It seems that purchasing a new television set has become a much tougher decision than it may have been just five years ago. It used to be as simple as deciding the size you would need, how much you could spend and setting out to your local home electronic store. The good ol’ days; when purchasing a television was simply an afternoon errand to be run.
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Times have definitely changed. In today’s market with so much to consider and so many emerging options, a great deal of research and thought needs to be given to a purchase of this magnitude. For the past 5 years I have owned a 55″ CRT Rear Projection TV, at the time of purchase this was a cutting edge TV at an affordable price. It had built in HDTV, despite the fact at the time there were probably only 3 channels available in HD. That TV served me well for 5 years despite being the size of a small automobile. Since I was making a move to a new apartment I decided against lugging that TV around again, so I sold it with a clear disclaimer “buyer is responsible for moving the TV.”
Now with that beast of a TV out of my life it was time to start the research. 3 contenders immediately emerged, CRT, Plasma and LCD. CRT was immediately eliminated from the competition. While this type of TV may have a nice picture quality and a very affordable price tag, I needed to make a splash. I just didn’t want to be the guy in the neighborhood with a Beta machine and Tandy computer. With CRT TV eliminated, the options were narrowed down to what is fast becoming an age old debate fought passionately at Home Electronic stores, trade shows and chat rooms world wide; Plasma vs. LCD. Lets review a few key points in this debate:
LCD
Plasma
Available Screen Size X
Viewing Angle X
Screen Refresh Rates X
Burn-in or Stuck Pixels X
Durability X
Brightness Contrast X
Given the above information you can see it is pretty even between these two technologies; however it appears Plasma screens hold the edge in the most important categories, size and picture quality. An important point to consider when purchasing is where this TV will be placed, the brightness of that room and the viewing angle. LCD is a backlit monitor so you should have a bright picture even in well-lit rooms and a viewing angle of 176 degrees allows viewing from throughout that room. Plasmas are made with a special glass surface that can reflect light, which dulls the brightness; as well you may find the picture dulls from side angles. Slower refresh rates in the LCD monitor that can cause quick moving pictures such that you may see in sports programming to blur. Being that LCD is a backlit television the light must be blocked out to create blacks, which can leave them dull. Since I was looking for a larger TV (47″ – 55″) and typically LCD Monitors are available only up to 42″ it appeared a Plasma Monitor would be the way to go. Besides I currently own a 26″ LCD monitor made by a mainstream company and I had experienced some of these issues listed above with an LCD; however I was still concerned due to the bright room and small area this TV would be place.
With the decision all but made I began shopping Plasma Televisions; that is until I came across this Cedia 2006 press release from NuVision. I had become familiar with NuVision products through HomeToys.com and was aware they were cutting a new path for LCD technology, however up until reading this release I was unaware they were soon to offer an LCD that answered all the issues associated with LCD Monitors to this point, and to top it off, they were offering this Monitor in 42″ and 47″ sizes. So without hesitation I put in my order for a NuVision 47-inch 1080 Deep Black High Definition LCD Monitor.
When my TV arrived I was immediately pleased with its overall look, a simple piano black has a sleek modern look that will match all decorating tastes. A detachable bottom mounted 2-way speaker is a great option. The speakers are of high quality and provide more than adequate sound. For those with high-end surround sound systems removing the speakers is a nice option to have.
Setup of the television could not have been easier. For my application I ran component cables from my HD cable box into the TV. DVD player cables to the TV and I also used the VGA input to utilize the monitor for my home computer (Specifications). Dual HDMI & S-video cable inputs are also available as well as a NuControl input, which is adaptable to future technologies. As with most LCD Monitors no adjustments were necessary, once hooked up I was ready to go.
The easy to navigate menu allows you to customize your set; name your inputs, program picture settings for each of those inputs, over scan and picture position adjustments, PIP settings can all be done using the well sized and labeled remote. Once the TV was up and running it was time to put it to the test and see if NuVision’s technologies did indeed address the major shortcomings of LCD Monitors to date.
Lets revisit some of the previously published LCD shortcomings:
Problem: Standard LCDs have slower refresh rates than Plasmas causing viewable artifacts during quick moving pictures such as sports.
Solution: NuVision’s very fast panel response for sports and fast moving action – less than 8 milliseconds.
Problem: Standard LCDs use backlight which must be blocked to create blacks therefore may not be as crisp as Plasma Pixels which can be turned off.
Solution: NuVision 16:9 Widescreen Deep Black LCD Panel provides the deepest blacks and best contrast ratio. NiDO Intelligent Digital Optimization; NuVision’s exclusive image enhancement technology brings images to life with unbelievable clarity. Astonishing >1000:1 contrast ratio creates clear and crisp images with excellent detail.
So it appears NuVision has technically addressed the major concerns associated with LCD Monitors with these innovations. Now let’s put it to the human eye.
Being a sports fanatic my first test would be an NBA game in HDTV. NuVision Monitors display HDTV in 1080p, and the industries brightest panel provides a clear, bright and crisp picture superior to any others I have seen. With the fast NBA action no noticeable artifacts could be seen. True HDTV. Even on Non HD channels picture quality is greatly improved using NiDO technology which enhances all signals.
As you will see on the NuVision website these units are know as “The Ultimate Gaming Television”. While I am not an avid gamer I did want to see what the hype was about. Was I ever surprised at the picture quality and movements were seamless, the bright panel allow you to see intricacies and details within the game most will never know exist. It truly is an amazing experience, especially compared to my childhood experiences with Super Mario Brothers.
I’ve been using the NuVision 47-inch 1080 Deep Black High Definition LCD Monitor now for 1 month and I have yet to find a flaw of any kind in this television. In comparing to other namebrand models I can truly tell you the extra money is well spent, you will be extremely happy with your purchase. Once you purchase a NuVision Monitor get ready to play host to Superbowl parties for years to come.
NuVision is a company whose sole focus is to improve and enhance LCD technology. NuVision TV LCD displays incorporate state-of-the-art technologies, such as NuVisions proprietary NiDO (NuVision Intelligent Digital Optimization), exclusive Deep Black LCD with 1000:1 contrast ratio, and NuControl bi-directional RS232 with polling. NuVisions NiDO (NuVision Intelligent Digital Optimization) circuit delivers a film-like home theater experience as a NiDO optimized picture ensures crisp, clean edges and silky smooth motion that is virtually free from artifacts. NiDO image processing technology ensures NuVision TV monitors provide world-class picture quality and excellent resolution. NiDOs edge details, smooth motion, color optimization, and response enhancement are just some of the features that make NuVision TV LCD screens stand apart from the competition.
NuVision is currently not available in your local electronics store, visit NuVision.com and enter your zipcode to find a dealer near you. You will also find at the website all the information on NuVision products. At time of publication they offered a 23, 26, 32, 37, 42 and 47 inch monitors. All have similar look and features.