# LCD vs LED



## tacua (Apr 22, 2008)

Will someone explain the difference in HDTV picture quality, (deep colors, white and black correctors, etc,etc.).Which is better?


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## narrod (Jul 26, 2007)

tacua said:


> Will someone explain the difference in HDTV picture quality, (deep colors, white and black correctors, etc,etc.).Which is better?


LED refers to the backlighting. With the exception of Sony's OLED there are no
LED displays. The displays, whether back lit with LED or fluorescent, are LCD.

LED back lighting can display blacker blacks because the LED is either on or off versus being dimmed as required by fluorescent.

Which is better? It depends on the overall quality of the set and the biases and priorities of the viewer.

Wendell


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

LED uses LED backlights in two forms, a ring around the outside with diffusers (the real thin ones), and blocks of LEDs that are addressable ON or OFF behind the entire screen (more expensive ones). The side-ring ones are better than regular florescent backlights, but not as good as the block LED type....
Regular LCD TV - 5000:1 contrast
Ring LED : 1 Million:1 contrast
block LED: 2 Million:1 contrast

I believe Samsung uses the RING, and Vizio 55" uses the Block. Not sure about the LG.

The difference is stunning on movies or programming with lots of dark areas. Look before you buy. Some have complained scrolling credits or news crawls along the bottom look weird with the LEDs turning on and off as the letters go by.

Here is an article with some pictures to compare:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED-backlit_LCD_television


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

LCD is LCD. "LED" TVs are LCD TVs that use LED lights instead of the traditional flourescent lights for the backlighting. The main advantages are lower power usage and potentially longer-lasting backlighting. Most of the rest is marketing hype. LED backlighting is relatively new to the industry, and as commonly happens with new tech, there may be issues down the road that get resolved in future revisions. IMO, LED backlighting isn't something to spend a lot of money on.


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## mutelight (Oct 6, 2008)

Basically, the *only* reason to go with a LED backlit LCD over a traditional CCFL backlit LCD is for aesthetics only. They are indeed very thin and physically very nice looking but it is a question of form over function.


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## tacua (Apr 22, 2008)

Many thanks for all the reports. Happy holidays and new year!


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

FYI, I have an LED DLP HDTV... which uses an LED engine instead of bulbs for projection.

Unfortunately they don't make these anymore, but I was fortunate enough to get one... and other than the OLED TVs, was the only actual LED TV made.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

mutelight said:


> Basically, the *only* reason to go with a LED backlit LCD over a traditional CCFL backlit LCD is for aesthetics only. They are indeed very thin and physically very nice looking but it is a question of form over function.


But what about black levels? I've always heard that they are better than traditional LCD from people like Scott Wilkinson who is Leo Laporte's expert.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Look at the comparison pictures in the link I posted above. I think an increase from 5000:1 to 2 million:1 is a pretty substantial increase in black level, at the expense of artifacts on scrolling text (like at the end of a movie). If I didnt already have a fairly new Aquos LCD, Id surely spend the extra $500 for the LED model.

Here is a direct link to the comparison picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LED_TV.jpg


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## mutelight (Oct 6, 2008)

dpeters11 said:


> But what about black levels? I've always heard that they are better than traditional LCD from people like Scott Wilkinson who is Leo Laporte's expert.


Local dimming LEDs, yes.


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