HDTV Television

High-definition TV has been coming for a long time. These TVs offer wider screens, sharper pictures and better sound that make you feel like you’re sitting in a theater in your living room.

Sales are finally taking off because they’re more affordable for the mainstream. Norcent Technologies has a 27-inch HDTV that sells for $700 or less on Web sites or at discount retailers. That kind of TV may be particularly attractive to game fans who want their Xbox 360 video games to look good on an HD screen without completely wrecking their budgets.

The TVs come with either plasma or liquid crystal displays. Plasmas have been popular in large-screen TVs, but the image gets worse with time and you need a dark room to view it. LCDs are sharper in daylight and can be viewed from any angle. They’re thinner and lighter, but tend to cost more than plasma screens.

In general, advances in manufacturing are delivering better quality screens for lower prices. Display Search, a market research firm, reports that sales of plasma display TVs were up 118 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier. The 42-inch plasmas are the most popular, and Pacific Media Associates reports that 42-inch LCDs are now the same price.

LCD screen prices are down 15 percent from a year ago and average about $1,291 for screens ranging from 15 inches to 39 inches, according to market researcher iSuppli. Plasma displays average about $2,518 for screens that range from 30 inches to 60 inches.

mercurynews.com