LCD TVs brought in the ultra-sleek in TVs. They work on the same technology that laptops and notebooks work on; only they are the larger versions. Those days of TVs, with their bulky cathode ray tubes, occupying large space in your rooms is gone. Now ultra slim is in along with wide screens. With larger screen size gaining popularity, this is in direct contrast to those other electronic gadgets that are going miniature.

When buying LCD TVs, there are certain features you should look out for:

• Contrast Ratio - This ratio determines the sharpness of the image. Contrast ratio is the difference between the white and the black tones of the image. The higher the difference, the better image you will have.
• Brightness - This is expressed in Cd/m². The higher the brightness the better it is. Go for a TV that is at least 400 Cd/m².
• Viewing Angle - Viewing angle is perfect when one is sitting in front of the LCD screen. The problem is when it is viewed from an angle. The wider the angle, the better the viewing is. Newer models offer a viewing angle of 170 degrees.

Here is a brief look at two of the top selling LCD TVs in the United Kingdom. These are from different price ranges.

Toshiba 32AV615DB - 32" LCD TV

This has a brightness of 500 Cd/m² and a dynamic contrast of 18000:1. It comes in black gloss with slim speakers, and includes 3 HDMI slots and a PC input connection. Its picture quality is excellent and HD faultless.

The unit weighs 12.3 Kg and has a slimness of 786 mm. Depending on where you buy from; it comes with a price tag of under £395.00 including VAT.

LG 32LH3000 32" 1080p LCD TV

It also has a brightness of 500 Cd/m² and a dynamic contrast of 18000:1. The model comes with a high gloss black finish and its 4 in-built speakers have a stereo sound output of 20 watts.

The unit has a weight of 10.6 Kg and a viewing angle of 178 degrees. It has 3 HDMI inputs, one on the side and two at the rear. This TV, with a swivel table top stand, has a price tag of £429.00 including VAT.

The slimmest product in the UK market at present is Sonys ZX1 at 9.9 mm! This is one of the two LCD TVs from the ZX series and is tentatively priced at £2930.00.