Games and high def movie downloads look great on HDTVs, but before you even walk into the shop, you'll have to choose between plasma and LCD. We've looked at the latest TVs in both technologies to make the decision easier for you.
 : HDTVs in the APC Labs |
So you want to get high definition TV at home? Forget about the battle over Blu-ray vs HD DVD -- the first decision you're going to have to make is whether to go with plasma or LCD.
There are many claims and counterclaims about the merits of each, so we decided to test out a selection of the latest plasma and LCD sets from companies such as Toshiba, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Philips, Grundig and Pioneer.
APC staff assessed the TVs over two weeks. Our challenge was to find objective tests that would settle the plasma vs LCD question once and for all.
While PCs can be tested against objective benchmarks, we found that a HDTV's picture is the result of a number of factors: the size and native resolution of the TV set, the resolution of the source content, and the effects of various picture-processing technologies adopted by individual TV makers. And of course, the eye of the viewer. So the testing involved a lot of staring at screens playing different types of content in a variety of lighting conditions.
In this month's APC magazine, we've published our verdict on where each technology works best. But on apcmag.com, we'll put the case for each and let you, the readers, come up with the verdict.
If you have a plasma or LCD HDTV tell us of your experience with its performance in the comments at the bottom of the Case for Plasma or the Case for LCD.
The faceoff
COMING UP IN OUR HDTV SPECIAL