Best TV for Sports; Football, Basketball or Baseball; 2010 Top 5 Recommended
Fast action is a particular weakness for many TVs in the marketplace. There have been many feature enhancements to LCD TVs to try to make up for deficiencies which cause motion lag or blur and judder (a jerky effect during side to side panning). LED back lighting has helped the cause and is a technology specifically employed to attempt to remedy some of these issues.
Historically, we have favored plasma TV technology over LCD or LED when it comes to response rate (speed of processing), viewing angles, and black levels – all elements that will be very important when viewing football, tennis or baseball. However, some LCD TVs have made significant inroads and have improved so much that we are now recommending them in areas that plasma TVs once dominated such as black level and contrast.
Our list below for best sports TVs is chosen based on 1) Great viewing angles without contrast loss – when you've got the guys over watching the game you do not want contrast to degrade and black levels begin to look washed out at angles. 2) No Motion Lag, blur and minimal judder – judder is that annoying jerky effect when the object or person moves side to side across the screen. It should be smooth. Motion lag or blur are produced when the processing in the TV are slower than the object moving on the screen causing some delay. 3) High Contrast and Deep black levels – these two go hand in hand but you certainly don't want the picture to appear washed out. Good contrast and deep black levels prevents that.
For this year we will also begin including some 3D TVs since The Masters, NFL Football and World Cup Soccer are all showing in 3D programming.
Click on the model below or the series link if looking for a different size.
Samsung LN55C650 LCD TV
This TV really impressed us in all the above areas but especially contrast. The 120Hz rate Trumotion feature almost totally eliminates judder.
Panasonic TC-P50VT25 Plasma TV 3D TV Ready
This TV will cost a bit more but still the best price in the 3D category. It will give you solid black levels, very little motion lag and perfect viewing angles up to 90 degrees.
Samsung PN58C7000 Plasma TV 3D Ready
Even better black levels than the Panasonic above with the other positive attributes
Sony KDL52EX700 LED TV
Though not 3D ready we enjoyed the presentation and color accuracy from this unit when testing
LG 55LE8500 LED TV
Though a bit pricey this TV has strikingly good looks and a heavy front glass panel which adds picture depth and provides great side angle viewing for an LED. The 240Hz rate feature will magnify sports figures seemingly picking them out of the background
