Bright Idea Promises to Revolutionize LCD Displays

LCDs and DLPs and plasmas, oh my! Choosing a television used to entail picking out the biggest sized screen you could afford, and then convincing your significant other that she too will appreciate the extra real estate. Those were simpler times, and today there exist a myriad of technologies to wade through before purchasing your next high definition television set. Even if you've kept up with the fast paced HDTV arena, there's one more type of display you might never have heard about but could be worth waiting for: LEDs.

LED technology is far from new, and some displays already utilize LED backlighting, but high costs have kept it from infiltrating the majority of HDTVs. Instead, bulbs and cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) dominate the HDTV landscape. But according to flat panel research firm Insight Media, a reduction in costs means LEDs will become the predominate light source for LCD displays by 2011. Not only will LCDs get brighter as a result, but consumers can expect a wider range of colors, less power consumption, and a longer lasting display. And though we're still a few years away from LEDs becoming a cost effective solution, you could see LED television sets in the marketplace by as early as 2009.

Image Credit: PhysicsToday.org