What is the best flat screen TV contrast ratio?
What is the minimum acceptable Contrast Ratio to consider when purchasing a flat screen TV? Is there a point when there is no longer a benefit to an increase in ratio?
Answer #1: In the LCD vs. Plasma debate, this is where plasma wins out .. most LCD TVs have a contrast ratio of 1000 but plasma can have up to 10,000 – try to get a TV with highest contrast ratio you can.
Answer #2: It’s all about what type of screen you like. The very good plasmas will sport a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, but I just picked up an LCD screen with a 5000:1 ratio, and I actually like the way the screen displays better than the plasmas. LCD’s generally have lower contrast, but more sharpness. I’d stay away with any plasma below 10,000:1, however, mainly b/c it would be a sign to me that the plasma was a cheaper model.
Answer #3: I have a plasma with a 10k:1 contrast ratio and it *rocks*. I’ve got an LCD with a 1000:1 contrast ratio, and that isn’t bad either. I don’t think you can go really wrong with either, although if you’re in a sunny room, you definitely want a higher ratio. I’m still chomping at the bit for an SED set - those suckers are supposed to have a 100k:1 contrast ratio. I can only imagine that they’re going to burn images into our eyes.
Answer #4: According to a manufacturers rep anything over 1000:1 is “fuzzy math”. He basically said if it is above 1000:1 they are using a “different” way of rating the ratios.
Answer #5: I’ve heard the opposite on brightness – instead of the high contrast plasma, I’ve heard the LCD’S are better in a very bright room. But all this is splitting hairs.