Walk into any electronics multibranded or even an exclusive store, and you are bound to notice the various sizes of flat panels mounted on the walls.
In all probability, the picture and the surround-sound quality of these sleek-looking , wall-mounted devices is bound to stop you in your tracks. Of course, then you look at the price tags.
When looking for a LCD display, a screen size of 26 inches or above should be the starting point. An LCD display smaller than 26 inches is not a good investment because the price/performance ratio is not good enough.
Availability of high-definition delivery devices like DVD players and direct-to-homeservices have played a critical role in the growth of flat panels.
Quite expectedly, digital transmission service providers like Tata Sky, Dish TV and now implementation of CAS (conditional access system) is bound to improve the quality of content delivered to the TV screen.
In the US, major TV channels are already broadcasting in high definition television via cable and satellite - Fox and ABC are the best-known examples. The experience of seeing HDTV in person is like putting glasses on for the first time and finally being able to see things clearly.
Size matters When looking for a LCD display, keep in mind the wall it will be mounted on. With prices beginning at around Rs 25,000, names like JVC, Panasonic, Videocon, Sharp, ViewSonic, LG, NEC should be safe bets for those who do not want to burn a hole in their pockets this season.
A 26-inch wide-format LCD screen generally packs in four stereo speakersthat produce a total of 20 watts of audio output for a full, rich surround sound effect.
The discussion moves to 30-32 inch television sets that offer a larger display area, where Samsung and Sony are clearly the winners. A price tag of Rs 50,000 (maybe upwards) might make you take a pause, a home theatre like experience comes at a price. Samsung's Bordeaux, Mosel, Sonoma series are pitted against Sony's Bravia X,V and S series.
In the same price range, Samsung LNR328W, a 32-inch display gives sharp and highly detailed images on screen complete with lively colours and a response time that keeps pace with the speed of video games too. The LNR328W can be viewed from basically anywhere in the room, as its viewing angle is 170 degrees both horizontally and vertically.
An HD receiver is required for full high-definition viewing on this set.
The Philips 37PF9731 is another mid-sized (37-inched) LCD screen which combines solid picture quality with an innovative lighting system and rich multimedia capability.
As with most premium products of its caliber, the panel does not come cheap at approximately Rs 60,000 but it is worthy enough to be noticed.
When it comes to onboard multimedia playback, the Philips' implementation has a definite edge over the competition in terms of connectivity and format compatibility.
The in-built twin USB ports support portable media players, digicams and thumbdrives, while its 8-in-2 card reader is compatible with compactflash, secure digital and memory stick, among others.
Sony's Bravia X series (the lifestyle panels) claim to deliver an unprecedented degree of detail and clarity that can take television viewing to a completely new level and that's close. For all the attention on aesthetics, it's comforting to know that usability is not compromised.
This full high definition Bravia X series includes two models in screen sizes of 46 inch (KLV-46X200A) and 40 inch (KLV-40X200A) priced at Rs 2,69,900 and Rs 1,99,900 respectively and one expects performance and elegance at this price range.
It is shipped with the latest iteration of the Japanese company's proprietary Bravia picture-processing engine and a real-time light sensor. Great features when considering a home theatre set up and don't count your pennies here.
