Spotting A Quality LCD TV: Part Two

If you're following from "How to Spot the Signs of a Quality LCD TV, Part One" you already know that today's television world isn't exactly the same place you grew up in.

Television sets are flatter, clearer, and, well, better.  If technology does anything, it creates more choices.

How do you navigate the scientific-sounding features that don't make any sense to you?

With a little help from this article, of course.  Let's take a look at some of the other signs of a quality LCD TV.

• Contrast ratio. If you haven't heard of "contrast ratio" before, don't worry:  you're probably in the majority.  "Contrast ratio" is one of those features advertised in television magazines that don't make sense to the average consumer.  Essentially, the contrast ratio refers to a television's ability to contrast between black and white.

The higher the contrast ratio you have on your television, the better it will be able to give you detail in those dark back-alley mystery scenes, not to mention scenes flooded in white.

If you're told that a television has a "high contrast ratio," you should be aware that this is definitely an advantage over less sophisticated televisions.  A good contrast ratio should be considered a must for hardcore movie buffs.

• 100 Hz-mode. Just when you've got "contrast ratio" mastered, you start hearing about "100 Hz."  There's nothing that sends a novice's head spinning like a number followed by an abbreviation, so here's 100 Hz mode in a nutshell.  Film is captured by taking quick pictures – often 24 per second – and then replayed at the correct speed in order to give the illusion of movement.  100 Hz mode looks to smoothen out the joints, giving the movement on your television a more natural, even life-like quality.  This isn't a necessity for everyone, but can definitely enhance your experience.

• High-definition capability. Being HD-compatible isn't a challenge with LCD televisions, but it helps to understand what HD is like.  When you have either a cable or a satellite provider, you'll see options to watch certain channels in high-definition.  Network channels most frequently have programming such as NFL games HD-ready, so watching them is simply a matter of turning to the right channel.

Ask yourself what's most important in your LCD television, and you're already on the right track to making a few discerning decisions.  Don't be afraid to ask service professionals or even customer support people and risk looking like a novice; instead, be a customer who knows what he wants.