How it Works

• LCD stands for "Liquid Crystal Display." These liquid crystals are clustered together between two pieces of polarized glass. Utilizing an electric field around the glass, the crystals are aligned to allow light to pass through them. The crystals themselves do not produce the light. A backlighting system is present in all LCD HDTVs, which produces the light that is passed through the crystal alignments. This light is what creates the image that the viewer sees.
  
  

History

• While experimenting on carrots, Friedrich Reinitzer discovered liquid crystalline in 1888. In 1964, George H. Heilmeier found that passing a current through the liquid crystalline would turn the substance into a muddled color. He was credited with the invention of LCD and the first working LCD monitor was created in 1972. Today, LCD TV's comprise over fifty percent of the television market.
  
  

Strengths

• LCD HDTVs can be built cheaply in a variety of sizes. The smallest LCD HDTV measures 1.8 inches, whereas the largest LCD HDTV measures at 108 inches. With such a range, LCD HDTVs can be installed in anything from the normal home theater to automobile headrests.
  
  Another strength is the LCD HDTV's ability to perform in varying weather conditions. This makes them the universal choice for displays on airplanes due to their ability to withstand the pressure and altitude.
  
  LCD HDTVs are also more energy efficient than their Plasma HDTV counterpart. This is due to the fact that the energy needed to excite the crystals into their proper alignment is less than that of a plasma television.
  
  

Uses

• Because of the diversity of LCD HDTVs, they have a variety of uses. LCD HDTVs are now integrated not only as television monitors, but are the primary display for both desktop and laptop computers. LCD TVs often have a VGA input which is the primary PC connection. This means that your LCD HDTV can also be used as a computer monitor.
  
  

Limitations

• LCD HDTVs are not without their limitations. Starting with the screen itself, most LCD HDTVs do not have a glass screen. This makes them susceptible to damage to the coating and dead pixels if the screen is touched. Another problem with LCDs is their relatively narrow viewing area. Viewers need to be directly in front of the screen to witness the full viewing potential of the images displayed. A considerable drop off of viewing ability will occur as the angle from center increases.
  
  Contrast ratio is also a concern. The ability of the LCD HDTV to produce the color black is not as high as its plasma competitor.
  
  Finally, LCD's have longer refresh rates than plasma HDTVs. This can create "ghosting" in fast moving scenes. "Ghosting" is a blurring that occurs when the scene has changed but the television display has not caught up yet.