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Since a television is one of the central components of your home theater system – and usually the most costly – it is well worth taking a good look at your options. In addition to plasma flat screen TVs, there are LCD and LCD/LED TVs. 

LCD 

A LCD TV uses different technology than a plasma TV, something called a liquid crystal display. In LCD televisions, two pieces of transparent material are placed at right angles and are backlit by fluorescent tubing. 

LCD TVs come in sizes ranging from 16″ to 57″ and are made by many different manufacturers, not just a handful. In comparison to plasma, they have less of a side viewing angle and aren’t as good at tracking motion, say, in a sports game. But LCDs are lighter in weight than plasma, so they can be hung much more easily, and they use less power. 

LED TV 

The third type of flat screen TV is the LED TV, sometimes called the LED/LCD TV, and it is a technology that is relatively new, first appearing on the market around 2004.  LED TVs are very similar to LCD TVs, but instead of fluorescent lighting, they use LED to backlight the screen. 

LED TV’s come in a wide range of sizes, but are a bit thinner than their LCD predecessors, usually less than an inch. LEDs often surpass LCDs in terms of picture brightness and contrast in terms of quality. LEDs are also more energy efficient, making them the best choice of all TVs in terms of efficiency. 

As a new technology, LED TVs hold a lot of promise, but at the moment they are a bit more expensive than LCD TVs and comparable in price to plasma.

There is a lot more to creating a great home theater than buying a lot of high end electronics and hooking them up in your living room.  Whether you are going to use a dedicated room or part of an existing living space, the design of the room is just as important as the electronics.  Before you head off to the electronics superstore, spend some time planning your home theater design. 

Even the highest end electronics will give disappointing results in a poor environment.  On the other hand, mid range equipment in a well designed home theater room can provide outstanding results.  The lesson here is not to spend your entire budget on equipment before you address the design of the room.

At a minimum you need to address acoustics, lighting, seating placement, heating and air conditioning, wiring and electrical, and the type and size of your audio visual equipment.  Uncarpeted floors, concrete walls, and unfinished ceilings will result in disappointing acoustics.  Walls that are very light colored can cause too much reflected light.  Shiny glass, chrome, or mirrored furniture or wall hangings can create annoying reflections. 

Be sure the temperature in the room can be controlled to a comfortable level without creating drafts, especially where you plan to put seating.  You don’t want an air conditioning vent blowing directly on where you plan to sit. Also, make sure that the electrical supply in the room is sufficient and give some thought to how to run any necessary wiring.

Consider hiring an experienced home theatre design contractor.  They can save you time and money by designing an excellent home theater that will meet your needs and fit your budget.