First we had the gigantic tube TV’s, which sucked energy like nothing else. Then came plasma, which used much less but still ran quite hot. Then we had LCD, which is still the most popular technology on the market right now and are very energy-efficient. But soon, we will be seeing more and more of the newest TV technology on store shelves – OLED, which stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. OLED TV’s do not require a backlight to function and thus draw a lot less power than regular LCD technology. And because there is no need for the backlight, an OLED display can be much thinner than an LCD. Well, LG is launching only the 2nd OLED TV to market in December with their 15 inch HDTV, and because it is new technology, it is expected to cost a pretty penny.

Photo from Engadget.

OLED TV’s not only use less energy and take up less space in your house, but they also deliver an even better picture than LCD and plasma technology does. They have a reported contrast ratio of 1,000,000 to 1, faster response times than LCD or plasma, and display more vivid colors than either of it’s predecessors. They are the future of TV…for now.

LCD technology will probably remain the top seller, even as more of these OLED versions come to market. Large plasma TV’s cost over $10,000 when they first came out, and it looks like OLED’s will probably do the same. But once the technology comes down in price and becomes more prevalent, the energy savings should be through the roof for most TV watchers – which will only help us all.