20061024

A little too convenient?

So, I'm a nerd... I'll admit it. I like to follow trends in technology and all that. But, sometimes I find myself thinking that technology writers may write things the way they hope they are rather than the way they are.

This morning I read an article about how CRT televisions are sliding into oblivion. For those of you who don't know, CRT is the kind of tv you probably grew up with. You know, weighs a ton, is really big even when the screen isn't, that kind of stuff.

Now, interestingly, the following is tucked into the article:

...Video experts say CRT technology still represents the gold standard in picture quality with the deepest blacks and best color accuracy. But the performance of LCD and plasma displays have improved dramatically in just the past two years, making the differences in picture quality insignificant to all but discerning videophiles.
Say what? Now, I've looked at LCD and Plasma TVs lately, on the low end... you know, the ones Walmart sells... the ones that can't handle high level digital signals (1080), and I've thought to myself, self these just don't look all that good. They aren't horrible, but they seem to lack a little clarity in details. And folks, I'm certainly not a discenring videophile. I don't even know what that means.

All that to say, maybe it's just a little early to pronounce the "gold standard in picture quality" dead. Not that I don't drool over LCD tvs... you just have to be careful that what you're buying is actually better than what you've got at home.

1 comment:

Jerry said...

When a technology is new, you screw yourself over by buying in the low end.

LCD monitors are a good example... you can get a BENQ or Viewsonic for 200 bucks but it's gonna suck a lot more than if you get a Samsung for 400. Brands still mean something, and yes Virginia, you still get what you pay for usually.

Until a technology is established, never buy the cheap crap at walmart.