Describes the basics of television screens and the differences in four main television screen types.
Black level describes the ability a television has to produce the color black. The presence of black produces sharper images. Newer technologies have not yet achieved the black level that is present in traditional television technology.
Many people have trouble with glare when watching their television. Glare occurs when light is reflected onto the screen and back to the viewer. Glare is a common problem in traditional tube televisions, because these televisions have curved glass. Newer flat-screen versions are available that almost completely eliminate glare.
Today there are several different types of televisions on the market. The least expensive and most common television is still the traditional tube television, or CRT TV. These televisions use a cathode ray to paint the screen with the picture. CRT TVs feature a curved glass screen, which offers a wide viewing angle, but often produces glare. CRT TVs still present the best black level and will most likely produce a quality image for several years. The most common problem with CRT TVs is their bulkiness and their limited screen size.
Televisions with plasma screens are of newer technology and can be very expensive. Plasma televisions are available in a wide variety of screen sizes, including the extremely large. The greatest advantage of plasma televisions is their versatility. These models have a slim profile of about three inches. They can be mounted on the wall or ceiling, or placed on a stand. Even the plasma televisions with the largest screen size take up a relatively small amount of space. Plasma televisions still have prominent flaws. You can expect to see the picture quality fade after only a couple of years, and plasma televisions have difficulty producing black level, so images are not as sharp as they would be with traditional televisions.
Liquid Crystal Display, or LCD, televisions are similar to plasma televisions. These models are also fairly expensive, but they are becoming more affordable. LCD televisions also have problems with black level, but you can expect at least five or so years of good picture quality with LCD televisions. These models have a very slim profile of only two inches. However, LCD televisions do not have a wide variety of screen sizes.
Rear projection televisions, or RPTVs, are the traditional big screen televisions. RPTVs have the largest screen size for more affordable prices than plasma or LCD televisions. RPTVs offer excellent picture quality and black level. However, RPTVs are very bulky in size. These models cannot be viewed properly in bright light or from various angles. RPTVs can also be more difficult to maintain over the years.
