Difference between LCD and LED when buying TV

katejo

I want to buy a new flat screen tv to replace a very old tv. I already have one small flat screen LCD in the bedroom but want one for the downstairs main living area. I noticed quite a few models which claimed to be LED and which were more expensive (and usually larger). What are the differences? I think I probably only need LCD but i am not sure.

DUTR

Some TV's are led and some are led back lit, if the one in the bedroom pleases you then just go for the best you can comfortably afford, chances are whatever you get won't match the CRT you currently have.

katejo

DUTR wrote: »

Some TV's are led and some are led back lit, if the one in the bedroom pleases you then just go for the best you can comfortably afford, chances are whatever you get won't match the CRT you currently have.

Why do you say that it won't match the one I already have?

DUTR

katejo wrote: »

Why do you say that it won't match the one I already have?

because CRT Tv's have good picture quality and do not have a native resolution, the current TVs work best with their resolution, so a 1080p is not necessarily going to be better than a 720p, HD broadcasts aproach that of what we were once used to.
So as said get what you can comfortably afford, the old Samsung is better than LG debate etc is long and boring, many stores have TVs on display, so go and have a look and see what you like, one good thing is that your new TV may well use less power than the current one.

almillar

DUTR's post#2 is complete rubbish, #4 is much better.
LCD is a load of pixels that have a light behind them. they change colour, or block the light different amounts, to allow some light through. Generally you can think of the light behind these screens as one tube. LED backlit (and this is the LED TVs you will see in shops) changes this into lots of LEDs (light emitting diodes), which use less energy than the one tube, and can light up different parts of the screen differently, and are smaller, hence the thin TVs.
OLED screens (O stands for organic) are where the light comes from the actual pixels, removing the problems that come from a backlight. These are still in development, and you won't find one in a shop for reasonable money, at a reasonable size, for a few years yet.
An LED TV, just because it uses LEDs, is NOT better than a traditionally lit (sometimes referred to as CCFL) just because it's LED. Don't fall for the sales hype. Whatever TVs you are considering, look at the picture they display!

penrhyn

Above is good advise, just to add beware of shop display mode.
This is an exaggerated colour and brightness setting to catch your eye.

OK_Sauce

Edge lit with no local dimming is still found in the majority of LED TVs.

Useful guide to the various types of LED TV types available here -

http://reviews.cnet.com/2795-6482_7-399.html

katejo

Thanks for advice. I have now ordered a Samsung LCD which had very good reviews on Amazon