Thursday, November 05, 2009

Why You Don't Need To Spend Extra Money On a 240 Hz LCD TV [LCDs]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/y0838InA4qc/why-you-dont-need-to-spend-extra-money-on-a-240-hz-lcd-tv

Yesterday I discussed how the problem of motion blur has been all but eliminated in most mid-to-high-end LCDs. However, as HDGuru points out, there are consequences to bumping refresh rates up to 120 Hz or 240 Hz.

In other words, bumping up the refresh rates beyond 60 Hz may have eliminated the problem of motion blur, but some complain that the activation of the ME/MC circuit that kicks in when LCD sets achieve these high refresh rates desegregates the picture. As the video put together by HDGuru illustrates, this is a very real problem.

That having been said, LCD buyers have a few options. Most sets offer an option to turn off ME/MC, although that will result in lower motion resolution. You could also opt for a plasma set that doesn't suffer from this issue. It also reinforces a point I made with yesterday's article—you don't need to spend extra money on a LCD just because it advertises 240Hz. You probably won't see any additional benefit with that set than you would with one that tops out at 120 Hz. Check out HDGuru for the full details and results of the test. [HDGuru]