Contrast ratio is one of the specifications that people seem most interested in when looking for a new HDTV. The contrast ratio is the difference between the darkest dark scene and the brightest bright scene the screen can display. A nice high contrast ratio, like 8,000 to 1 or higher, gives the picture a more lifelike and sharper feel. The exact ratio depends a lot on the way the manufacturer chooses to measure it, so maximizing the contrast ratio by choosing one make of HDTV over another is a dubious plan. But, there is one sure way to improve things, regardless of the TV specs:
The key is to "trick" your eyes a little bit. Your eye's iris (the "aperture" of your eye) will constrict in bright light and dilate in darker light, right? If your TV room is completely dark, your eyes will be dilated and sensitive to low amounts of light, so you will have to turn the brightness down on your screen to make the dark areas appear totally black. This also reduces the brightness of the bright scenes, thus reducing the apparent contrast ratio.
If you place a dim light source, like a small lamp, behind the TV in your otherwise dark room, your iris will contract a bit and allow you to turn up the brightness a little. You will still see black as completely black, and will have more brightness in the bright scenes, thus increasing the apparent contrast ratio and making the picture look better. Constricting your iris also increases the sharpness of your vision, just as stopping down the aperture of a camera lens increases sharpness and depth of field. And the dim, diffuse light will not cause glare on the screen like a direct or overhead light would.
Of course, it also helps to find out if a particular HDTV actually has as good a contrast ratio as the manufacturer claims. One way to find this out is to look at HDTV reviews where actual customers compare notes. And you can check out an HDTV buyer's guide to get a fuller understanding of contrast ratio and other tech topics.
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