Why buy an LED TV?

First made popular in 2009, LED TVs are the new generation of flat panel displays, following on from the success of LCD and plasma televisions. The current range of LED TVs on the market are in fact LCD televisions which use LED backlighting, to give a better image with bright colours and deep blacks. A true consumer LED TV, consisting purely of LEDs, are still a way off due to the size of the individual LEDs required. You may have seen a true LED TV at your local football stadium or shopping centre.

LED TVs Explained

For more information on the revolutionary technology behind LED TVs, take a look at this short informative video from Samsung.

Benefits of LED TVs

Brighter images can be produced than are possible on LCD or plasma televisions.

Much deeper blacks compared to standard televisions.

Have a far greater contrast ratio when compared with normal televisions.

Much slimmer television panels.

Lower power consumption than normal televisions.

Offer a wider range of colours than standard televisions.

Have a longer life compared to LCD and plasma televisions.

LED TV specifications explained

Brand: The manufacturer of the LED TV. Currently only Sony and Samsung produce consumer LED TVs.

Series: The range of TVs provided by the manufacturer. In general, higher series are better (and more expensive!).

Model: The particular model number chosen by the manufacturer unique to that television.

Screen size: The size of the television, measured diagonally.

Picture resolution: The number of pixels visible on the screen (horizontally x vertically). Most TVs have a resolution of 1920x1080, which is "full HD" (1080i or 1080p).

Contrast ratio: A measure of the ratio between the brightest white and darkest black. Higher ratios are generally better.

TV tuner: The TV receiver built into the TV. Analogue signals will be turned off across the UK within the next few years. Freeview tuners allow digital signals to be received, and free-to-air digital TV channels to be watched (e.g. BBC Three, ITV2, E4).

Audio: The built-in audio capability of the TV.

HDMI ports: The number of HDMI ports built into the TV. Four HDMI ports will allow you to connect the TV to four different high definition sources - for example a Sky HD box, Playstation 3, Blu-Ray player and HDMI capable laptop - all simultaneously.

Scart sockets: The number of scart sockets built into the TV. Scart connections are standard definition, but allow connection to older equipment, such as DVD players and video recorders.

USB ports: The number of USB ports built into the TV. USB ports allow you to connect electrical items such as cameras and camcorders directly to the TV, allowing you to view your photos and videos on-screen without requiring a computer.

Weight with stand: The total weight of the TV and provided stand. It is important to take this into account if you live in flats, or if you are putting the LED TV on a table or attaching to a wall mount.