LCDs put plasma out of the frame

ON the TV front LCDs are pulling ahead in the 40- to 50-inch range of screens because they are getting cheaper and have deeper colors.
    New features such as the intelligent sensor in the LG 50 LCD TV, which optimizes the picture based on available light in the room, are likely to make them even more popular.
    And the rise in affordability by previously rare players in the market such as Polaroid will also add to LCD's attraction.
LG. Philips have already tried to get ahead of the game by announcing that it would be presenting five new HD LCD screens intended for conferences and public displays, including the 52-inch multi-touch screen mentioned in Gadgits today in the News of the World.
      They are also showcasing an 84-inch model made up of four 42-inch multi-touch panels.
But perhaps the most interesting development is the two-sided 47-inch LCD display. It is just 70mm thick with a single backlight for both screens.
      Apart from being ideal for use at airports and railway station displays, this new type of screen has great potential for use in gaming displays and would allow competitors to play each other face to face on a vertical screen for the first time. Laser TVs could be all the rage this year. Especially an offering from Mitsubishi (left) with 1080p HDTV that will use three lasers instead of one to divide the colors into individual lasers.
     The makers claim this will create 90% of the colors visible to the human eye. LCD and Plasma TVs only show 40%. The three lasers are also supposed to give a sharper, more colourful image.
Other highlights this year will include the largest-ever plasma screen at 150-inch and the largest ultra-thin Organic Light-Emitting Diode TV.