Plasma vs. LCD: How to Choose the One for You.

By Zeeman Haus

In the last few years, the technology behind plasma TV has grown in leaps and bounds. Plasma televisions have always been at the forefront when it comes to producing rich and vibrant colors as well as conveying crisp and fast moving action.

Plasma technology was first developed for computer monitor systems in the early'60's and the first companies to bring this technology to the retail market were Fujitsu and Phillips. Moreover, the first units for sale in the US were more of a status symbol since they debuted with a hefty price tag of over $10,000. However, today's refined production techniques allow plasma units to retail for a much lower and accessible price.

A plasma TV consists of thousands of individual cells that are filled with a combination of gases like helium, xenon, and neon. The gas containing cells are sandwiched between two screens and electrodes are then installed both in front and behind the cells to generate the electricity. As such, the electricity from the electrodes heats the gas into a plasma state.

To understand the inner workings of a plasma TV one does not require a degree in chemistry or engineering. Firstly, the noble gases most often used in the production of a plasma TV are helium, xenon, and neon. The gases are contained in thousands of tiny cells that are sandwiched between two screens. Long electrodes are also placed in front and behind the cells to generate the electricity required to heat the gas into a plasma state.

The individual pixels in a plasma TV are then subdivided into three separate sub-pixels and each one is coated with a different color phosphor; red, green or blue. The three colors are also used in traditional cathode ray tube televisions and by blending them together one can create almost any color imaginable. Moreover, the phosphor used in plasma TV's are the same as in older CRT televisions which makes plasma TV's extremely accurate in reproducing pictures from older sets.

Each pixel in a plasma TV is then subdivided into three separate sub-pixels coated with a different color phosphor. Much like in traditional cathode ray tube televisions, the sub-pixels in a plasma unit are green, red, and blue and these colors blend together to create the overall color of the pixel. The internal process is repeated thousands of times over with each pixel and when combined they form the overall picture. Plasma displays use the same phosphors as older CRT televisions and are therefore extremely accurate in reproducing the pictures from older sets.

Plasma TV's also employ a method known as pulse-width modulation to control the brightness of the picture. Pulse-width modulation works by changing the amount of current that flows through the thousands of individual cells. By varying the pulses thousands of times per second, the control system can increase or decrease the intensity of each sub pixel. As such, the system can use almost an infinite combination of red, blue, and green pixels to form the visible colors know to humankind.

It is difficult to imagine the path that plasma television has traveled since its humble beginnings in a California laboratory over thirty-five years ago. Yet, thanks to the increasing popularity of HDTV, plasma devices are found in homes and businesses around the country. As the American population continues to shop for the latest plasma technology, leading companies will be there to provide it for them. - 29955

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