Flat-screen plasma and LCD TV buying guide
The specifications explained
Gone are the days when you figured out how big a screen you wanted, looked at some sets, and bought the one with the best picture that fit your budget. An options explosion has littered the shopping landscape with numbers, features, and terminology that even experts sometimes have trouble tracking. So we’ve tried to boil the choices down to the basics that can actually do you some good, and we’ve noted which are important. (In audio and video, never forget that just because something has a number to describe it doesn’t mean it really matters!)
We’ve grouped the specs into three categories: important, somewhat important, and minor.
Important: contrast ratio
Contrast ratio refers to the brightest and darkest light values a display can produce at the same time. All else being equal, the higher the contrast ratio is, the better. All else is seldom equal, however.
Pumping up the maximum light output, for example, can increase contrast, but it won’t do anything to overcome poor black level, which tends to be a greater problem with plasmas and, especially, LCDs. So take contrast ratings as a very rough guide to be supplemented by eyes-on evaluation.
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