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Tech Talk
by Steve Metcalf, Gibson Sound & Vision
Waterloo Chronicle,
March 2010
L.E.D. TV - What Is It?
As if we haven't seen enough acronyms,
abbreviations and new technical terms in home
entertainment technology, television manufacturers
have once again bedazzled us with a new technology
in LED TV's.
As a consumer getting ready for your next television purchase (already overwhelmed by the massive selection of LCD and Plasma televisions) you are now being asked to choose between three types - LCD, Plasma and LED? Yikes!
It's time to relax. LED only refers to a certain type of LCD TV. All LCD televisions are just like your flat computer monitor. There is a screen, with a bright light behind it, the two parts combine to make a picture. Until recently, the source
of that light has been a fluorescent lamp, very
similar to the kind you might find in an office
building. When you purchase an LED tv, all you
are getting is an LCD TV with a different type of
light source. Yes, its really that simple.
The LED lighting technology (Light Emitting
Diode) has a few advantages over the conventional
LCD. The biggest advantage is in energy savings.
Typically an LED backlight uses around
50% less than a standard LCD. Another advantage
with LED design is the simplicity of the light
itself. It takes more electronics to make a florescent
light work. This has the potential to increase
reliability and offer lower manufacturing cost.
There are
two popular
versions of
LED LCD's.
One type uses
“Edge lighting”
and the other type
uses a concept called “local dimming”. Edge
lighting incorporates LED lights around the edge
of the screen. This allows the television to be
made very thin. Often thinner than one inch!
Local dimming uses small groups of lights to
divide the screen into sections. Each section can
be made brighter or darker independently. This
allows the television to achieve greater contrast,
or “crispness” of picture. The picture quality is significantly improved by this, however it is also
much more costly.
In the end, the decision is much easier when
you are looking at these tv's in person.
At Gibson Sound and Vision, we have the latest
in LED technology as well as audio and video
on display. We won’t bombard you with acronyms
and specifications. What we will do is, listen to
you carefully and do our very best to assist you
with your purchase. Every purchase is backed up
with the best service in the area. Come in and
experience our store, you will be glad you did and
we'll treat you like family!
Tech Talk Archive:
January 2010 - After The Dust Settles
December 2009 - Taking Advantage of High Definition
November 2009 - It's Time To Take Control!
October 2009 - Which One Is The Best?
September 2009 - Value For Your Dollar
August 2009 - Specifications - What is really right for you!
July 2009 - Look Mom - No Wires
June 2009 - Home Electronics for Mother Earth
May 2009 - Flat Panel Panoply
April 2009 - Amplifiers
March 2009 - Speaker-Ed 101
February 2009 - The Science of Sound
January 2009 - What to Expect in 2009?
December 2008 - Something You Have Never Heard Before!
November 2008 - Will My TV Be Obsolete in February 2009?
October 2008 - Why Custom Electronics Design?