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LCD TV Size

Related Guides: 3D TVs, Blu Ray Players and Home Theater
You might think the bigger the TV, the better, regardless of the room where the TV will live. Not so. There's a minimum and maximum recommended viewing distance for LCD TVs, regardless of price, which should factor into your decision about your LCD TV size. CNET's TV buying guide puts that distance at roughly 1.5 times the screen's diagonal measurement. For example, the recommended minimum viewing distance for a 26-inch sized LCD TV like the ViewSonic VT2730 is 3.3 feet and the maximum is 6.5 feet (perfect for a bedroom, kitchen, or small living room); for a 42-inch sized LCD TV like the Vizio E3D420VX or LG 42LK450, the respective distances are 5.3 and 10.5 feet (just right for an average-size living room or playroom). If you sit too close to an LCD TV, the image will appear distorted and grainy. Sit too far away, and you'll start to lose that immersive "widescreen feel," which is why you're buying a high-definition LCD TV in the first place.

A related factor is the aspect ratio, which is the ratio of the TV's width to its height. Old tube-type TVs have a 4:3 aspect ratio. If you've ever watched a widescreen movie on such a set, you probably noticed the black bars above and below the image, which preserve the widescreen effect. The newest crop of TVs -- even small 26- and 32-inch sized LCD TVs -- are already widescreen displays and feature a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is much closer to the aspect ratio of feature films and eliminates the need for black bars when watching widescreen DVDs. (The only exception is when the DVD displays a wider than normal aspect ratio, such as 2.35:1, but most don't.) Note, though, that standard definition programming (there is some left) is still displayed in the old 4:3 aspect ratio, so you'll see black bars to the right and left of the picture when watching such broadcasts.

LCD TV Inputs.

The whole point of buying a widescreen LCD TV, even a budget model, is to get top-drawer picture quality. In order to do that, you need high-quality inputs when transferring video signals to your TV from other devices, like a DVD player, Blu-ray player, or console game system. Most cheap LCD TVs feature several types of inputs and outputs. The highest quality input supported by cheap LCD TVs is the HDMI input, which supports both high-definition video and audio signals. The better low-cost models have at least three HDMI connectors, as do the Vizio E3D420VX, ViewSonic VT2730, Sony NSX-32GT1, and LG 42LK450; others, such as the Westinghouse SK-26H640G, feature two. If you have a Blu-ray player, you'll want to connect it to the TV using an HDMI cable in order to experience the highest video quality the player has to offer.

After HDMI, the next best quality video input is a component input. Component inputs should be color-coded red, green, and blue on the back of the TV. Most inexpensive LCD TVs have one or two sets of component inputs. If you use a game system or an older DVD player that doesn't support HDMI, connect to the LCD TV with the component inputs instead. You should also be able to connect the LCD TV to a PC; almost all cheap LCD TVs (including those we researched) have a PC input for connecting to a widescreen display.

Budget LCDs may also have S-video and composite inputs for connecting to older devices, such as a VCR. The video quality of these inputs is pretty low, however, so try to avoid connecting newer equipment using these inputs. An inexpensive LCD TV should also have one or more additional audio outputs so you can connect to an external stereo system for better sound or to create a home theater. Among the budget LCD TVs on our list, only the ViewSonic VT2730 lacks an audio output.

LCD TV Frills.

Although the best cheap LCD TVs provide decent images, we learned from our research that experts and consumers generally aren't impressed with the sound. Indeed, reviews indicate that the cheapest LCD TVs are notorious for bad audio quality. This shouldn't be surprising, really, given that there's not much room in a thin TV case to fit high-quality speakers, which in any event would increase the cost. So audio is one area where manufacturers tend to skimp.

LCD TVs in the budget segment feature a pair of small 5- or 10-watt speakers that generally sound tinny. At higher volumes the sound can be quite distorted. For example, reviews posted on Amazon ding the audio on the Sony NSX-32GT1and other consumers posting on Amazon are equally critical about the sound emanating from the pricier Sharp LC-40LE810UN.

The extra features that really grab consumers are Internet connectivity and support for Internet widgets. Tech Review Source likes the many Internet options the Vizio E3D420VX offers, such as widgets for Netflix, HuluPlus, Fandango, and Facebook, and CNET says the built-in Wi-Fi works well.

Sony's NSX-32GT1, a.k.a. the "Google" TV, sports built-in support for Android TV apps and lets you surf the Internet while watching a TV show in a small window on the screen. Consumers posting on Amazon clearly enjoy the Web functionality, but this emerging technology has its limitations, at least for now. Content sources such as Vudu, Blockbuster on Demand, and some networks are not available, and experts at Sound and Vision Mag say the Netflix interface needs an upgrade that would let you search and add to your content queue through the widget. Moreover, reviewers say it pays to be tech-savvy to get the most from this package.

The Philips 40PFL5706 boasts a MediaConnect feature that lets you wirelessly connect to a laptop. Consumers like being able to view the contents of their laptops on a TV monitor, although doing so requires first downloading special software. This model also supports access to Facebook, Twitter, Blockbuster, Netflix, Pandora, and Vudu.

And finally, all the models we researched except for the Philips 40PFL5706 are Energy-Star certified.

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Sharp LC-40LE810UN
Sony Bravia XBR-55HX929
Westinghouse SK-26H640G
Philips 40PFL5706
Sony NSX-32GT1
LG 42LK450
Vizio E3D420VX
ViewSonic VT2730

Sony Bravia EX500
Vizio E420VL
Sony Bravia EX400
LG LD450

 

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