If you are like me, dreams of owing a brand new flat screen TV have always tempted me when seeing the flashy TVs on display in the local electronics store. On one such day, I caved in and gave into the urge, deciding once and for all to bite the bullet.  Next thing you know I arrive home with a massive box containing a new LCD TV. With over brimming excitement I remove the old CRT tube TV, almost breaking some vertebra in the process, but nonetheless, I proceed to hook it up. It looked beautiful in my living room.  The nice piano black finish and the elegant styling made it almost a crime even to turn it on.

          Although I had to wait about close to 20 minutes for the channel search to finish,  I was pretty much up and running in no time after that.  What I was seeing didn’t amaze me.  In front of me was not the beautiful picture I had imagined in my mind but,  washed out colours, severely depressed contrast,  and a picture that over time made me want to plug in my old CRT.   The contrast was so bad in fact,  just watching the TV ended up giving me a headache.  Needless to say, what was once a lofty dream of owning a flat screen now turned sour very quickly. I returned the TV in less than a month.

      Putting everything in perspective, I came to the realization that despite the fact that we are have come so far in television technology, it really is the case of putting one foot forward and two steps back. Sure, flat panel TVs today have greater resolution,  but they lack two features even more important for displaying a satisfying picture: contrast and black levels.  Consider this, a typical high quality CRT tube TV even 20 years ago gave a contrast ratio 100 times better than the typical LCD TV of today.  This is the reason why, resolution aside, tube TVs simply give a better picture.  Even studios in Hollywood, when filming still use CRT technology because the contrast and colour reproduction of these televisions can’t be touched by the newer TVs.

        Currently there is a new type of television with LED lighting out on the market that do come close to CRT performance, but unless you can do away with 4000 dollars which for some might be more than a month’s salary, I would suggest waiting until LED technology becomes more common place.

       Either way you cut it,  the arena of television technology is currently in a state of disarray.  The way I see it, you can go out now and buy a LCD television with a contrast ratio of 100,000:1,  but I’m sure within another year, you can spend the same money get a television with 30 times more contrast.

         As for me, I’m perfectly content with my CRT, that is of course until the price of LEDs come down to reasonable levels.  Even then, I will probably shed a slight tear to see that bulky monstrosity go.