Plasma Vs LCD

Choosing a new TV for the home is a major decision. The two main types of TVs on the market today are plasma and LCD. These competing technologies arrive at similar features via two very different processes. The following paragraphs will examine what these technologies are and how they compare to one another.

Technologies Defined

Plasma flat screen technology uses millions of pixels, consist of glass, gas-filled bubbles suspended between sheets of glass and painted with a phosphor. When an electric current is applied, the gas becomes excited and turns into plasma. This plasma gives off ultraviolet light, which illuminates the red, green or blue phosphor coating to display the desired color.

Plasma Vs LCD

LCD displays consist of a liquid-crystal solution sandwiched between two plates of glass. When thin-film transistors buzz these cells with an electric charge, the crystals turn and line up to filter white light from a lamp behind the TV screen. The amount of turning determines what color seeps through; the crystal cells block the unwanted colors from the spectrum of light until only the correct color continues through to the viewer.

Picture Quality

In normal to low room lighting such as night time viewing, plasma TVs display better picture quality. In contrast, LCD TVs are ideal for bright environments such as sunrooms and for public display areas. In a typical home environment, a plasma TV will produce higher picture quality.

Video Playback

Plasma TVs generally perform better with high-contrast levels and fast-moving images. LCD TVs have a longer response time; that is, how long it takes for a crystal to twist and allow light to pass through. Lower response times have less blur and thus are more desirable.

Longevity

Since a plasma TV works by exciting gases and causing phosphors to glow, over time the phosphors will fade. Although it takes years for the phosphors to reach half their initial brightness, eventually the TV picture will become dim. The gases and phosphors cannot be refreshed or replaced, so the entire TV will need to be replaced. On the other hand, LCD TVs last as long as their back-lights do. Since LCDs simply filter light, there are no parts to wear out or fade. Toward the end of the lamp's life cycle, however, the light given off may change slightly so that the white light is no longer a pure white. With today's advances in technology, both plasma and LCD televisions may last for years, so neither type has a distinct advantage.

Screen Burn-In

With plasma displays, static images such as a paused DVD will eventually "burn-in," or become permanently locked into the glass display element. This phenomenon is also known as "ghosting." The end result is that even when the static image is no longer being displayed, some remnants of the image will be visible to the naked eye. LCD televisions do not experience this problem due to the nature of the liquid crystals. Newer plasma TVs have a reduced danger of burn-in, but if this is still a concern, then an LCD TV would be a safer bet.

Size

Both plasma and LCD televisions are available in larger sizes, although the largest TVs such as 61" favor plasma technology. All of these sizes have proven reliable, although the largest plasma TVs consume a lot of power.

Cost

Plasma TVs generally have lower pricing than LCD TVs of comparable size.

Overall, both plasma and LCD TVs have distinct advantages and drawbacks. Anyone looking forward to purchasing a new TV should determine which features are most important before choosing between plasma and LCD technologies.

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