How to Buy a LCD TV in 3 Easy Steps

I've got a confession to make. I love television. And I love big screen TVs. Especially the new flat panel models. Before you know it, everyone will forgo their traditional CRT television sets and own a LCD flat screen TV. This idea really isn't as strange as it sounds. LCD flat screen TVs are becoming more and more popular, and with good reason.

But, you may be wondering, what exactly is a flat screen TV? Flat screen TVs have displays only a few inches thick. This makes them attractive and extremely convenient. You can now hang this kind of TV on the wall, or place the set in thin areas. A LCD flat screen TV can save a lot of room in your home and look stylish doing so. However, there are a few things one should know before he or she buys a LCD flat screen TV.

1. LCD vs. Plasma.

What About Plasma TV?

Plasma TVs heavily rely on the fluorescent light bulb. A plasma flat screen display consists of cells. Inside each cell are two glass panels separated by a narrow gap. These gaps are injected with neon-xenon gas and sealed in plasma form. The gas is electrically charged when the plasma TV set is in use. The gas strikes red, green, and blue phosphors. This is what creates the TV image.

Because plasma TVs use the burning of phosphors to produce an image, they can suffer from the same drawbacks of traditional TVs, such as high heat generation and screen burn-in. Also, plasma TVs tend to be very expensive.

2. Learn about LCD TVs.

What to Know About a LCD Flat Screen TV

A LCD flat screen TV consists of primarily two transparent, glass-like materials, which are polarized, and "glued" together. One of the plates is coated with a polymer that holds the individual liquid crystals. Electric current is then passed through individual crystals. This allow the crystals to pass or block light to create images. Unlike plasma TVs, an external light source is needed.

LCD flat screen TV screens range from 15-inch models that are primarily used as computer monitors or secondary TVs, to 40-inch wide screen TVs. (Although Sharp makes a magnificent 65-inch flat screen TV in its Aquos brand lineup.)

3. Become a True Expert.

Know what you are talking about when you purchase your LCD TV. These pointers pale in comparison to the rest of the story. Learn all about LCD TVs today.

Amy Metz is author of “How to Shop For a LCD TV Shopping.” Get your copy at http://www.oklcdtv.com

Thanks To : vuepoint wall mount

The Quick Evolution of Television in the Past Few Years

Television technology marched forward aggressively in 2004 as high-definition television (HDTV) and various services for time-shifting programs made a push toward the mainstream. "Consumers will have more flexibility over what they watch and when they watch it," said Phillip Swann, president of TVPredictions.com. Swann pegged growing usage of HDTV, digital video recorders (DVRs) such as TiVo, and on-demand video service as the year's most important TV trends.

Although HDTV remained a prohibitively expensive proposition for most consumers, prices for the necessary equipment began to decline significantly in 2004, and the number of high-definition programs that were being offered grew. The telecasting of sports was a key factor in driving the growth, experts said. For example, Cox Cable in San Diego, Calif., saw its "take rate" for high-definition services jump 40% after San Diego Padres baseball games began to be offered in the new, more vivid format.

The use of DVRs, long predicted as the wave of TV's future, finally began to climb in 2004, largely because cable-TV operators began to offer them packaged inside their cable boxes. This arrangement was simpler than TiVo's, which typically required users to purchase and install a separate audio-video appliance. Independent industry analysts predicted that the number of DVR-equipped homes would explode from 7 million at the end of 2004 to some 30 million, or close to one-third of American households, within four years. Also popular were new video-on-demand cable-TV services, which allowed a user to call up an episode of HBO's The Sopranos, for example, from an on-screen menu and watch it immediately rather than wait for the show to appear on the regular HBO schedule. The two technologies together were forcing networks and advertising agencies to rethink the traditional 30-second TV advertisement.

On the basis of its tracking of DVR usage by its 800,000 customers, TiVo revealed that the most-watched Olympic moment was gymnast Paul Hamm's high-bar performance. The most-replayed Super Bowl moment was Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction." In October Nielsen Media Research, the company that provided the Nielsen ratings, began culling data on DVR use from 5,000-10,000 TiVo households that had agreed to participate. TiVo faced off against operators that provided cable and satellite services with DVR functions. Hollywood studios and the U.S. National Football League blocked TiVo from allowing its subscribers to transfer recorded shows to other devices, but TiVo and Netflix agreed to develop a service for customers to rent videos by downloading them through TiVo.

Microsoft Corp. unveiled MSN TV2, made by Thomson for RCA, which offered a subscription package that included MSN, NBC, Discovery Channel, and Fox Sports. At the same time, Microsoft introduced the new Windows XP Media Center software, which made it possible for a PC to function as a photo album, jukebox, DVD player, TV receiver, and DVR.

In August Toshiba introduced Qosmio, the first laptop integrated with audio and video features, DVD drive, TV tuner with a no-waiting TV mode, enhanced speakers, and near-TV-quality display. The Samsung MM-A700 cellphone used MobiTV technology to function as a TV. It could show news updates, sports clips, weather forecasts, music videos, and cartoons from 14 cable stations of streaming video provided by the Sprint network. Samsung also launched HDTV with a picture-enhancing feature called DNIe (digital natural image engine). Ahead of the holidays personal computer giant Dell released its first plasma-screen TV. It had released its first LCD (liquid-crystal display) TV in December 2003. Sharp, Japan's top maker of LCD panels, announced its latest product, a 114-cm (45-in) LCD TV, to keep up with demands for 102-cm (40-in) or larger flat TVs. Earlier, it had introduced the world's first wireless flat-panel TV, the Aquos LC-15L1U-S, with a 38-cm (15-in) display screen and built-in battery.

Patients in 32 British hospitals complained about TV sets in their rooms having no "off" switch. Even when they refused to subscribe, the TVs blared ads for the service and messages from hospital authorities. Television service, installed by private firm Patientline, cost patients $5.75 per day.

The Author "Tom Schavo" is an expert Tech adviser who worked for several multinational companies like General Electric, Verizon, Bellsouth AT&T, Qualcomm and Gillette. Although a professional with rich experience, he quit his position in these companies to finally open up his own Tech consulting forum. He also provides free advise on all the latest gadgets in market and runs a site on Technology News

Friends Link : tilting wall mount

LCD Flat Screen TV -The Top 10 Reasons to Get an LCD Flat Screen TV for the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl has grown into a worldwide spectacle for sports fans and non-sports fans alike. This Super Bowl pits the undefeated New England Patriots against the surprising New York Giants. This is a time of the year when new tv sets fly off the shelf in anticipation of the big game.

Here are the top 10 reasons to get an LCD flat screen tv for the Super Bowl:

10. Impress your friends at your party - Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest party days of the year. You don't want to disappoint your friends by having a small, standard definition set, but rather impress your friends with a new, top of the line, flat panel tv that everyone has been hearing about.

9. Larger screen sizes - No longer just an option for computer screens and small tvs, today's LCDs keep getting bigger and bigger, with wider viewing angles so that everyone at your party can comfortably watch the big screen without huddling around the television and fighting for a prime viewing space.

8. 1080p - Many of today's LCDs offer a 1080p full HD picture allowing you to view the maximum lines of resolution with a widescreen picture, scanned progressively (p) for a smooth, detailed image of the game. The widescreen picture will allow you to view more of the field and see things that you wouldn't see on your standard definition screen.

7. Accurate colors - A new HDTV will help you catch the details of every play in High Definition. With colors as accurate as a Tom Brady pass you will be able to witness all the bright, colorful images of the big game in all their splendor.

6. 120Hz refresh rates - Consider a flat screen with 120Hz refresh rates and 8ms response times for smooth, lifelike motion. Refresh rates are especially important for sports which have lots of fast motion. These tvs will virtually eliminate motion blur which was common in earlier LCD models.

5. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Ok, lets face it, High Definition does not really do much for Tom Petty as he is more known as having a face made for radio. The chances of an "accidental wardrobe malfunction" are hopefully slim to none this year, however Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are one of the greatest rock and roll bands of all time and one of my all time favorites. Witnessing a concert in high definition with Dolby Digital surround sound provides for a truly immersive visual and musical experience. This year's half time show concert will give viewers a taste of the HD concert experience.

4. Commercials - There are many people who watch the Super Bowl purely for the commercials. I have been to parties where everyone shouts "Quiet the commercials are on" as they are more entertaining then the game itself. The commercials are in high definition and to witness them in their full quality you will need a high definition television.

3. Falling prices - The cost of a 46 inch or greater flat panel television would have been cost prohibitive only a few short years ago. Prices have continued to steadily drop, especially over the past year as more and more manufacturers are battling to meet the public's demand for HDTVs. You know longer need to refinance your home in order to afford one of these flat panels.

2. Another Manning in HD - Any fan who watches football on a regular basis no doubt realizes that we are inundated with commercials by Peyton Manning. From Sprint, to DirectTV's Sunday Ticket, to Mastercard, the overexposed Peyton is pitching another set of products. Now the other Manning, younger brother Eli takes center stage as one of the biggest underdogs of all time.

1. The Perfect TV for The Perfect Season - You don't want to watch the Patriots make their run at a perfect season on a less then perfect tv. With your new LCD flat screen tv you will feel like you are witnessing perfection both on the field and on your screen.

The Super Bowl is a great time to make the most of your new tv purchase and a great time to enter the world of HDTV. A new big screen is an investment that your friends and family will be more then happy that you made so kick back and enjoy the game!

For a review of some of the LCD HDTV leaders check out the Samsung HD TV review and the Sharp Aquos HD TV review at http://familyhometheaterguide.com

The Family Home Theater Guide is an informative guide to home theater, with a particular emphasis on family entertainment.

Friends Link : aquos tv projection perm wall

Brother SE270D Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine - Add Some Fun to Your Sewing Projects

Interested in a great sewing and embroidery machine? Looking for a machine that combines an easy-to-use function with many design choices, dependability and a great price? If so, you will not be disappointed with the Brother SE270D Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine.

There are a number of features of the Brother SE270D that make it the perfect choice for an all-in-one machine.

With 97 embroidery designs (including the 27 Mickey Mouse and Friends patterns and 70 additional designs featuring florals, seasonal themes and more) there is an unbelievable amount of versatility to this machine. There are also 5 built-in embroidery monogram fonts in 3 different sizes that will enable you to create a wide variety of emblems, logos, or insignias.

Another great feature is the LCD touch screen panel that allows fully computerized stitch selection, enabling you to easily choose between embroidery patterns or from 98 built-in stitch functions. Stitch options include 10 styles of one-step auto-size buttonholes, stretch stitches, garment construction stitches, decorative stitches, heirloom stitches and quilting stitches.

The Brother SE270D Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine utilizes an exclusive quick-load thread cassette system, which threads the machine and needle in 3 easy steps. The bobbin system is also simple to utilizes, due to the fast, automatic bobbin winder and one-step bobbin replacement. Built-in, one-touch start, stop and reverse operations enable operation without foot control. And an especially nice feature is that the thread tension as well as stitch width and length adjust easily to eliminate loose loops and breaking.

The Brother SE270D Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine is truly an excellent choice for an all-in-one machine. Whether you are looking for yourself or for a special holiday gift, the many design options and easy-to-use function on this machine add a new dimension to your sewing fun!

Before you buy, make sure to check out the full list of all the Brother SE270D Sewing/Embroidery Machine product features, additional information, and product reviews from actual Brother SE270D Sewing/Embroidery Machine owners.

Tags : sony bravia w series sony bravia w series

Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U Review

Every HDTV model comes with good and bad points. In the case of the Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U, its good points include its excellent video processing system, automatic backlight, adequate connectivity and the Aquos Link feature while its weak points stem from not being user-friendly enough, falling short in design and not having any oomph in its sound quality - all of which are explained in detail in this article.

Video processing is not the strength of LCD televisions. In fact, images on LCD screens tend to become blurry during fast-moving scenes. The Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U, however, is able to create clear images even in motion because of its Fine Motion Enhanced frame-interpolation system, which creates new frames to insert between the actual frames, and its 120Hz video processing system, which allows it to display 120 frames per second instead of the usual rate of just 60.

The LC-52D85U also comes with an automatic backlight, which simply means that its fluorescent backlight dynamically adjusts to the amount of light in the room, so you won't have to keep changing the brightness of the screen. It also has automatic contrast adjustments to increase the contrast ratio and create deep black levels, although these are still not as deep as those produced by Plasma televisions.

When it comes to connectivity, the LC-52D85U offers an adequate number of inputs and outputs, which are located both on the back and on the side of the panel. It has five HDMI connections, which is one or two more than most HDTV sets have, allowing you to plug in your Blu-Ray player, DVD player, satellite TV box, game console and any other HDMI-capable device you might have. It also has a VGA input for you to connect your CPU and use the HDTV as a computer monitor.

Other pros of the LC-52D85U include a 10-bit LCD screen, instead of the common 8-bit screen, which results in smoother color gradations, and a color management system which you can tweak to change the hue and saturation of each primary and secondary color. The LC-52D85U also has the Aquos Link, which is similar to the Viera Link of Panasonic HDTVs and the Bravia Sync of Sony HDTVs, allowing the user to turn HDMI-capable devices on and off with the press of a single button.

Now, let's take a look at the weak points of the Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U. For one, its design fails to impress, with no accents or any features to make it stand out from the rest of the HDTVs with glossy, black frames. Even the design of its remote control is lacking, too, with small buttons that are difficult to press. They are difficult to distinguish from each other, too, particularly in the dark since their labels are not illuminated.

Like the remote control, the manual and the on-screen menu of the LC-52D85U are not user-friendly. The manual lacks an index so it's difficult to find the information you're looking for, while the on-screen menu is hard to adjust, particularly since the picture controls are linked to the picture modes and not the individual inputs. The list of the inputs is a problem, too, since they all appear regardless of whether they have a device connected to them or not, and are only labelled as Input 1 or Input 2 instead of HDMI, AV or VGA, though you can rename them to make them easier to remember. The on-screen menu remains on the screen, as well, preventing you from entirely seeing or accurately gauging the images on it.

Another weakness of the Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U is its sound. Although its sound is quite good, it is still far from being excellent, like that of many HDTV models, particularly since it lacks depth and clarity. The good thing, though, is that this problem can easily be remedied by connecting the LC-52D85U to a good surround sound system, which means you have fewer things to worry about and more reasons to consider buying the Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U.

Edward McKellen is an expert on the latest gadgets and appliances, such as HDTVs. To learn more about the Sharp Aquos LC-52D85U or to read the latest LCD HDTV reviews, visit HDTVReviewLab.com.

Related : samsung lcd hdtv 1080p da lite audio vision perm wall