Plasma TV’s and LCDs (liquid crystal displays) are both kinds of flat screened televisions. Plasmas work by transforming noble gases into plasma, which then discharges light to shape the display on the screen. Each small compartment of gases constitutes one pixel. LCDs, on the other hand, form their displays by placing liquid crystals in front of fluorescent or another type of backlighting.
Plasmas and LCDs, flatter and lighter than tube televisions, are also less difficult to manage than traditional CRT (or tube) televisions. Though, on average, they are a hefty 5 inches thick and 100 pounds, recent advances in plasma technology will soon cut their thickness down to an inch and their weight down to 45 pounds. Consumers can now take some liberties in the placement of their plasma TV’s. Plasmas can easily be mounted on walls or placed on smaller stands.
Flat panel TV’s, like plasmas, also have a higher resolution than traditional tube televisions. Resolution is related to how many pixels there are in a square inch; the more pixels, the higher the resolution. At present, high-definition plasmas have resolutions that vary from 1024×768 (720p) to 1920×1080 (1080i), which is much higher than the maximum resolution for tube TVs-480 lines.
Plasma television manufacturers boast a lifetime of up to 60,000 hours for their televisions, compared to a CRT television’s life span of at least 5 years. Which is better? Depending on how much a plasma is turned on, its lifespan can range anywhere from 7 years (turned on for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to 55 years (turned on for 3 hours a day). The lifespan of a plasma TV is significantly greater than that of a CRT TV.
Plasma televisions have both a better color ratio and more contrast than LCDs. For plasma TVs, each pixel can virtually be turned off to produce truer blacks. However, LCDs use a backlight, which will shine through the “black” pixel and damage the contrast quality. CRT televisions have the best contrast, but both plasmas and LCDs surpass them when it comes to color reproduction.
Viewers may also have to take into consideration the angle at which they look at the television. Plasmas can be viewed from either side, the top, or the bottom without significant change in the image. LCDs, on the other hand, cannot; their backlighting causes problems with large viewing angles.
In older models of plasma TVs, the burn-in effect posed a significant problem. When an image (for example, a paused movie) is kept on the screen for too long, the image could be burned into the screen and still faintly visible afterwards. Plasma TV companies have worked to eradicate this problem with much success; while it is still possible for images to burn in, on newer plasmas the possibility is almost negligible.
Plasmas also have virtually no size limitations; depending on a consumer’s budget, plasma screens can go up to any size. LCD and CRT televisions, on the other hand, are confined to approximately 40 inches diagonal.
