is the screen tech vs how it's back lit.... should be more like, fluorescent vs LED

I thought about mentioning this earlier, but he's right...LED TVs are LCDs that just happen to be backlit by LED light.

[Chris_Doane]

I thought about mentioning this earlier, but he's right...LED TVs are LCDs that just happen to be backlit by LED light.

Right.

Hah...slightly new problem now. My furniture was delivered today and, boy, it didn't look this big in the store...

Not really sure what will go where and how. I wasn't planning on wall mounting the TV, but I might have to now.

[Cory Wolfe]

Right.

Hah...slightly new problem now. My furniture was delivered today and, boy, it didn't look this big in the store...

Not really sure what will go where and how. I wasn't planning on wall mounting the TV, but I might have to now.

Maybe your new place is smaller than you thought.

[Chris_Doane]

Maybe your new place is smaller than you thought.

Hah no its actually a little bigger than my current place.

Edit: Oh wait...thats not true. Hah I have 50 less square feet

[Croc]

I find that square footage in dwellings is a lot less important than the space planning therein. I'd take a square footage cut in a new apartment versus my current one in it had a more open layout and weren't all chopped up inside. Tons of wasted space.

[Intrepidation]

I find that square footage in dwellings is a lot less important than the space planning therein. I'd take a square footage cut in a new apartment versus my current one in it had a more open layout and weren't all chopped up inside. Tons of wasted space.

Yep, space efficiency is very important. Our house is fairly big on the outside, but the floot plan wastes the sspace and make it feel smaller than it is.

[Croc]

Yep, space efficiency is very important. Our house is fairly big on the outside, but the floot plan wastes the sspace and make it feel smaller than it is.

The main floor of my parents' house is the same way; it was built in 1933, so in that context, it isn't too bad...just no one needs "maid quarters" these days, and with an attached garage conversion, the layout of half of it seems very oddly arranged. Entryway, formal living room, and dining room are fairly open, though, and the kitchen could be too with a major renovation.

I love old houses, but they definitely require a bit of investment for modern living.

[toyoguy]

my parents got their Samsung off amazon or newegg, I forget either way much cheaper than Best Buy

[Intrepidation]

The main floor of my parents' house is the same way; it was built in 1933, so in that context, it isn't too bad...just no one needs "maid quarters" these days, and with an attached garage conversion, the layout of half of it seems very oddly arranged. Entryway, formal living room, and dining room are fairly open, though, and the kitchen could be too with a major renovation.

I love old houses, but they definitely require a bit of investment for modern living.

Our house was built circa 1905. There's two hallways that waste space and could have been designed better. The worst aspect of hour house is the "kitchen" is quite large, but only has the stove, microwave, fridge, and table in it. It has no storage at all. All of the cabinets, sink, and dishwasher are crammed into this small area that is useless to work in. Our neighbor's house was identical to ours before the, but when it was rebuilt, that little space was turned into a bathroom, and the big empty space was turned into a real kitchen.

Another example of this space wasting is that the back bedroom has a smaller room behind it, that really isn't big enough to use for much besides a couple chairs and a small TV. What the neighbors did was knock the wall that separated the rooms down and made it into a much larger feeling room.

[Satty]

One thing I've noticed about newer houses is that the closets are tiny and unlit, which irritates me. Jill and I have the closet in the master bedroom filled with out-of-season stuff in the closet in the guest room, which doesn't have a light.

And I equate CRT to portable cd players. Sure people still use them, but there are much better options available.

[FAPTurbo]

my parents got their Samsung off amazon or newegg, I forget either way much cheaper than Best Buy

Just quoting this because the deals online are really good. Newegg.com may even have what you're looking for, and they're great for prices.

Sure you don't get any human interaction or possible help in your decision, but then again, you're also less likely to get drooled on by a typical Best Buy employee.

[Satty]

I was in Best Buy a couple weeks ago and I was shocked to see the number of hot chicks working there. It seemed every department except automotive audio had a hot girl. I was pleasantly surprised.