LED HD TV

TV and monitors are starting to see the introduction of a new method of lighting which is enhancing the picture quality. The use of LEDs in lighting is replacing fluorescent lights in LCD displays. The advances in this area have improved pictures, energy efficiency and made them more slim-line. Manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung have seen impressive sales figures of LED Televisions.

Don?t be fooled by the terminology that manufacturers are using to describe it. Though there are definite benefits to be had, LED TV is simply an LCD television that uses LEDS as its light source. The LEDs are what have brought about the improvements, replacing the inferior fluorescent lighting that has been used in LCD televisions up to this point.

For this reason Britain?s Advertising Standards Authority questioned some of the marketing associated with LED TVs. The ASA pointed out that using LED TV to describe these new models was misleading as they are essentially still LCD TVs. The result of this was clarification was made to point out that LEDs are used to light these screens. Some manufacturers have also pointed out that a more accurate description would be to call them LED-lit LCD TVs.

You will currently find LED televisions and displays being produced by JVC, Samsung, Sony and Philips. They will all claim that LEDs are advancement on previous LCDs. To summarize they allow today?s displays to be manufactured lighter, slimmer, eco-friendlier and of course improved images. Because they are new to the market they are however still quite expensive when compared with standard LCD displays.

The LEDs are used in either side-lit or back-lit arrangements in LED TVs. Edge-lit LED TVs as the name would suggest use LEDs round the side of the LCD display. The TVs can be made much slimmer because LEDs take up less space than the fluorescent lights they replace. Back-lit LED TVs are not quite as thin but have the added benefit that the LEDs can be locally dimmed to produce better contrast with darker blacks. LED TVs can be made as little as 10mm thin.

The range of colours and contrast levels are improved with the introduction of LED lighting because of the fuller light spectrum and intensity that LEDs have compared to fluorescent lights.

LED monitors as well as TVs have extended life expectancy with the introduction of LEDs technology. LEDs have a longer lifespan than fluorescent lights and, as LCD TVs are not designed to have the fluorescent lighting replaced when the backlight begins to dim or fails then there is little that can be done.

One last thing, as the marketers will tell you, if you want to do your bit for the planet then buying an LED television will ease your consciousness. The marketers claim they are considerably more power efficient than older LCD sets. Also some of the hazardous materials used in the design of fluorescent lit sets have been eliminated by the introduction of LEDs.

Paul Harrison writes about philips full hd tv and samsung led tv series