The argument between LCDs and plasma displays can be summed up to a basic choice between practicality and image quality. Resolution aside, plasma displays tend to provide a better picture for the money. Even the least expensive plasma televisions can provide a darker picture than LCDs costing thousands more, and color accuracy also tends to be above par. Unfortunately their bulk, glossy screens, and generally dimmer picture makes them problematic in brighter rooms. This is where the LCD dominates. Many consumers do not own their own dedicated home theater room, and an LCD is often a better choice when looking to place an HDTV in the main living space of a home.
While a plasma or LCD HDTV will be the best choice for 90% of consumers, there are a few other options that should be briefly mentioned.
Rear-projection HDTV is an old but reliable technology. These large, boxy HDTVs use a large light behind a smaller display inside the television to projection onto the display observed by the viewer. These displays tend to produce a sharp image with high color accuracy and decent black levels. The biggest advantage of rear-projection, however, is cost - it is possible to buy a 65" rear-projection television for under $1500 dollars. A plasma or LCD of that size would cost at least twice as much. On the downside, rear-projection televisions tend to have poor viewing angles and can suffer from a "rainbow effect" which causes some viewers to see a strange streak or streaks of color in the picture. Rear-projection televisions also use a powerful bulb which will occasionally need to be replaced.
A newer technology is the LED HDTV, which is for the most part the same as a LCD HDTV. A LED is back-lit like an LCD, but the lights are small diodes which are placed throughout the HDTV. LED HDTVs tend to have better viewing angles and the dispersal of light-emitting diodes means that all portions of the screen appear evenly lit. LED HDTVs are also even thinner and lighter. However, they still suffer from the problem of poor black levels, although the problem is often less severe.
Once the type of HDTV has been decided on there is only few details to nail down. The next part of this series will go deeper into arguments like 720p vs 1080p and explain the inputs and features every HDTV buyer will want to look for.