Please help me choose - LCD vs LED!

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M@tthew

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I was about to pull the trigger on a 32" LCD when i saw an LED in similar price range.

1. Samsung LA-32C530 32" LCD TV
Resolution: 1080p pixel resolution (1920 x 1080)

2. Samsung UA-32C4000 32" LED TV
Resolution: 1,366 x 768

Used for gaming and watching TV.

Is it worth while sticking with the LCD (full HD), or would the LED be a better option? I'm going through tomorrow morning to pick one of them up so i'd appreciate any advice
 
thanks for the reply. Unfortunately they don't have the specific model of LCD tv on that site. I suppose my question is, would you prefer a 1080p LCD or a 720p LED 32" TV?
 
*sigh*, M@tthew, you're not seeing the woods for the trees; by which I mean it certainly appears you, well, have wood :rolleyes: for *cringe* "LED TV" that you see as superior to *sigh* "LCD TV". So let's get THE ONE THING THAT MATTERS (on this topic, there are others later on) straight: they are *BOTH* LCD panels, it's just how they're backlit that's different. Did you even read the first paragraph in that second link JCSM provided?
LED TV is a bit of a misnomer but as manufacturers and retailers continue to use the term, it makes it's way into the public conscience and is worth deliberating on the differences. LED televisions are really just LCD televisions that use LED lights for back lighting instead of the flourescent CFL lighting traditionally used for LCDs. Both employ the liquid crystal diode (LCD) technology front panel containing the “twisting crystals” which define LCD technology.
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You (really) should also read the LED-backlit LCD TV wiki-page which starts
A LED-backlight LCD television is an LCD TV that uses LED backlighting[1][2] rather than the cold cathode fluorescent lights (CCFLs) used in traditional LCD televisions. It is not a true LED display but is incorrectly called "LED TV" by some manufacturers. The use of LED backlighting has a dramatic impact, resulting in a thinner panel, less power consumption, and a brighter display with better contrast levels. It also generates less heat than an ordinary LCD TV
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So, your basic grounding out of the way, maybe NOW you are in a position to make an informed decision: do you
  • want a full-HD CCFL-lit LCD TV with, in contrast (see what I did there?) :cool:, to the alternative to your other choice all the resolution that's thicker, makes more heat and, other tech crap aside is just not as sexeh anymore?
  • want the sexeh LED-lit (and, the devil being in the details, lit HOW?) TV with the satan's-soul-at-midnight-down-a-mineshaft blacks ..but at the expense of resolution? Does the resolution even matter down at this screen size?
Happy digging into specs, and welcome to the obsessive digging for data that we the geek can't help but do ..which you'll come to appreciate the very first time you hear some *other* idjit prattling forth about a "LED TV":D
 
LOL :) Thanks both for the informed posts...

I am thinking that I might just need to do more reading...
 
Take the LCD one. LED isn't mature enough for you to waste money on it. I'm also planning on buying a TV so for the past 3 weeks I've been going to places like Game, Makro, Audio Vision, Pick 'n Pay, Hifi Corp, simply to look at the TV's and compare the different models, sizes, and brands. I'll tell you now. The only difference I noticed is that the LED's have darker blacks. The Samsung LCD's are the best I've seen and I hardly noticed a difference between their LED's and LCD's. Both look awesome. What you DON'T wanna do is buy a 1366x768 TV, when full HD looks way more sharper, especially with an HDMI cable.

What annoys me is that manufacturers are mostly, if not only, making side-lit LED's screens, whereas back-lit LED's offer much higher contrast ratios. They're instead focusing on making their TV as thin as paper, rather than improve the picture quality. LCD TV's are thin enough as it is.
 
MiyagiDono said:
Take the LCD one. LED isn't mature enough for you to waste money on it.

What annoys me is that manufacturers are mostly, if not only, making side-lit LED's screens, whereas back-lit LED's offer much higher contrast ratios.
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+1 on this.

Sent from my X10i using MyBroadband Android App
 
LCD.

Try save for Samsung 6 Series, will give you decent looking TV as TV usually looks cr*p on entry-mid range LCDs.

You should also investigate plasma if you watch lots of TV/sport.
 
PostmanPot said:
LCD.

Try save for Samsung 6 Series, will give you decent looking TV as TV usually looks cr*p on entry-mid range LCDs.

You should also investigate plasma if you watch lots of TV/sport.
Click to expand...

I was waiting for that :) and I agree.
I've got the Samsung 40" full HD lcd and sport (more specifically soccer) in SD looks k@k. However, everything else and by everything else I mean HD and full HD video looks absolutely stunning.
I say ignore the LED concept for now - unless you're willing to spend much more and get a 'proper' back-lit LED tv.
 
MartyMarts said:
I was waiting for that :) and I agree.
I've got the Samsung 40" full HD lcd and sport (more specifically soccer) in SD looks k@k. However, everything else and by everything else I mean HD and full HD video looks absolutely stunning.
I say ignore the LED concept for now - unless you're willing to spend much more and get a 'proper' back-lit LED tv.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

HD and FHD seems to look great on almost all screens. :)

I would still take plasma for HD/FHD sport.
 
For sport plasma HD rocks

To come back to original question. LED or LCD-LED whatever is better newer technology. On a 32 the difference if you do have a 1080i movie is barely noticeable. Why not going for the LED then?
 
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