Does Contrast Ratio Alone Make a Television Senior-Friendly?

After our post on the Top Five Sets for the Elderly, we received several questions about the importance of contrast ratio in choosing a TV.

Simply put, contrast ratio is the ratio between the brightest whites and darkest black colors of an image or, in this case, a television picture. In theory, the higher the contrast ratio the better. This is especially true for a person with impaired vision because higher contrast makes it easier to see.

Technology experts are reluctant to put too much emphasis on contrast ratios, however, not only because there are many other factors to consider, but also because these numbers can be calculated in a somewhat subjective manner. In addition to contrast ratio, one’s ultimate viewing experience will be influenced by room lighting, the design features of the room the TV resides in, the distance between the set and