Green LCD HDTVs Washington DC

The change in LCD display cabinet finishes along with the new LED lighting system was the game changing highlight of the show for me!

Regardless of manufacturer or backlighting technology, it appeared all LCDs displays received a facelift in the form of a new shiny glass-like screen throwing out the anti-glare screens of the past. It’s some form of Plexiglas along with an added optical coating to improve contrast and naturally it works quite well. Gone are the days of SSE (Silk Screen Effect) that we have been seeing on micro-display rear projection and LCD flat panels. My first newbie question upon my first arrival at a manufacturer’s booth was a confirmation of whether the display I was looking at was LCD or plasma! Getting rid of the anti-glare screens provides perfect pixel visibility of the LCD screen, just like a plasma screen, and that means crystal clear detailed imaging. The difference was formidable mimicking the perceptual traits of plasma and CRT due to the glass screens they use. I have every reason to predict this will further impact the plasma market.

This was not just on upper-tier lines and was present throughout the show. If you are looking for an anti-glare screen LCD display you might be stuck or find your choices very limited. A recent trip to a local store confirmed my suspicions. The main visual difference between the plasma and LCD displays were the label and price tags next to each one! What really hit me though on this visit was the Mitsubishi DLP line on display from 60-83 inches. They were the only displays left in the store with an anti-glare screen inducing SSE into the image, yet that was not nearly as noticeable as the overhead lights reflecting off of these screens creating a dull washed out look. Topping it off, they showed up at the end of a long walk of well-presented and light controlled flat panel HDTV hype and buzz, as if they were the black sheep of the store. Even with the benefit of price per screen inch there was little to inspire ownership. Not much can be done about the SSE, yet putting these displays under such unfavorable viewing conditions and floor placement not only hurts sales for the store but tarnishes Mitsubishis reputation and the capability of DLP rear projection. My point here is that even under favorable viewing conditions, the SSE artifact of the screen used for this technology is going to be noticed by some and I suspect the LCD face lift will have a market impact on this technology as well since they no longer look similar.

Several months back I wrote an FAQ for HD library and Forum here on HDTV Magazine about the new LED lighting technology being used to replace fluorescent lighting for LCD. Check it out for the details but the synopsis is LED HDTV is not a new display technology, just a new way of back lighting the LCD panel. The physical char...