The Pros and Cons of the Different Types of High Definition Televisions (HDTVs)

There are so many choices in types of technology used to display High Definition quality images that even choosing the right variation can be a challenge.

Below I have listed the types of HDTVs and included the Pros and Cons of each, along with helpful videos in choosing the best HDTV for you.

There are so many types of HDTVs available and they all have Pros and Cons. Below you will find the various types high definition televisions available, along with their respective Pros and Cons.

Most HDTVs are sold in the HDTVs sold in the widescreen 16:9 ratio screen display. All LCD and Plasma HDTVs are sold in widescreen formats.

The plasma televisions were invented in 1964. However, the plasma HDTVs of today are far beyond the plasma TVs of yesteryear.

Advances in plasma technology continue to be incorporated into consumer high definition televisions, providing almost life-like imagery.

PROS: Very thin and wall-mountable. The picture features high brightness and excellent image quality. High resolution with deep, saturated colors.

CONS: Very expensive, with a fairly shiny screen surface, and a potential for image burn-in. Some models use quite a bit of power and produce excessive heat. Image visibility suffers in brightly lit rooms. Limited lifespan.

LCD Technology has been around for many years. It is quite popular and is very widely used for computer monitors, cell phones, and other electronic devices.  There are many more companies selling LCD HDTVs than plasma HDTVs.

PROS: Thin, wall-mountable, high brightness, excellent picture quality, energy efficient, and an anti-reflective screen that eliminates most glare.

CONS: Expensive, possibility of motion blur with fast moving imagery. They are usually unable to render grays and deep blacks. LCD is known to have poor off-angle viewing and LED variations unfortunately do not yet improve on this issue.

An LED TV is simply an LCD TV that is back-lit with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of standard "cold-cathode fluorescent lights" (or CCFLs). LED back-lit LCDs have been in stores since 2007.

Images are projected from behind onto a screen. Rear-projection HDTVs became popular many years ago because of their larger size.

However, it has lost momentum of popularity as the picture quality cannot compete with newer technology. DLP and LCoS are forms of rear-projection.

PROS: Low cost and large screen size.

CONS: Large and very bulky. It does not have the best picture quality. They tend to have limited viewing angles. Image visibility suffers in brightly lit room. Lamp replacement required periodically.

DLP HDTV sets have become increasingly popular in the past few years. It is often referred to as “rear-projection done right”.

PROS: Large screen sizes, sharp picture, and good contrast.

CONS: Not as bright as other types, and can have an ugly rainbow effect. Image visibility suffers in brightly lit rooms. Lamp bulb replacement periodically required.

LCoS is the latest in rear-projection HDTV technology. It offers a very large screen and sharp images. Some experts believe that LCoS could surpass LCD in picture quality.

Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS or LCOS) is a "micro-projection" technology which is typically used in projection televisions. It uses liquid crystals instead of individual mirrors.

PROS: Large screen size, sharp and natural picture, and cheaper than LCD and Plasma.

CONS: Limited availability, and is unable to render deep blacks and grays. The warranty and service may be questionable.