Home Theater TV sets were of the same kind, using that old but reliable cathode-ray tube technology, simply referred to as CRT.That is no longer true. LCD display technology that has become so popular with laptop screens, is being used to a great effect in small to medium screen size televisions - up to about 46-inch.Larger screen sizes up to 55-inch are also readily available, but at these sizes, plasma HDTVs are still cheaper.

However is highly dependent on model and brand, while within the same brand, the price difference between sets of similar specs is just marginal. For example, the Samsung 55-inch LN55B650 LCD HDTV is selling at $2,500 - which is practically the same as that of the slightly bigger 58-inch Samsung PN58B650 plasma HDTV.Interesting is that the most targeted TV market segment by LCD TV makers is the 50 to 55 inch.With the latest affordable prices for medium to large flat panel TVs, 50-inch plus TV sets are turning out to be the real favorite screen size in home entertainment.It is a screen size that does provide a more immersive movie experience over smaller 40 to 46 inch sets with only a minimal increase in the invested capital.

Larger LCD HDTVs are also readily available. Way back in 2006, Samsung and Sony had already come up with the then largest LCD panel, an 82-inch prototype LCD TV. A year later, during CES2007, Sharp presented an LCD giant prototype that was 108-inch in diagonal - that's over 2.5m long.But it is not just prototypes that are available in massive sizes. LCDs up to 65-inch are available but you do not have the same choice when it comes to LCDs as instead is the case with plasma HDTVs. The only few 65-inch models we are aware of all come from Sharp, with the most affordable of these being the 65-inch LC-65D64U .The situation is somewhat different at the 55-inch where the market seems to have been flooded with various models from all major brands.

However, development in LCD flat-panel display technology does not imply only a bigger screen size at a lower price. During these last years, we have also seen a leap in overall picture performance of LCD HDTVs, with sets capable of improved screen uniformity, better off-angle viewing that is in excess of 170 degrees, deeper blacks, more accurate colors, higher refresh rates and improved LCD response times, high contrast ratios, and improved dynamic resolution.This is all apart from cleaner video processing, enhanced features, a thinner profile, and equally important, lower power consumption.And speaking of LCD display developments, one surely cannot leave out the latest LED LCD TVs using cutting-edge LED backlighting technology. Admittedly, LED TVs does not necessarily imply improved overall picture performance with respect to conventional CCFL-based LCDs - in particular if you are dealing with the latest trend in LED TVs - edge-lit LED LCDs. More expensive LCDs using LED backlights based on local dimming technology can do better here as further explained in our LCD display technology here.But even edge-lit LED TVs offer significant improvements with respect to conventional LCDs when it comes to the rendering of deep blacks, improved contrast ratios, improved power consumption that is some 40% less than that of conventional LCD TVs, and a 1-inch thick profile even for 55-inch LCD HDTVs.Mind you, nothing is perfect.

the latest Samsung edge-lit LED TVs reviewed on our site do suffer from what appears to be lack of screen uniformity and fluctuations in the backlight especially with the dynamic contrast activated. It is not that these Samsung LED TVs are worst than others; Sony's edge lit LED KLV-40ZX1M LED LCD television exhibits an even worse uniformity than the Samsung LED TVs. But at the prices LED TVs are selling, one expects something better.This is their real problem - these LED TV sets are relatively expensive. Expect to spend almost $1,000 more than corresponding conventional LCD HDTVs. The popular Samsung LN46B750 1080p LCD Television is selling at almost $2,000 as against the $2,990 of the Samsung UN46B7000 LED HDTV. And considering, the LED TV comes with 120Hz while the B750 comes with 240Hz refresh rate.