Liquid Crystal Display Televisions (LCD TV) are televisions that use LCD technology for visual output (producing an image). The technology used is generally TFT, because this allows for size, especially depth reduction, lower weight and reduced energy consumpton. These LCD screens are also used as computer monitors.

Early generation LCD televisions had drawbacks relative to the traditional visual display technologies for televisions and computer monitors. Fast-moving action was displayed with "ghosting" and because light emitted focused directly ahead, viewing was best only when looking directly at the screen or from a slight angle. Developments in recent years have solved most of these problems, and LCD televisions, along with Plasma displays, have become more popular worldwide than Cathode Ray display televisions.

In the early 2000s, LCD flat-panels captured a large part of the computer monitor market from the traditional CRTs type, with aspects such as its energy efficiency being favourable over the CRT design. Continuing advances in LCD TV technology enable it to compete against its rival technologies,Plasma flat panels and rear-projection televisions (DLP and also two variants of the LCD technology LCD and LCoS) for large-screen HDTV.

For much of its continuing time on the television market, it was widely believed that LCD technology was suited only to smaller sized flat-panel televisions at sizes of 40" or smaller, as it could not compete with plasma technology for screens larger than this because plasma held the edge in cost and performance. However , LCD TV's can now offer the same performance.

This is shown by the announcements of seventh-generation panels by major manufacturers such as Samsung, Sony, LG.Philips LCD, and the Sharp Corporation:

• In October 2004, 40" to 45" televisions were widely available, and Sharp had announced the successful manufacture of a 65" panel.
• In March 2005, Samsung announced an 82" LCD panel.0000101589" target="_blank">http://www.samsung.com/PressCenter/PressRelease/PressRelease.asp?seq=20050307_0000101589
• In August 2006, _LG.Philips Consumer Electronics announced a 100" LCD television blank">http://www.newscenter.philips.com/About/news/article-15499.html
• In January 2007, _Sharp displayed a 108" LCD panel branded under the AQUOS brand name at CES in Las Vegas.blank">http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,242431,00.html

Improvements in LCD technology have narrowed the technological gap, allowing producers to offer the lower weight, falling prices, higher available resolution (crucial for HDTV), and lower electrical power consumption which previously made a gap with plasmas. This means they are now more competitive against plasma displays in the television set market.

Analysts of late 2006, noted that LCDs were overtaking plasmas, particularly in the important 40" and above segment where plasma had enjoyed strong dominance a couple of years before. http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9584_22-6138290.htmlhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15916808/