| If you are in the market for a flat panel HDTV, one of | | | | their contrast levels dramatically, so dark movies look |
| your big decisions is whether to go with plasma or | | | | nearly as good. Screen response times have |
| LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology. As recently as | | | | improved, especially with the advent of 120Hz high |
| a few years ago, it was an easy decision: there were | | | | frame rate technology, so sports are now very |
| few LCD televisions larger than 40 inches and there | | | | enjoyable on LCD sets. Larger LCD sizes, like 52 and |
| were no plasmas smaller than 40 inches, so size | | | | 56 inches, are now quite common and affordable. And |
| dictated your choice. But now, LCD technology has | | | | the highest possible screen resolution, 1920 x 1080, is |
| been creeping into plasma's domain, with good quality | | | | much more common in LCD sets than plasma. This is |
| sets as large as 70 inches. The popular 40 to 60 inch | | | | called 1080p resolution, and helps giant screens look |
| size range is now a battlefield of technology, and it's | | | | sharper. |
| starting to look like LCD will win that battle. | | | | So what does this mean to you, the consumer? Not |
| With the recent improvements in LCD picture quality, | | | | much, really, unless you are employed in the plasma |
| many of plasma's advantages are losing significance. | | | | TV industry. It's good news if you are trying to find a |
| The technology shift is hitting plasma manufacturers in | | | | bargain on an HDTV, since plasma prices are dropping |
| the bottom line: profit margins on plasma HDTVs are | | | | steadily, especially on older models. Many online HDTV |
| dropping and many manufacturers, such as LG | | | | buyer's guides are listing new plasmas, with |
| Electronics, are even eliminating some of their plasma | | | | two-year-old technology, for half retail price. These |
| TV production lines. | | | | plasma HDTVs are still excellent, and the future of the |
| Plasma has been considered superior to LCD for a | | | | industry should have no bearing on that. Plasma TV still |
| long time. It produces more vivid colors and sharper | | | | has a nearly fanatical following of people who consider |
| contrast, so movies with dark scenes look better. It | | | | it the best picture money can buy. |
| can change images more quickly, so fast-moving | | | | The take-away lesson is that, if you are looking for a |
| sports look more fluid and continuous on a plasma | | | | set with top quality in the 40 to 60 inch range, you |
| screen. And LCD sets have typically been hard to | | | | should now seriously consider an LCD HDTV. And if |
| produce in large sizes, so plasma was the only way to | | | | you're looking to save a thousand dollars or so, look |
| go for a really big set that you could hang on your wall. | | | | for a current (but not the latest) plasma model. |
| But in the last few years, LCD sets have improved | | | | |