lcd

Should I upgrade my CRT HDTV? (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET Chris D. asks:

I have a CRT HD TV that is 5 and a half years old (one of the last ones they made). In terms of picture quality, it still looks better than any of the LED, LCD, or plasma sets I've seen. Am I right? I watch a lot of 4:3 TV. I'm concerned that if I upgrade I'll be forced to have a distorted 4:3 image (i.e., through "stretch" or "zoom" etc.). Is this still the case? Thanks for any reply.

Normally I don't answer "should I upgrade" questions, but who can resist a good CRT bashing?… Read more

Get a 22-inch LCD monitor for $89.99

You know I can't resist a good monitor deal.

While supplies last, Mwave has the refurbished Hannspree Hanns-G HF225DPB 22-inch LCD monitor for $89.99, plus $4.99 for shipping. [Note: At 9:18 a.m. PT, this deal is marked "temporarily unavailable."] That is without question one of the best deals I've seen on a monitor of this size.

Okay, technically it's a 21.5-inch monitor, but apparently manufacturers are allowed to designate that as "22-inch class." In any case, this would work nicely alongside your laptop or existing desktop monitor. (I'… Read more

Mosaic LCD tiles: When wall paintings aren't enough

For the past few months, I've been trying to figure out how to rearrange my old wall art to make it look fresh again, but nothing's working at the moment. These mosaic LCD tiles would be the perfect solution--you know, if I were rich.

The Planar Mosaic LCD Tiles come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be arranged in different patterns, while proprietary software allows you to program whatever video or image you want displayed across all screens.

Customers can choose from the three models. The first is the Planar Salvador, which is a square LCD that measures 15.6 inches on each side and ideal for use over larger surface areas. Meanwhile, the Planar Pablo has a rectangular shape and measures 40 inches wide, or you can go slightly bigger with the 48-inch wide Planar Vincent.

Planar designed the mounting hardware so that the displays can hang in any position and at various angles, including "concave and convex arrays."… Read more

Morrison's Mailbag: Why does my TV have a noise reduction setting?

CNET reader "Nindevo" asks:

In regards to your articles about the HDMI cables, I was just wondering why TVs have "noise reduction" settings. I thought digital signals (HDMI) couldn't have noise.

Interesting question.… Read more

Get a 42-inch Sharp HDTV for $329.99

I know I've posted a lot of TV deals of late, but, hey, they're a hot category right now. And who knows if the deals will be as good after this Sunday's big game?

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Sharp LC42SV49U 42-inch LCD HDTV for $329.99, plus sales tax where applicable. You can opt for free site-to-store shipping, which, alas, takes 7-10 days, or pony up around $20 for shipping.

Two factors set this deal apart from some of the others I've shared recently. First, Sharp is a … Read more

2012 TVs: Every new HDTV compared

Here's nearly all of the information I've been able to get from CES and since regarding the shiny new TVs of 2012.

I know it's not every TV; minor brands aren't represented, and lack of information from some manufacturers (namely Samsung) prevents me from capturing a few midrange and entry-level models. But as of press time I'm confident that the chart above contains the most comprehensive, current information on forthcoming 2012 models available anywhere.

Get a 46-inch HDTV for $379

Is it Black Friday again already? Somebody at Target must think so, because they've got a TV deal that has day-after-Thanksgiving written all over it.

I say that having already posted a couple of pretty amazing TV deals in the last few weeks. This one beats them all.

While supplies last, Target has the Apex Digital LD4688T 46-inch LCD HDTV for $379 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable).

That's a whopping $200 off the regular price. And if you have a Target REDcard, you can save an additional 5 percent. Throw Ebates into the mix and you'll … Read more

Five best matte-screen LCDs for bright rooms (roundup)

We think a matte-screen finish offers the best picture quality in rooms where you can't control ambient light. Here are our favorite five matte-screen TVs CNET reviewed in 2011, arranged in descending order of overall picture quality.… Read more

Get a 32-inch Coby HDTV for $169.99

Yowza. That's the only word I can use to describe this deal.

While supplies last (and I'm hoping they last longer than it takes me to finish this sentence), Best Buy's outlet center has the refurbished Coby TFTV3227-Z 32-inch LCD HDTV for $169.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable). That's definitely a new low for a TV of this size.

Update: Rats. Looks like it's already sold out. But keep checking, as Best Buy might just free up some additional inventory.

OK, but a refurb? And a Coby refurb at that? Admittedly, this is … Read more

Get a 24-inch ViewSonic monitor for $149.99

A big monitor can change the way you work. It not only gives you a physically larger display, but also boosts the resolution so you can fit more windows onscreen at once.

That means you could keep, say, your browser open on the left side of the screen and your word processor on the right. No more hopping back and forth between them. Once you experience that kind of convenience, you'll never want to go back to a smaller monitor.

For a limited time, Dell Small Business has the ViewSonic VA2431WM 24-inch LCD monitor for $149.99 shipped (plus … Read more