LCD, HD, DLP: TV isn't as simple as it used to be, but aside from the confusing jargon, new TV technology means that you could be enjoying much higher quality sounds and pictures than your old telly can produce. Time for a handy guide to tell you what it all means...
Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past few years, you'll know that CRT TVs have had their day. Yes, we're talking about cathode ray tube sets, those of the unfeasibly large backs.
If you've yet to join the flat screen brigade, bear in mind that the TV revolution is already poised to enter its next phase: HD (that's high definition) TV. We've only just got our heads around the digital renaissance (whether you have a digi-box of some sort or a digital TV with in-built digital receiver) and now everyone's talking about HD which will give you the highest quality of digital TV available. For this reason all the TVs we're featuring are HD Ready or HD compatible.
High Definition TV is the biggest leap forward since black and white TV changed to colour. As you may already know, your TV picture consists of lots of lines made up of pixels. Normal TV currently uses 625 lines (of which only 576 are visible) but HD TV uses from 720 to 1,080, resulting in vastly improved picture quality in terms of colour and definition.
It stands to reason that the bigger your TV, the better your viewing experience will be, although for the best view you should sit at least 2.5m away from the screen. Screen sizes for plasma and LCD TVs range from around 14in with the biggest screens expanding more and more every year. For your average living room, however, anything upwards of 32in would give you ideal viewing. Smaller screens are better suited to the bedroom or kitchen.
It's not really a question of which is best, as both LCD and plasma screens offer high-quality, flicker-free pictures, it's more a matter of taste. For example, if you want a lifelike picture, you're better off with an LCD screen; just bear in mind that they don’t keep up with movement as well as plasmas. If it's rich picture quality you're after, plasmas are best for bold, bright contrasts, but it is whispered that the picture quality may deteriorate quicker than on other screen types.
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