LED TVs: 5 myth-busting facts you need to know
As always, whenever the market releases a new wave of digital television technology, the preceding batch of televisions, once appraised by all as ‘the next big thing’, seem to fade seamlessly into an abysmal class of redundancy.
You get the point - but what does this prove? Well, just because a new wave of TV technology has been released doesn’t necessarily mean that its technological predecessors are obsolete in their function and use… And this is the exact reason as to why we should be so careful to unearth the facts from the jargon while advertising tells us that the LED TVs will belittle any other digital TV through its build and function.
Let’s get stuck into some simple truths about LED TVs, shall we?
- LED TVs, contrary to popular belief, are not brand-spankin’ new technology. If you’ve ever convinced yourself to believe this, you’re a thoughtless consumer that has fallen subconsciously to a sophisticated marketing ploy. If anyone has ever told you that an LED TV is different to an LCD TV, have you ever considered quizzing them on the subject as to what it is that makes them different? The truth of the matter is, not much at all. An LED TV is technically an LCD TV that’s backlit with light-emitting diodes (LEDs, for any acronym impaired) in lieu of the ‘old-school’ cold-cathode fluorescent lights (CCFLs). In fact, manufacturer’s have been using LED technology in electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops for years. The only difference is that TV manufacturers often sell LED TVs with a huge markup on the price given the sparsity of LED manufacturers. Don’t worry though, it’s only an inevitability that more manufacturer’s will appear, competition will increase, and the price of LED technology will fall quicker than the value of the US economy in 2010.
- Do LED TVs offer better picture quality than LCD screens? - The short answer is yes. This is because the light emitting diodes are much smaller in size, and are able to be dimmed independently. LCD TVs on the other hand, are not. The result of this difference is that LED TVs are able to make pictures appear darker and more realistic. LCD TVs, while still offering great picture quality, still manage to leak light when an instant contrast is demanding in the picture.
- LEDs aren’t as good for off-angle viewing - I bet that this is something you may have forgotten to consider when looking into the finer points of television viewing. Well, I can confirm for you, just like their LCD predecessors, LED TVs are poor for off-angle viewing. This is because they are using backlit technology, so vectors of light are not as visible to the human eye when viewed from an oblique angle. Unlike plasma TVs, if you place an LED TV in the middle of a lounge room without considering the placement of your couches, the clarity of your TV viewing may suffer.
- Do LED TVs have a longer lifespan than LCD TVs? - Yes, and this boils down to the efficiency of the light emitting diodes vs. the cold-cathode fluorescent lights. LEDs do not consumer as much power, and can run for a longer duration of time. Conversely, LCD technology is being made much more efficient as time progresses, so this nice little chokehold that LED TVs have over LCDs might not even last that long.
- Are LED TVs worth paying the price for? - I hinted on this question earlier in the article, where I mentioned that there is a ridiculous markup on LED technology given the availability of manufacturers. LED TVs are great, but be wary of paying superfluous prices for something ‘branded’. You’ll find that when you do your research, a lot of the generically branded LED TVs actually share the same LED manufacturer as their goliath, well-renowned ‘brand’ cousins.
So what’s the verdict?
It’s proof of the same old argument: just because there’s a new alternative, doesn’t necessarily mean that the original is redundant. LED TVs are shaping up to be tremendously popular alternatives to plasma TVs, but in contrast to their LCD relatives - in essence it’s just the same thing, different spin.
The verdict is, don’t fall victim to something just because it is fashionable to have at the time! Do your research and have patience before you commit to a purchase, especially if you’re going to buy LED TVs online. Behind every price, there is an explanation.
Happy TV hunting!
