# Are people still fooled by the term "LED TV"?



## jdent02 (Jan 13, 2012)

Just saw a commercial where an LED backlit LCD screen was deliberately called an "LED TV" and it got me thinking. I remember a year or so ago there was rumor that some government agency (whose name escapes me) was thinking of making it illegal for companies to market LED backlit TV's as an "LED TV" due to how misleading the statement is. I know firsthand that this confusion happens since I got into a long argument with my Dad who thought the TV he just bought was an actual LED screen, and not an LCD.

Is this still being talked about, and more importantly, are people still fooled by this blatantly false marketing?


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

jdent02 said:


> Just saw a commercial where an LED backlit LCD screen was deliberately called an "LED TV" and it got me thinking. I remember a year or so ago there was rumor that some government agency (whose name escapes me) was thinking of making it illegal for companies to market LED backlit TV's as an "LED TV" due to how misleading the statement is. I know firsthand that this confusion happens since I got into a long argument with my Dad who thought the TV he just bought was an actual LED screen, and not an LCD.
> 
> Is this still being talked about, and more importantly, are people still fooled by this blatantly false marketing?


Hello,
It drives me insane and I mentioned this on my Review of my Panasonic TC-P60GT50 on BB.Com. I have been in their Elite Reviewer Beta Program. I think most folks here do know the distinction. It is complete marketing driven lies. Then again, Bose convinced millions of our populace that their wares are associated with quality sound so perhaps I should make more of an effort....
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## jdent02 (Jan 13, 2012)

I'm no fan of Bose but I don't think they approach this level of misrepresentation (I'd call their style more "unrealistic exaggeration"). I suppose they could get away with it if they started calling older LCD's a "CCFL TV".


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

jdent02 said:


> I'm no fan of Bose but I don't think they approach this level of misrepresentation (I'd call their style more "unrealistic exaggeration"). I suppose they could get away with it if they started calling older LCD's a "CCFL TV".


I do think Bose meets this level of deception and I find it to be more ruinous. Millions do believe they are getting comparable sound with 2 inch cubes with Paper Woofers to a proper HT. (not even doped Paper which I like) Indeed, calling it a CCFL TV would be the correct nomenclature following this logic. I think they are able to get away with the LED con due to just how much thinner Edge Lit LCD's are.


----------



## jdent02 (Jan 13, 2012)

Jungle Jack said:


> I do think Bose meets this level of deception and I find it to be more ruinous. Millions do believe they are getting comparable sound with 2 inch cubes with Paper Woofers to a proper HT. (not even doped Paper which I like) Indeed, calling it a CCFL TV would be the correct nomenclature following this logic. I think they are able to get away with the LED con due to just how much thinner Edge Lit LCD's are.


I think it's just because they're clever enough to know the catchwords and loopholes in how they can advertise something.

I wonder if this might hurt OLED since some people will say "why do I need another LED TV, I already have one!"


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

jdent02 said:


> I think it's just because they're clever enough to know the catchwords and loopholes in how they can advertise something.
> 
> I wonder if this might hurt OLED since some people will say "why do I need another LED TV, I already have one!"


Hello,
OLED's face a daunting struggle. At least until prices plummet far below the $8000-$10,000 that the LG and Samsung 55 inch Models are going to hit the market at. While Plasma TV's cost this much and more, this was close to 10 years ago when a Flat Panel was a revolutionary thing and when the US Economy seemed to be an unstoppable force.

It has been just recently that HDTV has reached a critical mass. 3D has been an unmitigated failure in Home Theater and is even slowing down at Movie Theaters. Add in that 4K Source Material is practically like a unicorn, there is still a depressing number of even 1080 HD Channels on Cable Providers, and it really seems like an uphill battle.

I would guess in around 4 to 5 years when peoples first HDTV's start to fail, OLED prices drop and the amazing possible form factors of OLED become a possibility then I would guess things will change. 

If for no other reason than the far lighter weight and reduced power consumption of OLED, retailers will really start to push them once the price abates. I fear for the next few years however it will be a niche format.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## jdent02 (Jan 13, 2012)

I've been following OLED development as a hobby for a few years and I am actually pretty excited about them. Of course I'm more excited by the potential then by what they are likely to be in the first few generations. To the best of my knowledge they are still fighting the blue fade issue, and the initial run out never looks as good as the fifth version.

But yeah, too many new technologies and toys in too short a timespan.


----------



## pharoah (Jul 21, 2012)

ive known the difference before they was actually released.i do try to keep up with tech though.i have a small led backlit screen.its on an android tablet.


----------



## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Jungle Jack said:


> Then again, Bose convinced millions of our populace that their wares are associated with quality sound so perhaps I should make more of an effort....
> Cheers,
> JJ


LOL, I have never been a fan of Bose and I think I have only heard Bose speakers once that sounded any good at all... They were the 901s and I had heard them many times before and they always sounded bad.

As far as the LEDs I wish that they wouldn't call them LEDs unless they truly were. It is just one more way the the big Corporations can fool the average consumer.


----------



## jdent02 (Jan 13, 2012)

Bose's professional line isn't bad, especially their powered enclosures. The consumer stuff, on the other hand, would be great if it was about $200 and not pushing $1,000.


----------



## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

I own a Sony edge lit led and am happy with it. Is it perfect? No it isn't by any means and there are much better displays for sure. I have seen the full array led's and certainly would have chosen one had the prices been more reasonable at the time I purchased mine.


----------



## typ44q (Apr 7, 2008)

People are mislead and confused about it, I have had a friend ask me if they should get a LED TV or a LCD and which one was really better! 
After explaining the difference I recommended a plasma


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

typ44q said:


> People are mislead and confused about it, I have had a friend ask me if they should get a LED TV or a LCD and which one was really better!
> After explaining the difference I recommended a plasma


Amen. LED TV is one of the most annoying terms ever. I am so sad about Plasma's current market position. More CRT's were sold Worldwide than Plasma's last year. I am hoping my purchase of a Panasonic TC-P60T50 is going to change the numbers for Plasmas in a huge way.


----------



## jdent02 (Jan 13, 2012)

I just picked up a Panny TC-P55ST50 and I love it. Plasma is a bit of a hard sell not only due to the power requirements, but also the weight. My beast is almost 70 pounds where a comperable "LED backlit" LCD would probably be closer to 40. Still, the Panny's picture quality destroys the 3 year old Sharp it replaced (I can finally see film grain), and in the grand scheme of things the 'huge' electricity bill is really not that bad compared to real hogs like the water heater and air conditioning.

And BB is still running commercials talking about "LED TV's". Grrrrrrr :rant:


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

jdent02 said:


> I just picked up a Panny TC-P55ST50 and I love it. Plasma is a bit of a hard sell not only due to the power requirements, but also the weight. My beast is almost 70 pounds where a comperable "LED backlit" LCD would probably be closer to 40. Still, the Panny's picture quality destroys the 3 year old Sharp it replaced (I can finally see film grain), and in the grand scheme of things the 'huge' electricity bill is really not that bad compared to real hogs like the water heater and air conditioning.
> 
> And BB is still running commercials talking about "LED TV's". Grrrrrrr :rant:


Hello,
Congrats on the 55ST50. It weighs around 60 lbs w/o the stand. And while Edge Lit LCD's are pretty light, the ones with Full LED Backlighting with Local Dimming like the Sharp Elite 60 inch actually weigh 66.1 lbs w/o the stand. Note, only the ones like the Sharp can compete with Panasonic Plasmas like yours.

What really makes me sad is the huge amount of misconceptions that are leveled at PDP's. Thanks to patently false marketing, there is the perception that LED Backlit LCD's are newer when LCD's are around the same age as PDP's. Sadder still, more CRT's are sold Worldwide than PDP's with LCD's being the massive leader.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## JBrax (Oct 13, 2011)

If I knew then what I know now. To be quite honest when I purchased my display I was drawn to the LED on the sign and the salesman promoted it at length. It had it's own section away from the mass of other displays with the full on surround sound setup. I was glamoured in a big way. Not to say I'm not happy with it but I would have gone projector and made it work in my home somehow. Oh well live and learn.


----------



## DJ Mike Fury (Sep 4, 2011)

I think most people have a misperception of LED LCD TVs. Stores like Best Buy basically dictate what you should get/use (i.e. torch mode, thin bezzels, contrast ratios). Before going to forums like this or AVS, I thought in line of the "majority". Marketing/Advertising is the thing that drives what people will use as tools to make their decisions on. Companies like Consumer Reports have a major say in what people buy. They put out a list of the best TVs to buy year after year. Someone told me about 3 weeks ago about how they read an article from CR that said a particular LG LED LCD TV had the best picture in a particular price bracket which I believe was $1,000 - $1,500. Meanwhile, Panasonic's ST50 is widely known as great buy and great picture in that range, but not even mentioned per the person I spoke to. LGs have been generally known in the videophile world as pretty bad. CR doesn't review every TV either. Therefore, how good of a resource is it when they don't even review the best, while expensive, LED out, the Elite. Lastly, I feel Samsung has pretty much ran the LED LCDs to the forfront. Look at the way they market the TV. If you look at any box of theirs, they'll have "LED" in huge letters next to "TV". You don't really notice anywhere saying LCD. I think that helps why people don't know as well. 

There are some advantages though to LED LCDs or basic LCDs that come in to play to people which can't be discredited. 

1) Power Consumption - While Plasmas have come a long way in this catergory, they're still not nearly as efficient as LEDs. It IS an issue for some people where their home may not be suitable for plasmas especially if you run a large amp and other compenents on a same circuit.

2) Weight - Not that you'll be picking it up all the time, but weight in simply shipping costs may play a factor. Or, weight on a wall not necessarily suitable for it (i.e. plaster).

3) Image retention - While LCDs can get this if on for over a week on a same picture, a plasma can get this after just a few hours which is a more realistic scenario. It has gotten better, but it is something that bothers alot of people and hasn't been fixed since it's inherent with the technology.

4) Picture on a LCD is better in ambient lit rooms. If you pay top dollar for a LED with local dimming, you can achieve great picture at night where plamas normally outshine LCDs. 

5) While I use ISF calibrated modes, backlighting on LCDs tend to help watching 3D movies through dark glasses. 

6) Heat - Plasmas tend to create a decent amount of heat. This may vary from TV to TV, but it again is an issue for some owners.

7) Color Brightness - Plamas colors tend to dull faster in shorter amount of time over a LCD would.

As far as off angle viewing, uniformity (unless Full Array LCD), black levels and dynamic range (unless local dimming LCD), color accuracy (except Panasonic's new LCD which had good results if I remember correctly), and price, plasmas will shine and are what videophiles like. I do think once OLED is perfected, it will be the new standard for Plasma guys. I like both technologies as I've recommended both Plasma and LED. It depends on the viewing necessities of the individual. It is true however that people believe anything new is usually better just like a contrast ratio marketed by a company like Samsung saying it's TV is 25 million to 1 is better than a TV marketed with a 20 million to 1 contrast ratio. Meanwhile, educated videophiles know that these numbers are bogus.


----------

