Plasma TV

When it comes to LCD TVs, Samsung currently produce arguably the best and most popular LCD TV models in the market. Panasonic on the other hand, holds the reign when it comes to Plasma TVs. To put it simply, if you are torn between buying a LCD and Plasma HDTV, you will have to choose between and Samsung and Panasonic model. Here is a quick guide to help you make your decision.

Viewing Angle: Both Samsung LCD and Panasonic Plasma TVs have similar viewing angles. Plasma TV’s viewing angle can be as wide as 178 degrees, while LCD TV’s are up to 175 degrees. Although both types of TVs have similar viewing angles, the images of Plasma TVs do not suffer from any degradation of quality even when viewed from odd angles. LCDs on the other hand, are best viewed from the front for the best visuals.

Refresh Rates: Traditionally, Plasma TVs have lighting speed refresher rates, similar to the rates of CRT televisions. LCDs on the other hand have much slower refresher rates, but recent technological advancements have greatly improved the refresher rates of LCD TVs. Some high-end (and expensive) LCD TV models today have refresher rates of 5ms.

Burn In: Plasma TVs are not well suited for the display of static images. After prolonged use of displaying static videos, they are prone to burn-in effects, where it will leave behind permanent video ‘residues’ on the screen, very much like a permanent shadow on the screen. Newer models today have significantly curbed this problem. LCDs on the other hand, are prone to a similar problem called “retained pixel charge” where a pixel (or a groups of pixels) remains discolored. Fortunately, this problem is fixable.

Life Span: Most LCD models today last between thirty thousand and sixty thousand hours. Plasma TVs take around the same amount of time to reach ‘half life’ (where the display fades to more than half of its brightness). Recently, Panasonic has announced that its Plasma TVs can last up to 100’000 hours.

Durability: Plasma TVs are generally heavier and a little thicker than LCD TVs. Due to its weight; it is best to leave the installation process to the experts, especially if you plan to mount your Plasma on the wall. Plasmas are also more fragile, so extra care should be taken when transporting them.

Image Quality: It is undisputed that Plasma TVs produced clearer and sharper images. This is due to this high contrasts ratio that is unrivalled by even the most expensive LCD model. The blacks are deeper and the visuals are more brilliant on a Plasma TV. On the other hand, the screen of LCD display reflects very little light, producing a better viewing experience in a brightly lighted room.

By: Troy Richards

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If you’re still living back in the days when Plasma TVs were only supposed to last a short time then you need to drag yourself back into current reality.

The truth is, a Plasma HDTV can last you up to half a lifetime – that’s no exaggeration with several major companies including Panasonic, Samsung and Pioneer listing longevity of up to 60,000 hours.

Equivalent Longevity To LCD TVs

This now means plasma TVs are now equal to LCDs in longevity which is impressive considering LCDs were supposed to run them out of town when they first hit the market and many were shouting the “death of plasma.”

Many are still clinging to the claims of nearly a decade ago that plasma TVs burnt out too quick and were not worth their purchase price in comparison to their shelf life.

That’s true in a sense when one needed to shelve out nearly five figures for the pleasure of putting one over their neighbors in the “keeping up with the Jones’” race but things have turned around dramatically since then.

THe price of plasmas has dropped significantly – thanks to new technology, more units being sold and the competition from LCD units. Plasma burn may even be thing of the past although don’t dare test it by leaving your screen on a still image for more than ten minutes.

Today’s models are thinner, have superior anti-burn technology and consume much less power. From a viewing perspective, they have always been superior especially from TV viewing distance and viewing angle.

4 Tips For Longer Plasma Life

The figure of 60,000 hours longevity will differ from brand to brand so keep in mind that some are superior to others. Here are some important tips in keeping your Plasma HDTV working in tip-top order for many years:

- keep it in a well ventilated area

- do not leave static images on the screen for longer than 8-10 minutes

- avoid watching in very brightly lit rooms; in other words, plasma TVs perform better in normal lit and dimly lit areas

- make sure the unit is turned off when you are not using it

By: Dean Caporella

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