| No doubt about it, flat screen HDTVs have gone from | | | | sports. |
| being tvs for the enthusiast and the wealthy to the | | | | Plasma tv technology produces lifelike, rich and vibrant |
| natural replacement choice for the common household. | | | | colors. Another important consideration is black levels. |
| A popular question is which is better, an LCD flat | | | | Although LCD has made advancements in black level, |
| screen tv or a plasma tv? | | | | they still have a tough time reproducing the deep true |
| In years past this would be a much easier answer as | | | | blacks that plasma can produce. |
| there were clear differences between the two tv | | | | Keep in mind the viewing environment when |
| options, with a plasma tv being the natural flat panel | | | | purchasing a tv. LCDs generally produce a brighter |
| choice for a home theater due in part to the limited | | | | picture that is great for areas with a lot of natural |
| size options for large screen tvs. | | | | ambient light. This is one reason that when you go in to |
| In today's rapidly changing electronics market LCD | | | | the typical electronics store that is filled with bright |
| screens have gained significant ground in the home | | | | fluorescent lighting, that they will stand out more then |
| theater market. They are now a legitimate option for | | | | plasmas. You may be surprised at the difference in |
| home theater and not just an option for small tvs or | | | | perceived picture quality when viewing a plasma in |
| computer monitors. They have gained production | | | | areas with controlled lighting such as a home theater |
| efficiency allowing the cost to drop rapidly. They have | | | | room or a basement den. |
| made significant quality improvements and have made | | | | A major drawback in early plasma tv technology was |
| a major push into the full HD 1080p tv market. With all | | | | the "burn in" effect that could occur when bright, static |
| of the momentum of LCDs some have gone so far | | | | images such as a stock ticker tape or video game |
| as to ask the question, is plasma dead? | | | | score would be displayed for long periods on the |
| Although the gap has certainly narrowed, plasma tv is | | | | screen. Today's plasmas have all but eliminated the |
| still a very viable option for today's home theater. For | | | | threat of screen burn in through various technological |
| flat panel screen sizes of 50" and up plasma still is a | | | | advances. |
| great choice. The cost of flat panel tvs, including | | | | While many plasma tvs have a native 720p resolution, |
| plasma tvs has continued to drop making it an | | | | they are now offering 1080p full hd models to more |
| affordable option for most consumers. Dollar for dollar | | | | directly compete with full HD LCD flat screen models. |
| plasma is still tough to beat for screen sizes in this | | | | While recent gains in LCD technology and new |
| range. | | | | technologies on the horizon such as OLED may |
| Many will argue that the quality of the picture of a | | | | eventually threaten plasma tv, it still has a lot to offer in |
| plasma surpasses that of the comparably priced LCD | | | | today's market. In fact if you are currently in the |
| tv. It produces a crisp, smooth picture without the | | | | market for buying a new flat screen tv, then a plasma |
| "ghosting" effect associated with early LCD screens, | | | | tv may be the perfect addition to your home theater. |
| particularly in scenes with fast movement such as | | | | |