This battle of three television technologies has been going on for a very long time, it is the subject of countless discussions and denunciations, so it is better to ask: which TV is better than plasma or LCD or LED? Or rather, what is best for you?
Each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages. So to help you figure out which TV is best for your home, let's take a look at each one and find out what the difference is between Plasma, LCD and LED TVs.
Winner: LED
Loser: Plasma
Second place: LCD
Without a doubt, LED displays are the brightest. Some models have over 100 ftl. For comparison, in a movie theater it will be 5 ftl at best. LCDs come second.
Plasmas are not so bright, but everything in the world is relative, although plasmas are still brighter than old ones CRT TVs... Plasmas are not "dim", but they are far from the brightness of LCD TVs.
The question is, do you need powerful brightness? In a dark room, 100 ftl will be painfully bright and can lead to eye strain. In a brightly lit room (during the day at sunlight), it will be difficult to see details on plasma.
Another aspect is the anti-reflective coating on the screen. On plasma with really good anti-reflective coating much more can be seen than on an uncoated glossy LCD TV (and vice versa).
Black level
Winner: Plasma
Loser: LCD
Second place: LED
LED and LCD are catching up, but still have plasma best levels black. Yes, LED TVs can have a completely black level (by turning off the LEDs), but when you watch a movie, the plasma will appear darker. It has to do with contrast ...
Contrast
Winner: Plasma
Loser: LCD
Second place: LED
Contrast, or the ratio between the darkest and brightest parts of an image, is one of the most important factors. A high-contrast TV will appear more realistic and have more virtual "depth" of the picture.
There are three exceptions. High-end LED TVs (manufactured by Sharp) have advanced local backlight dimming, which makes their contrast identical to plasma, but they are much more expensive. Sony's HX950 series also has local dimming, but it hasn't received much praise from the experts. LG's 55LM9600 is even worse.
There are some technologies that can offer even better contrast ratios. One of the most interesting is OLED.
Viewing angle
Winner: Plasma
Loser: LCD / LED
Second place: IPS LCD (see text)
How big is your room? Do you or your loved ones have to sit aside and watch TV from an angle? If so, it is important to note that LCD and LED TVs lose image quality when viewed from an angle rather than directly in front of the screen.
If you have a small room and a small sofa, don't worry about it.
Somewhere in the middle are IPS (In-Plane Switching) LCD TVs, which offer the best viewing angle due to overall contrast and black levels.
power usage
Winner: LED
Loser: Plasma
Second place: LCD
LED TVs have the lowest power consumption, especially when you turn off the backlight. LCDs come second.
Plasmas, especially when you adjust contrast, are not as energy efficient, but they are much better in this aspect than they were a few years ago.
If you want to save on energy with LED TVs and get the difference back, then this is not possible. Because LED TVs are much more expensive than other TVs and it will take you years to get that difference back, you can save roughly $ 100 on electricity annually!
Price
Winner: ZhK
Loser: LED
Second place: Plasma
LCD TVs are the cheapest TV sets on the market.
As mentioned earlier, LED technology is a top offering from many companies.
Plasmas usually have an optimal size / price ratio. In some cases, plasma can cost half as much as a similar sized LED TV.
Life time
Numerous studies from various sources have led us to the conclusion that LCD TVs are extremely reliable. But in fact, it all depends on the manufacturer's company and of course on the operating conditions
Uniformity
Winner: Plasma
Loser: LCD / LED
Uniformity or consistent brightness of the image is not too much important factor when choosing, but we will still consider it.
Plasmas can have problems with uniformity, but they occur and are much less common than others. LED TVs are the worst offenders, although cheap LCDs have problems. In many cases, uniformity can vary from sample to sample. So your TV may have good uniformity, but the neighbor you recommend this model to may hate you.
And the winner is ...
Having made this difference between plasma and LCD (LCD) and LED, we cannot say with 100% certainty that one TV is better than the other two, because all the aspects that we compared are important. For example, for one person, brightness is most important, for another, black levels are above everything else. These two aspects are, at the moment, mutually exclusive.
When choosing a TV, you need to think very hard. It is important to choose good tv, but is it worth overpaying for technology? Today, we will deal with this. The subject of our article is the difference between LED TVs and liquid crystal monitors. So how is LED different from LCD? Let's take a look at how each technology works.
Liquid crystal monitors
The technology is built, as the name implies, on liquid crystals. But they are not the only ones that give us a beautiful image. There are also two polarized clear plates. A layer of liquid crystals is located between them. On each of the plates there are electrodes that supply current to each cell of the matrix. The light beam passes through this structure and turns, as a result of the operation of the polarizer, 90 degrees. There is also a light filter and a backlight lamp. In other words, the main difference between LCD and LED is the principle of crystal backlighting - in the first, we are dealing with a fluorescent lamp, and in the second, economical LEDs work.
LED TVs
When we talk about LED technology, we mean the same liquid crystal monitor, only LED technology is much more modern. The main difference is in the way the crystals are illuminated. LED technology uses LED backlighting. With the help of LEDs, it became possible to improve 4 image parameters - these are brightness, contrast, image clarity and color range... Also, a very important factor, suggesting tangible differences, is that LED backlighting allows you to illuminate crystals as evenly as possible. This is necessary to obtain completeness of perception when viewing scenes with initially low contrast ratios. What's more, LED TVs have been proven to work much more economically than LCDs. This is justified by the fact that LEDs consume little energy and are able to maintain their characteristics much longer than conventional LCD lamps.
How LCD differs from LED: summary
LED TV technology may soon supplant LCD panels as they work much more efficiently and more economically. As a result, having bought an LED TV, we get big energy savings and a much better picture on the screen. Although the differences between the two TVs are very small. Only in the way of lighting. It is worth considering the fact that modern films are created for the most modern technologiesso for the full experience it is best to watch any movie on LED TVs.
By choosing modern TV, the buyer faces a lot of questions, including what is the difference between LCD and LED TVs. Indeed, at first glance, these flat TV panels are no different. And the technology is the same in them - LCD matrixconsisting of two plates. Liquid crystals located between them, under the action of an electric current, like a camera shutter, transmit or block light. Depending on the level of the applied voltage, an image is formed on the screen. However, they have their own characteristics, allowing you to determine which one is better.
Functions of modern TV
Before proceeding to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these types of televisions, it is worth determining the importance of modern television equipment. The variety of models allows meeting different user needs. Today TVs act in different capacities.
Before buying a TV, you should first of all decide what needs it should satisfy. If we consider the price criterion, LCD models will be slightly cheaper than similar LED TVs. But is it worth saving in this case, and how are these TVs fundamentally different?
Features of LCD TVs
As already noted, LCD TVs are based on multilayer structure (glass plates with polarizing filters and a layer of liquid crystals). Light from sources - in this case, thin cold cathode fluorescent lamps, which are located behind the matrix, passes through the LCD grating. It consists of many cells, each of which, depending on the voltage, passes a different amount of light (polarization). Thus, due to the combination of primary colors (green, red and blue), a picture is formed on the screen.
The LCD grille needs backlighting, which is what LCD and LED models differ in.
When LCD TV appeared on the market, they immediately gained consumer confidence. Their advantages over previous types of TVs were obvious:
- narrow TV panels that are easy to mount on a wall or ceiling;
- low power consumption (specific figures are given in the article about);
- no flickering and static screen voltage;
- correct geometry of the image;
- full HD resolution support.
Features of LED TVs
Thanks to the good work of marketers, it is positioned as innovative. Although, in fact, this is all just a type of LCD TV, which is distinguished by backlighting. More advanced RGB LEDs are used as light sources. Today LED TV is the most popular and demanded model. They use two types of backlighting: Direct LED and Edge LED.
In the first case, the LEDs are located right behind the matrixlike lamps in LCD models. In the second, the backlight is located from the edges of the screen and is evenly distributed thanks to a special diffusing film. Depending on the diagonal, the LEDs can be installed on one side or on two. In models with a large diagonal, the backlight can be installed around the entire perimeter.
Direct LED technology avoids side light and uses Local Dimming technology. At the same time, the side-type Edge LED is more energy efficient and allows the creation of models less than a centimeter thick.
The main advantages of LED TVs:
- light weight and slim body;
- clear, high-contrast picture with rich color reproduction;
- volumetric and realistic image, without distortion;
- the premium models use Local Dimming, which greatly improves picture quality.
What is the Difference Between LCD and LED
- In LED models, due to the absence of lamps, no mercury used... This makes them environmentally friendly and safe for disposal.
- LEDs are more energy efficient than lamps. According to statistics, such light sources can save up to 40% of the electricity used to operate the TV.
- LCD TVs are not always inferior to updated models. For example, they outperform some budget LED devices. Due to the cheaper technology, they have difficulties with diode control.
- Opportunity even distribution of LEDs only Direct LED backlight provides - these are the models that outperform conventional LCDs. Local dimming, which gives a certain advantage to LED models, is not possible with Edge technology.
- For video games, both devices support modern game consoles and prefixes.
- LED also outperforms LCD in terms of service life, since fluorescent lamps burn out faster during service. Thanks to RGB LEDs color accuracy LEDs last much longer.
What is the best TV? Of course, LED models outperform LCD. But the image quality depends not only on the type of backlighting, it should not be a decisive factor. It is also important to pay attention to additional technologies that affect the video signal. Therefore, some models of LCD TVs with CCFL lamps with a good video processor may well compete with LED TVs.
Many modern flat-screen TVs are called "plasma", making mistakes in 9 cases out of 10. Gas-discharge technologies, on the basis of which plasma TVs work, are rare in ordinary people... For all its merits, this is an expensive solution. Models built using liquid crystal modules are more often purchased. They cost an order of magnitude less, while not inferior in most parameters
It is about LCD monitors that will be discussed below. They come in two flavors: LCD and LED. The difference in technical performance is not as significant as it seems at first glance.
Let's expand on this issue in more detail.
Why can't you compare
In fact, it is impossible to compare LED and LCD. Since the first abbreviation stands for a variation of the device group designated by the second. It's the same as asking which is better - a car or a BMW.
Nevertheless, this is how citizens are used to sharing LCD monitors. Therefore, further, speaking "LED" we will mean this technology, and refer to "LCD" all other models of liquid crystal devices.
LCD structure
It makes no sense to go deeply into the principle of operation of liquid crystal equipment: it will be difficult for an unprepared reader to navigate in all the intricacies. Within the framework of the article, it is enough only to briefly mention the device of the liquid crystal panel.
To put it simply, an LCD is two transparent plates broken down into tiny cells. Each of these capsules is filled with a special substance - liquid crystal. The interior is covered with RGB color filters: red, blue or green. Each screen pixel includes three cells with inserts different colors.
Liquid crystalline substance has an amazing property. If you pass through it electricity, it becomes translucent, remaining opaque in its normal state. Thus, if you illuminate the assembly from the inside, you can build a combination of multi-colored dots that collectively represent an image.
What is the difference between LED and LCD? Only in the way of implementing the backlight.
LCD technology
A conventional LCD backlight is a simple cold-light fluorescent lamp installed in a monitor cabinet in front of the display.
This lighting allows you to create a palette of different colors. Power consumption with electroluminescent backlighting is relatively low, but it requires a source alternating current high frequency. Converters for the functioning of the light source consume an average of 25 watts per hour.
LCD longevity (halving the initial brightness) is about 5 thousand hours, which is affected by the set luminescence intensity.
LED technology
This backlight is made from a group of bright LEDs. For models with a small matrix size, tapes with built-in emitters are installed on only one side (most often on the side). In large-format devices, LEDs are installed over the entire display area.
The technical functioning of the LED can be provided from a 5V voltage source without the use of converters. This solution consumes a minimum of energy and can be used in compact portable devices.
To adjust the brightness of the glow, pulse-width modulators are used.
Which monitor type should you choose?
LED vs LCD: which is better? Definitely, lED lightening LCD matrices are preferred. Semiconductors are superior in many ways. Let's list the main ones.
- Low power consumption... LEDs do not need additional converters for power supply. The current limiter is the only power-consuming component in the circuit. The backlight consumption, even on screens with a diagonal of 46+ cm, never exceeds 10 watts, for standard household models - 3-5 watts.
- Durability... The service life of LED is 50 thousand hours. At the same time, replacing LED strips is a simple and cheap procedure, repairs are quick and do not involve serious costs.
- Overall dimensions... The diminutiveness of semiconductor devices allows you to make a monitor with a truly "flat" display. In a number of devices (for example, laptops), this is an irreplaceable solution.
- Color quality... The difference between LED and LCD lies in the fact that in the case of LEDs, it is possible to distribute the backlight evenly around the perimeter of the screen. This improves the contrast and saturation of the image. In addition, by changing the brightness of the luminescence of individual sections of the display, the problem of local dimming is solved.
Monitors and displays with LED backlighting are slightly more expensive, but the difference is not that significant. Choosing such a brand is an excellent compromise between price and performance. Effective, with a bright "live" picture, ergonomic and reliable: the main qualities of a "correct" TV.
LCD technology is a thing of the past, many manufacturers have already stopped serial production devices with fluorescent lamps. The future belongs to semiconductor emitters.
In order to answer the question, how does LCD differ from LED, it is necessary to say a few words about the technology of LCD displays itself. LCD, you guessed it, is short for Liquid Crystal Display - liquid crystal display. Thus, it becomes clear that LCD and the more well-known popular name LCD are one and the same. To understand the difference between LED and LCD, it is worth taking a closer look at the LCD technology.
1. Differences between LCD and LED
As mentioned above, LCD is a technology for manufacturing liquid crystal screens. The essence of the technology is the use of liquid crystal molecules, which are located between the layers of the matrix. These molecules are able to change their position, depending on the strength of the electric field, thereby refracting light at different angles. In other words, liquid crystals are a kind of light filter that, depending on the voltage, blocks or passes one of the primary colors.
The first LCD TVs used fluorescent lamps as the light source. However, this solution did not allow the production of large screens with good quality image, since it was impossible to achieve an even distribution of light. It is because of this that new system lighting - LED.
LED is a technology for illuminating molecules of crystals. It is economical and efficient. LEDs in LED backlighting provide brighter and more uniform light.
In addition, due to the compactness of such a system, it became possible to implement several options for implementing LED backlighting:
- Side lighting;
- Illumination along the entire perimeter (top and bottom, as well as on the sides);
- Back light.
Thus, it becomes clear that there is no difference between LCD and LED, since LED is a method of backlighting in LCD screen... It is not correct to say that there is some difference between LCD and LED, since these are two components of one technology.
Due to inappropriate marketing advertising, many believe there is a difference between LED and LCD TVs. But as mentioned above, there is no difference. All things considered, there is no difference between LCD and LED. The difference may be in the way the lighting is implemented in LED displays. Today there are two options:
- LED - LED backlight;
- Fluorescent backlight.
The second method is already considered obsolete, although TVs with fluorescent backlighting can still be found in stores. Their advantage is their low cost.
2.LED backlight
LED backlighting was developed and introduced relatively recently. Its main advantage is bright and even illumination, as well as economical energy consumption. Thanks to LED technology for illuminating molecules of crystals in LCD displays, it is possible to achieve uniform illumination of even large screens. Thanks to different design solutions for the implementation of LED backlighting, manufacturers were able to produce large LCD TVsthat are of high quality that rivals small displays.
Nowadays, thanks to LED technology, LCD TVs are not inferior in quality to their direct competitors - plasma panels... In some parameters, LCD TVs are even superior to plasma. For example, an LCD display has a longer life, that is, it is more durable.
Another advantage of LED backlighting is its high flicker rate. Few people know that the frequency of 100 Hz, which we cannot see, affects the organs of vision, and even the human psyche. First of all, this is expressed in the feeling of eye fatigue, as well as in general fatigue with prolonged TV viewing. LEDs in LED backlighting have a blinking frequency of 480 Hz, which is absolutely harmless and has no negative impact on humans. In addition, this frequency improves the image quality.
Modern LCD TVs with LED backlighting, due to their obvious and indisputable advantages, are in the greatest demand among buyers all over the world. They are more economical and durable.
3. TFT / LCD monitor: Video
