Currently Sony, LG, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips, Sharp are the bigger brands in the LCD TV market. Even computer monitor manufacturers like Dell and Gateway have made a foray into the LCD TV market. But a big brand name does not ensure that the TV is the best. Even reputed companies purchase monitors and other parts from other countries to save on costs. This affects the overall quality of the TV. It is essential to check out the TV while it is in the showroom before buying.

One thing to consider is the aspect ratio. Some widescreen LCD TVs boast of an aspect ratio of 16 to 9. However, believing blindly in this could be a mistake. Some screens just stretch the image to fit the screen. In doing so, the images become jagged and washed out. Best LCD TVs are those that can retain their resolutions even when the image is stretched to fit a 16 to 9 screen. Trust your eyes to judge that.

Another thing is the viewing angle. LCD TVs were big duds earlier regarding their viewing angles. Due to the pixel twisting principle of liquid crystal display monitors, LCD visuals would be almost invisible from more obtuse angles. But now, this problem is diminishing rapidly. Contemporary LCD TVs have viewing angles as obtuse as 160 degrees.
LCD TVs are available in three varieties: standard definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED) and high definition (HD). High definition TVs are the best as they can be used both as computer monitors as well as regular TVs as they can produce both digital as well as analog signals. These TVs have higher freeze rates and so they can better reproduce moving visuals.

These are basically the important features to check while considering a good LCD TV. Best LCD TVs could be those that have all the above features along with sleekness in design, lightness of weight and easy button controls.

When LCD TVs were first introduced, their major competition was the plasma TV. LCD and plasma televisions coexist and compete even today. Each has its own merits and demerits. LCD TVs cannot produce as much color or contrast as plasma TVs, but their overall picture quality remains better than a plasma TV. They can produce better resolution per square inch of their surface than a plasma TV.

Initially LCD TVs suffered from problems related to viewing angles. They could not be viewed from extreme horizontal angles. But now, LCD TVs are so designed that even at angles as wide as 160 degrees, they can be viewed with clarity.

The brand leaders in the LCD TV market are Sharp, Sony, Philips and LG. Sharp TVs have been consistently the best and they provide the best black to white ratio. Early LCD TVs were designed in a small screen format, but today they are available in screens as wide as 52 inches or even more. However, smaller screens can provide better picture clarity than wide screens.

LCD TVs can also be used as computer monitors. In fact, the technology was originally designed to manufacture laptop monitors. High definition LCD televisions are SVGA adaptable and they can be used to enjoy extreme graphic games on monitors.

The basic advantage of LCD televisions is their flatness. Even a widescreen LCD TV will be no more than a couple of inches thick. This also makes them lightweight. LCD TVs can therefore be fixed to wall mounts with supports. Due to this reason, one finds LCD TVs in hotels, airports, hospitals, discotheques, bars and wherever TVs can be mounted.
LCD TVs are the most expensive television technologies in the market. Their problems are diminishing, as more and more companies are spending millions of dollars on researching better technology. It won’t be long before prices spiral down and they become the best value for television technologies.