March 2008
TV Stars
More new HDTVs shine in our tests
High-definition TVs are bigger and better than ever. Our Ratings of 101 LCD, plasma, and rear-projection TVs include more
sets with top scores for picture quality than in years past. Ten plasma sets, 13 LCD TVs , and three rear-projection models had excellent picture quality for high-definition and standard-definition programming and DVDs.
The trend toward ever-bigger TV screens is also evident in our Ratings. We tested 45 high-def TVs with screen sizes 50 inches and larger. That includes four 60-inch plasmas and a 57-inch LCD set, along with a 65-inch rear-projection set.
Not sure what to choose? Check out our buying advice on LCD vs. Plasma TVs, shopping for LCD TVs, shopping for Plasma TVs, and shopping for rear-projection TVs.
QUALITY MOVES UP
One reason for the improvement in picture quality is the growing number of TVs with 1080p (1920x1080) native resolution. These "full HD" sets can potentially display more of the detail in current high-def signals than so-called 720p sets with 1024x768, 1280x720, or 1366x768 native screen resolution can. Until recently, most 1080p TVs were LCD or rear-projection sets; the few such plasmas available were very expensive. Now you'll find a growing number of 1080p plasmas at lower prices, giving you more choice.
More new TVs of all types have better contrast, which gives images greater depth and dimension. Manufacturers are also addressing the inherent weaknesses of the different display technologies.
For instance, more new LCD sets are using 120Hz technology. That essentially doubles the number of video frames displayed on the screen and can help reduce motion blur in fast-moving images. Some plasma TVs, meanwhile, have screen coatings to reduce annoying reflections.
New backlight technologies are arriving, too. The Ratings include an LCD set that uses LED backlights instead of fluorescent lighting, the first such TV we've tested. LED backlights have the ability to display a wider range of colors and can more evenly distribute light across the back of an LCD panel for more consistent brightness on all parts of the screen.
Two rear-projection sets we tested also use LED illumination. Besides expanding the range of colors, this type of lighting eliminates the need to replace the bulb, which costs $200 to $300, every 5,000 hours or so. Later this year, Mitsubishi is expected to unveil the first rear-projection set using a laser as a light source, which could offer further improvement in brightness and color.
Thanks to the steady increase in HD programming, there's now plenty of content that can make the most of these state-of-the art HDTVs. Most prime-time shows on the major broadcast networks and many cable/satellite stations (such as ESPN, Discovery, TNT, and many others) are now offered in HD. What you'll get depends on what TV service you use. There are other sources of high-definition content as well, most notably Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
PRICES LEVEL OFF
Price trends suggest it's a good time to buy because the biggest cuts have already happened. During the recent holidays, prices for some TV types and sizes were down as much as 30 to 40 percent from a year earlier. Some analysts predict that prices won't drop nearly that much in the coming year. Price stability might make it less nerve-racking to buy a TV because there's less chance the price will drop sharply soon after you get it home.
Prices for 40-inch and larger 720p LCD TVs are expected to fall only 10 percent or less this year, says Ross Young, president of DisplaySearch, a market-research firm in Austin, Texas. Smaller LCD TVs will see even more modest price reductions, Ross says, as production is diverted to laptop computer and monitor panels, which offer more profit.
Prices of larger 1080p sets could drop more, though not as much as last year. DisplaySearch predicts that 46- and 52-inch 1080p LCD TVs will cost about 20 percent less by year's end. Plasma prices could drop about 20 to 25 percent, with the deepest cuts on 50-inch 1080p sets.
The trend toward ever-bigger TV screens is also evident in our Ratings. We tested 45 high-def TVs with screen sizes 50 inches and larger. That includes four 60-inch plasmas and a 57-inch LCD set, along with a 65-inch rear-projection set.
Not sure what to choose? Check out our buying advice on LCD vs. Plasma TVs, shopping for LCD TVs, shopping for Plasma TVs, and shopping for rear-projection TVs.
QUALITY MOVES UP
One reason for the improvement in picture quality is the growing number of TVs with 1080p (1920x1080) native resolution. These "full HD" sets can potentially display more of the detail in current high-def signals than so-called 720p sets with 1024x768, 1280x720, or 1366x768 native screen resolution can. Until recently, most 1080p TVs were LCD or rear-projection sets; the few such plasmas available were very expensive. Now you'll find a growing number of 1080p plasmas at lower prices, giving you more choice.
More new TVs of all types have better contrast, which gives images greater depth and dimension. Manufacturers are also addressing the inherent weaknesses of the different display technologies.
For instance, more new LCD sets are using 120Hz technology. That essentially doubles the number of video frames displayed on the screen and can help reduce motion blur in fast-moving images. Some plasma TVs, meanwhile, have screen coatings to reduce annoying reflections.
New backlight technologies are arriving, too. The Ratings include an LCD set that uses LED backlights instead of fluorescent lighting, the first such TV we've tested. LED backlights have the ability to display a wider range of colors and can more evenly distribute light across the back of an LCD panel for more consistent brightness on all parts of the screen.
Two rear-projection sets we tested also use LED illumination. Besides expanding the range of colors, this type of lighting eliminates the need to replace the bulb, which costs $200 to $300, every 5,000 hours or so. Later this year, Mitsubishi is expected to unveil the first rear-projection set using a laser as a light source, which could offer further improvement in brightness and color.
Thanks to the steady increase in HD programming, there's now plenty of content that can make the most of these state-of-the art HDTVs. Most prime-time shows on the major broadcast networks and many cable/satellite stations (such as ESPN, Discovery, TNT, and many others) are now offered in HD. What you'll get depends on what TV service you use. There are other sources of high-definition content as well, most notably Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
PRICES LEVEL OFF
Price trends suggest it's a good time to buy because the biggest cuts have already happened. During the recent holidays, prices for some TV types and sizes were down as much as 30 to 40 percent from a year earlier. Some analysts predict that prices won't drop nearly that much in the coming year. Price stability might make it less nerve-racking to buy a TV because there's less chance the price will drop sharply soon after you get it home.
Prices for 40-inch and larger 720p LCD TVs are expected to fall only 10 percent or less this year, says Ross Young, president of DisplaySearch, a market-research firm in Austin, Texas. Smaller LCD TVs will see even more modest price reductions, Ross says, as production is diverted to laptop computer and monitor panels, which offer more profit.
Prices of larger 1080p sets could drop more, though not as much as last year. DisplaySearch predicts that 46- and 52-inch 1080p LCD TVs will cost about 20 percent less by year's end. Plasma prices could drop about 20 to 25 percent, with the deepest cuts on 50-inch 1080p sets.
