LCD HDTV televisions - Super crisp, yet energy efficient - provide an amazing picture with a wonderfully thin screen, perfect for anyone looking to conserve room space. While Shopping Look for the following 5 main things in your LCD HDTV:

1. LCD or DLP
2. DTV Ready
3. Screen rate
4. Resolution
5. Video Mode

Make your mind for LCD or DLP keeping following points in mind:

LCD: Much like other LCD devices you're more used to, such as alarm clocks and computer monitors - LCD televisions also utilize a technology based on polarized light, where two polarized panels are located in front of and in back of a thin layer of liquid crystal gel, that is divided up into individual pixels. Each pixel is activated individually thanks to two axis of wires, which polarizes them accordingly. In order to improve the quality of LCD televisions, a viable strategy is used that is to increase the refresh rate (the invisible line that scrolls and refreshes the screen constantly), and to reduce the backlight response of the LCD screen itself.

DLP: DLP or "Digital Light Processing" is a rear projection technology for television. DLP HDTVs are typically less expensive and more lightweight that LCD or Plasma TVs, immune from screen burn-in & color decay, and able to represent high speed images without ghosting or blurring effects that other television technologies suffer from. DLP TVs are known to have excellent color and grayscale representation.

LED DLP TVs never need a lamp replacement.
Note that non-LED DLP's (typically older models, as most today are LED) will need lamp replacements after several years of usage, and the cost can be rather high. Overall, an LED DLP HDTV is a worthy investment for its long life, great color quality and slim size. Avoid older DLP HDTVs, as they're known to suffer from a condition known as the rainbow effect, in which bright white tones projected over black backgrounds appear in a multi-color effect. Newer televisions do not have this issue.

What does DTV mean for your HDTV::
HDTV - a broadcasting format that runs at a higher resolution than the traditional analog broad casting signal. HDTV is recognized by three video modes: 1080i, 1080p and 720p. The HDTV format sends a signal that encodes color formats for each pixel, making it an ideal technology for video modes, especially in LCD format. HDTV is also capable of vastly improved sound quality, as it is Dolby Digital compliant and supports 5.1 surround sound. HDTVs are capable of receiving DTV or Digital Television signals.

In the United States, the government mandated a transition from the standard broadcasting signal to an HDTV signal, which was effective as of June 12, 2009. This meant that all current non-HDTV sets were no longer be functional without the usage of a converter box. The good news is that DTV is a standard format on all LCD HDTVs, leaving many people with the attractive prospect of ditching their old 1980's TV sets for a new HDTV. It's a win-win situation, as you'll get the better picture and sound quality, without having to attach yet another peripheral to it.

Interlaced vs. Progressive scan rate of LCD HDTVs
Have you ever seen video tape footage of a PC screen? If so, you may have noticed how the screen seems to "sweep" up and down constantly, almost like a slide show. That is an interlaced picture. Similarly, interlaced HDTVs (and monitors) refresh every other line of the picture, every other time. The process is unseen by the naked eye. However, interlaced screens are known to cause eye distress, which every mother warned her child about, when he/she sat too close to the TV set.

Progressive sets, on the other hand, refresh every line every single time, much like one long sweep down the screen after another. Progressive pictures are easier on the eyes, display a smooth viewing image with less jaggies, and consequentially, cost a little more.

Resolution of HDTV and What Does "720" or "1080" Mean
HDTVs are always defined by the resolution, or the number of vertical pixels that they have. For instance, a 720 HDTV has 720 pixels per line going up and down (rather, vertically) the screen itself, and across 1,280 lines going horizontally to the other end of the screen.

In contrast, a 1080 HDTV has 1080 pixels per line going vertically, with 1,920 lines going across, horizontally. In these cases, the 1080 HDTV set is the better of the two - since more pixels means more detail.

Note that the resolution and the actual size of the screen in inches are not directly related: therefore, a 22" 1080p HDTV and a 22" 720p HDTV can both exist (don't assume that smaller screens are always 720p!)

Which video mode to choose 1080p vs. 1080i HDTV
A major consideration for choosing an LCD HDTV that you should take care of is its video mode. Naturally, you'll want to go with the best option for the most technologically long-lasting, satisfying, high quality LCD television set; especially in a consumer market where things keep changing so rapidly.

1080p (P represents progressive scan) and 1080i (I represents interlaced) are two popular HDTV video modes found in the newer model TV sets. Progressive Scan means that the pictures on a 1080p television screen are drawn with a moving line, similarly to the way computer monitors work.

Conclusively: the 1080p HDTV is the superior product, although it is the more expensive choice. If you're going for a somewhat larger screen, you'll appreciate the 1080p's progressive nature. It's always best practice to go with the "newer" format; which in this case, is the 1080p.

There is one important thing to mention here: if you're going for larger screens, there's no doubt that you should only consider a 1080p...however, if your screen is 50" or less, there will be no visible difference with the additional pixels that come with the 1080p. So, stick with a 720p for a screen that's 50" or less -- you'll save a lot of money without sacrificing quality.

Let's review the pros and cons of the 1080p, vs. that of the older 1080i format. Despite the fact that 1080i has its own set of proficiencies, the 1080p is superior:

1080p HDTV Pros (vs. 1080i)
• It’s resolution is twice the resolution of 1080i signal, technically capable of displaying every single pixel of an HD broadcast.
• Progressive TV sets (flat LCDs, Plasmas) are already progressive in nature, can use progressive scan as a default (no need to convert from another type).
• Conveys all lines in a single sweep, resulting in a smoother, crisper image.
1080p HDTV Cons (vs. 1080i)
• Has half the frame rate of 1080i.
• More expensive than 1080i sets.
• The difference in resolution between 1080p and 1080i may not be seen by the naked eye, except on larger TV sets.