Viewing angle still the Achilles heel for most LCD TVs

LCD TVs are known to have problems with viewing angle, something to remember when you go to make that television purchase.

Many of the LCD and plasma TVs in our latest Ratings (available to subscribers) do an excellent job displaying high-definition images in all their splendor. But with the LCD sets, you might not always see the top-notch picture quality we describe, because most of them have a stingy viewing angle.

While viewing angle plays a small part in the overall score in our Ratings, the picture quality scores are based on the ideal viewing position--smack in front of the screen. As soon as you stray from dead center, either off to the side or up or down, the screen on most LCD sets starts to look dim or washed out, and the colors shift. In extreme cases, the picture can become almost unwatchable. On some models, the horizontal viewing angle is the bigger problem, while on others it’s the vertical position.

Every single LCD TV in the Ratings suffered from this to some extent, so none earned an excellent score for viewing angle. In fact, more than half the LCD sets we tested had only a fair or good viewing angle—two or three steps below the excellent score earned by every plasma set tested. And it’s not just small, low-priced LCDs that fall short. One of the best, and priciest, big-screen models in our test group had fabulous picture quality, but the viewing angle was so narrow it could seriously impede your ability to enjoy that quality in normal use.

The problem is glaringly obvious to us, because we have a few dozen LCD and plasma TVs set up in the lab, side by side, at any given point in time. As we walk around the room, the picture quality on the LCD sets keeps changing, and we have to stand directly in front of the screens to see optimal quality. The plasma TVs show the same rich colors and deep blacks from any angle.

You might notice the same things at home if you have a big sectional, chairs on opposite sides of the room, a flat screen above your fireplace or the kitchen counter, or kids who watch TV while lying on the floor. As Dr. Raymond Soneira, owner of testing firm DisplayMate Technologies, observed in a New York Times article recently, “The ‘sweet spot’ for seeing an accurate picture on an LCD HDTV is only one person wide, even for top-of-the-line models.”

But it’s entirely possible that you wouldn’t notice any problem if you routinely watch your LCD TV from front and center. Even if your favorite easy chair is at a slight angle, you might not realize you’re seeing a subtly different image than you would from directly in front of the screen, where the blacks might appear deeper and the colors would look richer and more saturated.

And as we said earlier, some sets do reasonably well with side-to-side viewing, but fall down on the job with the up-and-down angle, or vice versa. For that reason, it’s a good idea to look for a TV base or wall mount that swivels and tilts. What you’re watching also comes into play. Bright, colorful images like you see at sporting events—the type of programming retailers tend to display—mask the problem, which is more obvious with indoor scenes and flesh tones.

We’re hoping manufacturers can solve this problem, just as they have improved black levels, another weak point for LCD technology. We have seen a few LCD sets, notably some 2008 models from Panasonic, with a very wide viewing angle, approaching that of a plasma. (Subscribers can check our Ratings to see which models have the best viewing angle scores.) But that’s still the exception rather than the rule, and none of the latest models are that good.

We’ll continue to recommend LCD TVs, because in the right setting, these TVs are a great choice. And flaws that leap out to folks who test and report on TVs for a living might not be as noticeable, or as bothersome, to many consumers. Judging by LCD TV sales, that’s a pretty safe bet.

But personally, I’m sticking with plasma. The technology is not perfect, but when the picture quality is judged excellent, I know that’s what I’ll see no matter where I sit. That outweighs any minuses in my book.

LCD fans: Why did you choose LCD over plasma? Have you noticed any problems with off-angle viewing? Would you buy the same TV again? Let us know. — Eileen McCooey

Comments

[Frank]

I found the answer to my analog-audio-out question on Panasonic's site. The 54PS14s at Costco/Sams apparently do not have analog audio out so I'll have to dump my present receiver/tuner/amp and buy a digital unit if I go that route. The V10s do have that feature.

[everett whitney]

To: Frank - 54" Panasonic w/ Analog Audio OUT ..?

Sadly, no - - more & more new offerings are "giving up" those now .... herein at "BLOGS-television" they have a discussion of that phenomena, in fact.

Somewhat "confusing" will be those R / W (stereo only) Audio inputs in order to continue using existing DVD/VCR Players, using the internal HDTV speakers.

Here IS that Digital Audio Output Only confirmation from "SPECS" @ Panasonic on both the 54" Model at your Costco & our SAMsClub - - (might need to refresh this link) - -

http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/shop/Televisions/All-VIERA-Flat-Panel-HDTVs/model.TC-54PS14.S_11002_7000000000000005702#tabsection

everett

[Frank]

Thanks Again Everette,

I looked at the Panasonic TC-54PS14 at Costco yesterday and it appears to have many of the features of the TC-P54V10 including lower energy use and at 1/2 the price. It was mounted too far away to examine however. Do you recall if the one from Sams had analog audio out? I'd like to keep using our 10-yo Denon receiver/amp with RCA cables and many of the new HDTVs have digital audio out only.

[everett whitney]

TO: Frank & 58" vs ... Special "Issues!" ...

Very perceptive & Undoubtedly a No-No!

Just very recently, I helped install & set up Panasonic's latest 54" Plasma set from SAMsClub - - - which was also reduced shortly afterwards to just $1,299 !

Got the friends their full cash difference refunded, of course . . . would definitely "fit" your side spacing distance, including the needed ventilation!

"IF" a Costco membership instead, they have it as well.
everett

[Frank]

Everette,

As follow up, I'm now focusing on the highly-rated 58" V-10 which is 56' wide. If I cock it a little to point between our seating positions it should have at least 3" of clearance on each side in the available 62" space. that would seem to be adequate clearance.

I stopped in at our local BB today and they had a 58" plasma mounted directly below a big-name 55" side emitting LED LCD with both playing the same DVD. The difference was amazing. My eyes are light-sensitive and the 55" LED not only hurt my eyes but the LED image was washed out compared to the plasma. The new V-10s are rated much closer to LCDs in energy use but as you mentioned it's impossible to compare directly because the plasmas vary in their energy demand while the LCDs are more consistant.

[Frank]

Thanks Everette,

I'll look into the 58s but we have a space limitation. Unless we completely rearrange our living room furniture the TV will be placed in a 62" wide space between a fireplace mantle (rarely used gas fireplace) and a side wall. I recall that some TVs have side-clearance requirements and I assume that limitation is especially critical with plasma. I suppose I could place the TV above the mantle where a painting by my wife's artist mother now hangs but I'm not sure I would survive to watch the TV :-).

[everett whitney]

TO: FRANK @ 10:55 - "Plasma Instead of LED .."

Very Good Decision !

And, you will NOT need a totally-dark room at all ...

For that very long viewing distance { 13 feet} - please DO shop diligently & acquire a 58" display !

SAMsClub has one now for under $1,900 plus "IF" you want / might like to, their added 3 years warranty is economical as well.

Otherwise, strictly ".. stocked at and shipped by AMAZON ..." does offer tremendous pricing & Customer Service on the Panasonic ! {never any of the third party vendors!}

www.amazon.com

everett

[Frank]

You can ignore my previous question about LCD viewing angles. After spending several hours here and elsewhere I've decided to buy a plasma HDTV and find another way to save the few pounds of coal and resulting greenhouse gases an LED set would save. Maybe we'll just watch the plasma in the dark.

[Frank]

I've been shopping the new Samsung, LG and Toshiba 55" LED sets to replace our ancient 27" CRT and having read this blog am now concerned about the LCD viewing angle problem. My wife and I sit 4 ft apart and 13 ft from the screen in our current TV watching configuration. I've been assuming that the sweet spot of an LCD would be broad enough at that distance to include both of us but now I'm not so sure. Is there a way to convert the viewing angles published in the reviews to an actual viewing cone at various distances? yes I could climb out of my recliner and sit on the sofa next to her but I see no reason to drop $3K just to make myself less comfortable.

[ernest]

I have not bought any HDTV yet, still obsessed in my research.I am leaning towards an LCD though because I find LCD pictures are crisper than Plasmas.I am also bothered about the heat Plasmas generate (which I have felt when walking close by any Plasma) and the long term decline in picture quality with age,I am one who keeps electronics for years and this bothers me about Plasmas.I personally looked at the Pioneer Kuro before it went off the market and was not impressed.Hard as I tried to see the excellence in picture quality I was not swayed.
Presently, I have been very much impressed with Samsung UN55B8000 (Downside , slight narrow viewing angle) and Samsung LN52B750 (which to me has the best viewing angle for an LCD but the black is not deeper than the LED LCD or Plasma). I am anxiously waiting for the Samsung UN55B8500 to see if it will retain the deep blacks of the B8000 and have a better viewing angle than the most LCDs.

[everett whitney]

TO: Bob-" C.R. Measured the Heating Output of Plasma?"

Not in BTUs/Hr per se - but they DO list the ~ ~ annual costs for electricity in their Testing / Reviews ... available to subscribers of " .org "

Panel-For-Panel size (as close as possible) - our 52" Sony LCD requires ~ 300 watts hourly w/o fluctuation .... a new Panasonic 50" G 10 will use at Max White on White scenes ~ 589 watts hourly ... MUCH less power during evening, outside scenes which are largely dark, obviously.

Plasma sets DO modulate or vary greatly in their power required between these two display extremes!

Since ~ ~ 3,413 BTU/Hr is the equivalent to 1 KW-Hr of electric power .... it roughly follows that neither type of HDTV in this panel size will actually cause one's A/C System to run additionally or the furnace Heating in Winter to be reduced appreciably. Most large-sized Den or L.R. Rooms usually require about 8,000 - 10,000 BTU/Hr to be cooled & double than during Winter for heating.

Yes, academically, your person was correct . . . . in-any-real-world-sense, he was exaggerating.

everett

[Bob McGowan]

Have you measured heat output in plasma models? A T.V. guy repair said that plasma sets generate lots of heat. True?

[Michael LaBorde]

No TV is going to look all that great with bright light shining directly on the screen. Even if you don't get glare, you do get washed out color and contrast. Current plasmas are a good deal brighter than they were a couple of years ago and those with anti-glare coatings are not that far from LCDs in a lit-up room. You also have those LCDs from Samsung that use a shiny screen face to permit more light to come through but are then subject to lots of glare, maybe even worse than a lot of plasmas.

There's an article reference I posted a few weeks ago in the plasma and LCD sections of the Forums that compares the two technologies and has some very good screen shots of LCD sets showing the off-access fall-off in brightness, contrast and color that illustrates what CR is talking about.

We still don't have a TV technology that works under all conditions and you have to assess what your conditions and preferences are. I will admit that my own bias right now is toward plasma because it makes fewer compromises, IMO, than LCD does. That, of course, is always subject to change as technology evolves.

[Eileen McCooey, Deputy Editor]

You have a valid point, Eric. Let's see if we can follow up on your suggestion. Personally, I do dim the lights at night or close the blinds during the daytime when I watch my plasma TV. Because I can control the room lighting, I have no issue with glare or reflections.

[Eric]

LCD all the way. I have no viewing angle problems with my Sony 52" LCD, and I watch from all over the living room and even while cooking or cleaning in the kitchen. None.

On the other hand, I also have lots of windows and light sources all over. Plasma screens would be washed out and full of glare whenever you have bright light sources nearby, to the point where I'm almost ever in the ideal conditions necessary to get perfect plasma performance. Can you imagine having to close the curtains before watching TV, or constraining what lights can be on based on where you choose to sit?

In this post you mention that you notice how considerably LCD picture quality degrades as you walk around the testing room. Can you make another post mentioning whether you notice how considerably plasma picture quality degrades as you open the windows or turn on lights?