LCD flat panel television sets: Are they right for your home theater?
When contemplating your home theater design, you might wonder whether an LCD flat panel television is right for your house. There are actually a lot of pros and cons to consider before choosing a LCD television, and while the reduced footprint and the flat screen are nice they certainly aren’t for everyone. You should carefully consider the various advantages and disadvantages, taking a little extra time than you might have originally planned on before making your decision. Though this may seem like an inconvenience at first, the time that you spend will be well worth it if you realize that it helps you to be sure of your purchase or to avoid a potentially costly mistake.
Not all of the advantages and disadvantages can be discussed here, of course, as some of them may be specific to your household or your living situation. The following lists are merely some of the major advantages and disadvantages as well as some advice to help you in making your decision. You should keep personal considerations in mind as well, and ask electronics and audio-visual professionals for their opinion if you still aren’t sure as to what you should buy.
Advantages of LCD Flat Panel Television Sets
There are a number of advantages which exist for LCD flat panel televisions, not the least of which are the options that are available to you in regards to how they are installed. When including one in your home theater, installation can be as simple as placing it on a standard television stand or you can choose to mount it on the wall (perhaps even adding a swivel option so that it can be moved as needed to allow everyone to see the television when it’s on.) Most LCD flat panel televisions are aesthetically pleasing because they are incredibly sleek and thin. They should fit in well with pretty much any home theater design, and they are relatively lightweight when compared to other televisions so that they can be moved easily (and will be much less costly in regards to shipping if you’re ordering the television from somewhere.)
LCD televisions are also considered to be good long-term television investments because they will run for 50,000 – 60,000 viewing hours. Most modern LCD televisions also support higher picture resolutions and high-definition display options are becoming more available as well. And unlike some brands of plasma televisions, LCD video displays do not but an image into the screen after a long period of time.
Disadvantages of LCD Flat Panel Television Sets
LCD flat panel televisions aren’t without their disadvantages, of course. Because of the nature of the liquid crystal display in their screens, they are much more likely to be damaged due to something hitting the screen. An incorrectly-installed wall mount can also pull away from the wall over time, putting the entire television in danger of falling (which could greatly damage the television and also potentially cause injuries.) The cost of an LCD television set is generally higher than plasma or rear-projection televisions. You also should consider that while high-definition display options may be available, not all LCD flat panel televisions are HD-ready and even if they are additional components are generally required to allow HD programming to display (which must be purchased as an additional cost.) Additionally, early models of LCD screens did not display black and dark images as clearly as a plasma screen. This differentiation appears to have been improved upon in newer models.
Deciding if LCD Is Right for You
Obviously, there’s a lot to think about when you’re wondering whether or not to buy a LCD television. While some of the disadvantages listed above are worst-case scenarios (such as the risk of falling, which is due to poor installation instead of an actual problem with the television), the possibility should at least be considered if you’ve thought about a wall-mounted television. Be sure to consider exactly how much you want to spend on a television that fits your home theater design, especially if you’re still in the process of buying your system and want it to be included in the home theater installation. Decide whether you need a high-definition system now or not. With the transition to digital television in 2009, many are preparing their household for HD now. The decision to buy HD ready televisions and components now is one you will have to make based on your budget and household’s entertainment habits. This is a major decision to make, and you’re going to want to make sure that you’re happy with the final result when you make it.
~Ben Anton, 2008
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