Confused about LED and LCD? Not sure whether you need a 3D TV? Read on.....

Hispek have been a specialist TV supplier for over twenty years and offer a fantastic range of TVs both in store and online. The choice of screen sizes and types of TV can be a daunting so we’ve put together a helpful guide to assist you in the decision. As always our helpful team are on hand, should you require further help simply call us on 01727 791133.

buying an LCD TV 

LCDs are based on a liquid crystal display. LCD displays work on the principle of blocking light rather than emitting it, which enables them to consume much less power than either CRT or plasma-based displays. All of the big TV manufacturers make LCD TVs, and liquid crystal display technology has quickly established itself as the most common type of HD TV, offering the widest range of screen sizes. If you’re looking for a small, affordable HD TV, then an LCD screen is likely to be the best option. As plasma screens tend to come only in larger sizes, and while LED screens remain more expensive, LCD TVs tend to offer the best options for smaller and cheaper models. LCD screens also tend to offer more energy-efficient performances than plasma displays. However, they still consume more energy than LED sets do.

In terms of picture quality, LCD technology continues to improve year on year. Traditionally, LCD TVs haven’t been able to match the deep blacks of plasma sets, but larger LCD screens tend to offer excellent HD pictures. Conversely, smaller LCD screens tend to produce excellent results for standard definition picture quality an important consideration given that most TV content these days is still non-HD.

To view our LCD TV’s click here.

buying an LED TV 

LED is really just an LCD display technology based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) backlighting the display instead of the cold cathode fluorescent lights (CCFLs) used in standard LCD televisions. LEDs enable more precise lighting than fluorescent lighting and lower power use.

LED TVs have taken the market by storm, and since Sony and Samsung first debuted the technology all of the major TV manufacturers have launched their own LED sets. To give an LED TV its full name is more of a mouthful: LED-lit LCD. LED TVs still employ standard LCD TV technology with one crucial difference – the handful of traditional back light lamps that illuminate the screen have been replaced by hundreds of smaller LEDs.

The benefit of using the LEDs is that it allows the TV set to be significantly slimmer than most LCD or plasma sets. This allows for ultra-stylish slim screens that look great mounted on a wall. The other benefit of LED screen technology is that it is significantly more energy-efficient than either LCD or plasma technology. LED sets tend to be much more forgiving on your electricity bills. LED TVs tend to produce excellent colours and sharp detail, though like LCD sets, they tend to suffer from poor viewing angles. Often, if you’re not sat head-on to the TV, the picture quality will deteriorate, which is worth considering if you’re buying a TV for a wide living room.

For now, LED TVs are still more expensive to buy than plasma sets or traditional LCD TVs.

To view our LED TV’s click here or our LED packages click here

buying a Plasma TV 

In a plasma display, each pixel on the screen is illuminated by a tiny bit of plasma (which is charged gas) and the whole is encased between two thin sheets of glass. Plasma TVs are generally thought to offer a superior picture to that of LCD displays, especially for dark-room viewing, but the gap between the two is narrowing.

Plasma TV’s at Hispek start from around £400 for a 43'' model and packages from around £700.

To view our Plasma TV’s click here

full HD 1080p 

1080p or Full HD, typically refers to the capability of a TV to accept 1080p signal and display it with native resolution of at least 1080 lines, as well as the capability to upscale lower-resolution material to 1080p. Smoother and clearer pictures are produced which is perfect for all those movie and sports lovers!

A significant number of televisions are also 1080p or Full HD compatible.

upscaling 

Some televisions will take a standard definition signal from a DVD player or the built-in digital tuner, and give it a HD ''makeover''. While this does make the picture better, the benefit of HD is appreciated fully when used in conjunction with a compatible HD source such as a Blu-ray player.

3D 

Is the hot topic right now in the TV world. Amazing crystal clear images presenting films and sports make you feel almost like you are there! Smart TV’s also enjoy the benefit of internet access using an Ethernet cable or a wifi dongle. Enjoy Skype, Facebook, BBCi player and direct streaming film you really will enjoy the latest in TV technology. 3D TVs will allow you to watch both 3D and 2D video content as they use the same electronic video processing systems to display the images. You'll even be able to turn off the 3D effect in order to watch your programmes and films in 2D.

How does it work?  

TV sizes 

In an ideal world you of course want the largest screen possible for your budget and also viewing space, whilst making sure you get the best features. You need to take into account the available space and how far you'll be from the screen. The general rule is that you want to sit no closer than the diagonal measurement of the TV multiplied by 1.5 and no farther than the diagonal measurement multiplied by 2.

Here’s a simple chart to help for guidance:

Approximate viewing ranges for various display sizes:

Display size	Minimum	Maximum
37 inches	4.6 feet	6.2 feet
40 inches	5.0 feet	6.7 feet
42 inches	5.3 feet	7.0 feet
46 inches	5.8 feet	7.7 feet
52 inches	6.5 feet	8.6 feet
58 inches	7.3 feet	9.7 feet
65 inches	8.2 feet	10.8 feet
70 inches	8.8 feet	11.7 feet