| Plasma vs LCD | | | | generation has greatly improved to reduce this |
| This is a hot topic of debate amongst flat screen TV's, | | | | problem. However if you spend many hours on your |
| and everyone has an opinion of which is better. This is | | | | flat panel TV playing video games, or use it as a |
| because there is no true answer - both LCD and | | | | computer monitor, then an LCD TV is the safer option. |
| Plasma TV's are great, and both offer their | | | | The other minor advantages of LCD TV's is that they |
| advantages and disadvantages. The truth is that as | | | | generally use 30-40% less power, and they are much |
| technology progresses, the differences between the | | | | lighter which makes it easier if you want to mount your |
| technologies are becoming smaller and smaller. Still, you | | | | flat screen tv on the wall. For those who live in high |
| want to make a choice depending on your own | | | | altitudes (above 6500 feet) LCD TV's will perform |
| circumstances. This brief article is written specifically to | | | | better. As Plasma TV's use gas, they tend to struggle |
| help you decide which type of flat screen TV you | | | | at those kind of heights. Finally, LCD TV's come in |
| need. | | | | sizes below 32 inches, where as plasma TV's are only |
| Why would you buy a Plasma TV? | | | | 32 inches and above. |
| Their key advantage: Plasma TV's offer the best | | | | Some myths and common questions |
| picture. While LCD's and Plasma's are both very close | | | | Myth: LCD TV's last longer than plasma TV's. Contrary |
| in this regard, plasma tv's have the best contrast ratio. | | | | to popular belief, LCD TV's no longer out live plasma |
| This means they have a wider range of colors, | | | | TV's; not the latest generation anyway. It is true the |
| especially at the darker end, which makes for a much | | | | first generation of plasma TV's died and lost their |
| better overall picture. | | | | brightness very quickly, but now, both Plasma and LCD |
| The other minor advantages of plasma TV's? Well | | | | TV's have an expected half life of 60,000 hours. That |
| most people are concerned about cost, and inch for | | | | means you can watch the flat screen TV for 6 hours |
| inch, plasma TV's are cheaper than LCD TV's. Plasma | | | | a day for 27 years before the TV will be reduced to |
| TV's also offer a wider viewing angle; LCD TV's tend | | | | half of its brightness! |
| to lose their picture when you watch them at a wider | | | | Myth: Only LCD TV's get dead pixels. A dead pixel is |
| angle. Also Plasma TV's have a near instant response | | | | where a dot on your flat screen TV is permanently |
| time, or time it takes to draw the picture, where as | | | | visible because that "pixel" has stopped working. This |
| with LCD TV's you have to make sure the response | | | | can happen to both plasma and LCD TV's, however it |
| time is below 8ms or the picture may look blury when | | | | is less common for plasma TV's. In either case, it is |
| displaying fast moving video's. | | | | important to consider the manufacturer's policy with |
| Why would you buy an LCD TV? | | | | regard to dead pixels. |
| The key advantage LCD TV's offer is the fact they | | | | Summary |
| do not run the risk of image burn in. Image burn in | | | | In short, when it comes to buying a flat screen TV, |
| means if a part of the picture does not change often | | | | plasma TV's offer slightly better value than LCD TV's |
| enough (for example a network logo, a video game | | | | in terms of picture quality and cost. However if you |
| health meter, or a windows task bar), that image may | | | | spend many hours playing video games, or want to |
| get "burnt" into your flat screen TV so you can see a | | | | use your flat panel TV as a computer monitor and are |
| shadow of it when it is not supposed to be there. | | | | worried about image burn in, then an LCD TV is the |
| Plasma TV's are prone to this. Granted, the latest | | | | slightly better option. |