LED TV Buying Guide

LED (Light Emitting Diode) backlighting is all the rage in the manufacture of LCD televisions these days. Though technically they are still LCD TVs, the term LED TV is being used to describe these new models. There are different LED backlighting models available. Some LED Tvs are using what is termed "local dimming" which is a panel of LED lights behind the screen that can be controlled individually or in banks to improve the contrast capabilities of the TV. Others are using LED edge lighting which is banks of LEDs around the edge of the screen, this allows for some amazingly thin LED TVs. Check back here for more of our LED TV content as we publish it.

LG 47LE8500 Review

The LE8500 is loaded with extra features and striking good looks. It is the next to highest end TV produced by LG for 2010 falling just below the LE9500 which has the simulated 480Hz rate that I cant imagine makes much difference. We enjoyed testing this high end offering and comment on Picture quality characteristics and almost all of the various features, value and overall ratings in the full review.. See the review for Picture, Value and Overall ratings as well a calibration settings.

Samsung UN55C7000 Review

With color information both light and dark appearing so deeply saturated, contrast effect is excellent. Blacks appear inky and sometimes lose dark shadow detail. White light sometimes is distractingly too bright. Contrast appears more intense on the screen than the average of 191:1 post calibration ANSI checkerboard pattern contrast that we measured See the review for Picture, Value and Overall ratings as well a calibration settings.

LED TV Problems, Issues and Concerns

For most high end LCD televisions LED back lighting has replaced fluorescent back lighting. While this is a positive change in most cases LED back lighting is not without it's own set of problems. There are two kinds of LED back lighting. Edge lighting, which has LED lighting around the edge of the panel, and local dimming, which uses banks of LED lights behind the screen that can be controlled individually. Read More...

Global LED TV Shipments Expected to Top 31.6 Million in 2010

LED Backlit LCD television's popularity is continuing to rise. With more top tier manufacturers making more LED TV lines and more sizes 2010 is expected to be a banner year for LED based televisions with more than 31 million units expected to ship. Read more on 3D LED vs 3D LCD

LED TV vs. LCD TV

Traditional LCDs have used some form of flourescent lighting from tubes to much more advanced flat arrays of lights. LED TVs use Light Emitting Diodes to light the LCD panel. Just as there are different styles of flourescent lights in traditional LCDs there are also different styles of LED backlighting. There are LED TVs like the Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8 that have a panel of LED lights behind the LCD panel. In the Sony the LEDs are tri-colored and can be controlled in banks for an effect called "local dimming". This allows darker areas of the picture to have the backlighting dimmed behind them resulting in better contrast and black levels. In the Luxia line of Samsung LED TVs, the LED lights are surrounding the edge of the panel. Read more on LED vs LCD TV

LED TV vs. Plasma

LED back lighting is changing how view LCD as a television technology. While much of the display technology remains the same the changes warrant another look at how this new type of LCD stacks up against it's flat panel rival, plasma television.Read more on LED vs Plasma

3D LED TV vs. 3D LCD TV

One of the major differences between the older technology CFL backlit (flourescent) LCD TVs with 3D compatibility and those with LED backlighting is that there just will not be as many of them. Manufacturers of all stripes are choosing to present the 3-D ready feature as a premium feature for 2010 and this means that it will be included on their higher priced premium TV models. Read more on 3D LED vs 3D LCD

LED TV Local Dimming Backlighting vs. LED TV Edge lit Backlighting; Which is Better?

LED backlighting is taking over in LCD televisions, it provides better color and contrast and improved energy usage over CFL. Which of the two styles of LED back lighting is better? Read on to find out. Read more on 3D LED vs 3D LCD

LED TV Technology Pros and Cons

• The viewing angle on LCD Televisions with LED back lighting has improved dramatically to plasma-like levels of 75 degrees with no contrast level degradation on some of the best ones.
• The black levels on the best new LED TVs has improved to plasma like black levels while contrast levels still lag the best plasmas buy hundreds of post calibration points
• Brightness on LED based LCDs is better than the traditional flourescent bulbs

Read the rest of our LED TV pros and cons.

Samsung LED TV

The C9000 is the top of the line from Samsung, these LED TVs feature 240Hz refresh rates, LED backlighting, internet connectivity and anti-glare screens in a nearly 1" deep frame. Stepping down from the UNB8000 series is the C7000 series, these models offer many of the same features as the 8000's but feature a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung claims the "Eco-Friendly" C6500 series are more than 40% more energy efficient than other LCDs in their category.

• Samsung UN55C9000
• Samsung UN46C9000
• Samsung UN55C8000
• Samsung UN46C8000
• Samsung UN55C7000
• Samsung UN46C7000
• Samsung UN40C7000
• Samsung UN55C6500
• Samsung UN46C6500

Sony Bravia LED TV

Sony, like many other manufacturers, has launched many moe LED TV lines in 2010.

• Sony Bravia KDL-60EX700
• Sony Bravia KDL-52EX700
• Sony Bravia KDL-46EX700
• Sony Bravia KDL-40EX700
• Sony Bravia KDL-46EX600
• Sony Bravia KDL-40EX600
• Sony Bravia KDL-32EX600

Sharp LED TV

With the introduction of the LE700UN series, Sharp combines its AQUOS LCD panel technology with a newly developed, proprietary Full Array LED backlight system to create picture quality that is second to none. The LE700UN seires illustrates Sharp's LCD technology leadership while also demonstrating its LED engineering advantages. Sharp's Ultra Brilliant LED system illuminates the TV to extremely high brightness and contrast levels and enables significant environmental benefits such as longer life expectancy.

• Sharp Aquos LC-60LE820UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-60LE810UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-52LE820UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-52LE810UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-46LE820UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-46LE810UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-40LE820UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-40LE810UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-52LE700UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-46LE700UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-40LE700UN
• Sharp Aquos LC-32LE700UN

LG LED TV

The LH90 series is a line of high end LED TVs from LG for 2009. These TVs are 1080p panels that boast 240Hz TruMotion processing and are boasting 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The LH90 are another series of local dimming LED TVs where the indiviually adjustable backlighting enhances contrast and color over a normal backlight.

• LG 55LE9500
• LG 47LE9500
• LG 55LE8500
• LG 47LE8500
• LG 47LE5500
• LG 42LE5500
• LG 26LE5500
• LG 22LE5500
• LG 60LE5400
• LG 55LE5400
• LG 47LE5400
• LG 42LE5400
• LG 32LE5400
• LG 37LE5300
• LG 32LE5300
• LG 26LE5300
• LG 22LE5300
• LG 19LE5300

Toshiba LED TV

The ZV650 series Regza LCDs from Toshiba festue the new Deep Lagoon design. This series is available in 3 sizes at 42, 47 and 52 inch. All three sizes are LED backlit, 1080p, 120Hz panels and boast some of the new features Toshiba is pushing ths year. Clear Scan Advance Frame Technology is touted to use the LED backlighting to create a 240Hz refresh rate effect from a 120Hz panel.

• Toshiba Regza 52ZV650U
• Toshiba Regza 47ZV650U
• Toshiba Regza 42ZV650U
• Toshiba Regza 55SV670U
• Toshiba Regza 46SV670U

Vizio LED TV

New for 2010 Vizio introduces the XVTPRO series of LED TVs. This model is equipped with local dimming LED backlights and 480Hz picture processing. Vizio's proprietary Smart Dimming technology controls hundreds of individual LED zones to provide greater contrast and color management than regular LCD or edge-lit LED panels. Also added to these new Vizio TVs is wireless HDMI.

• Vizio XVTPRO720SV
• Vizio XVTPRO550SV
• Vizio XVTPRO470SV
• Vizio XVTPRO580CD Cinema Wide