I recently went out TV shopping.  Having relocated, my TV was one of the things that I left behind.  Using my monitor as a TV was fine enough as a stand-in, but it was getting old.  And I wanted something new.

I took a few moments to check out the 3D TVs.  I put on the glasses.  I watched the stunning depth.  At first I was pretty unimpressed.  But that turned out to be that particular part of the demo loop that was uninspiring because it really wasn’t taking advantage of the depth aspect.  But then when it started going over some better done examples, like the Beijing Summer Olympics opening ceremony in 3D, I was enthralled.  Amazed.  Stunned!

For maybe twenty seconds.

Because after the initial shock of the whole depth perception really jumping out at me, I started to notice one glaring flaw.  This wasn’t 3D.  This was a TV version of a pop-up book.  Yes, there was depth.  But it was all done on flat surfaces.  It was even less real than no depth aspect at all.  It was a cute eye-candy gimmick, but it wasn’t even remotely close to adding realism.  It was like going back to “3D” video gaming in the ’90s .  Only worse.  Exaggerated.  Ridiculous.  I was actually glad to take the glasses off and go back to the flat world of 2D imagery.

Don’t get me wrong.  I think 3D TVs have a future … in the future.  One day I’m sure the technology will revolutionize television.  When it’s done right.  When the depth perception at the very least has something like bump mapping.  When 3D scenes look real.

And preferably when it can be done without glasses.  I mean what are people who wear glasses supposed to do?  If I hadn’t had my contacts in would the glasses have even fit let alone been comfortable?

But all was not disappointment.  No.  Not at all.  For next to impress me were the new LED LCD TVs.

The “ultra thins”.

Just how thin these TVs were was truly impressive.  Literally thinner than two finger widths.  Even faced with the reality of them, I still cannot wrap my mind around just how thin LED LCD technology could be.

And the image quality!  Oh my goodness were the whites white, the blacks black, the colors vivid, the contrast stunning!  Plasma TVs had nothing on these LED LCD bad boys.

But most amazing of all?  LEDs used for backlighting are the lowest possible energy consumption lighting.  So these LED LCDs are not just “Energy Star compliant”, they far exceed the standard.  They positively sip electricity.  Over the lifetime of the TV they probably pay for themselves in electricity savings over TVs with other types of backlighting.  If not and then some!

That is impressive.

LED lighting really is the future of being green.  And bringing it to TV has never made them more beautiful.