What's the difference between a contrast ratio and an aspect ratio on an LCD TV?

Question

I'm shopping around for new TV and it's our first new TV in (don't laugh) 18 years. Needless to say I'm more than a little confused by the new technology. I saw an answer to someone else's question about an Olevia saying that the off-brands can be just as good as the name brands as long as the contrast ratio is high (1,000:1 or higher).

So I found a 47" LG with a contrast ratio of 8,000:1 for about $1,400. I also found a 55" Olevia for about $100 more with an ASPECT ratio of 16:9, but no contrast ratio listed.

What is an aspect ratio? Does it replace the contrast ratio in some sets? If so, why is it so much lower than the contrast ratio?

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

aspect ratio is the shape of the screen.... like old tvs are 4:3... 16:9 is widescreen...  the higher the contrast ratio the better the colors look... the higher the number the blacker the blacks are.....

Answer 2

Aspect ratio is the ratio of screen width to height, and Contrast ratio is the ratio of lights to darks the screen can produce.

Answer 3

Contrast ratio is the ratio of difference between blacks on your screen and whites. It does make a huge difference, you don't realize it but with a low contrast the whites look kind of yellow and the blacks are greyish. Aspect ratio is height of the screen vs. the length, and has nothing to do with quality.

Answer 4

Aspect ratio has to do with screen size.  The old style analog sets had an aspect ratio of 4:3 meaning for every 4 inches wide the screen was 3 inches tall.  16:9 means for every 16 inches wide, it's 9 inches tall.  16:9 is the standard aspect ratio for HD screens (rectangular).

Contrast ratio is supposedly a measure of how deep the blacks of a picture are compared to the whites (contrast).  Unfortunately, there is no standard for contrast ratio that I am aware of.  Every manufacturer comes up with their own methods of measuring it so it's a pretty meaningless number if you are comparing two different brands.

I hope this helps.  Please return and select a Best Answer from all of those submitted.