Everything you need to know about Plasma Televisions

By Joe Kingman

Plasma televisions are an innovative new technology that provides flat screen displays. Using a variety of noble gases encased in small compartments (pixels), plasmas work by converting the gases into plasma. This plasma radiates light and forms an extremely clear picture. Liquid crystal displays (or LCDs) are also flat screened TVs. However, these use liquid crystals with backlighting to form pictures.

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 1024x768 (720p) to 1920x1080 (1080i), which is much higher than the maximum resolution for tube TVs-480 lines.

Plasmas even last longer than other types of televisions. Manufacturers and companies stress that an average plasma television has a life span of 60,000 hours. That is equivalent to a life span of almost 7 years, if the plasma is left on 24/7. Compared to a tube television's estimated lifetime of much less than 5 years if left on 24/7, the plasma television is the best choice.

Plasmas surpass LCDs in both colour quality and contrast and conventional televisions in colour quality. Plasma TVs generate more vivid colours and blacker blacks than LCD TVs do, allowing for a clearer, more intense image. LCDs are limited by their backlighting, which escapes out through pixels that should be black. However, conventional TVs are the only ones capable of producing true black.

The image of both LCDs and plasmas is comparable when viewed directly in front of the screen. However, plasma televisions have a wider viewing angle than their counterparts. Backlighting causes this problem in LCDs; the image on the screen degrades as the viewing angle increases. Plasmas can be viewed from the sides or top and bottom.

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.

Unlike tube or LCD TVs, plasma TVs are not limited in size. Consumers (with large enough budgets) can order plasmas up to any size. However, CRTs and LCDs are usually restricted to about 52 inches in diagonal. - 29955

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