The debate rages on, LCD Vs Plasma, which one is better, which offers superior picture, higher contrast, greater brightness, which one is the nearest to "that thing" you saw on Star Trek, and which one can help you make coffee. For those of you who have been to the supermarket a few million times already and still can't make up your mind, here are a few tips on whether you should be buying an LCD or a Plasma TV.
Plasma Flat Panel or LCD TV for that matter, are not inherently superior to each other. They were both designed around specific requirements and have thus incorporated technologies which address those needs. For instance a Plasma TV is basically made up of "cells" which are filled with neon-xenon gas in plasma form. This plasma is charged at specific intervals which then strike red, green or blue phosphors to create the image. Think of it as incredibly small fluorescent light bulbs which get lit up to make the whole image.
Flat Panel LCD TV on the other hand uses two transparent sheets with one layer holding special liquid crystals which when charged either allow or block light thus creating the image. As these crystals do not produce their own light, they are usually "backlit" by a lamp or in more recent times, with LED diodes.
To know which one is right for you, you will need to understand the specific strengths and weaknesses of both. Here is a comparison:
Round 1 - LCD Vs Plasma: Advantage Plasma
Plasma TVs have way better contrast ratios as they can render deep blacks very well. In other words the picture appears sharp and crisp. Plasma TVs are also available in larger sizes than LCD TVs at cheaper prices than LCD. Plasma TVs also offer better color accuracy and motion tracking, which means fast moving images will appear clearer (I actually managed to understand all the tricks they use in Kung-fu movies because of this).
Round 2 - LCD Vs Plasma: Advantage LCD
LCD TVs run cooler than Plasma TVs, because of the gazillion fluorescent light bulbs they have, Plasma TVs have a tendency to overheat and burnouts are common, although this is fast changing. Also LCD TVs have better brightness than Plasma, which makes them ideal for a brightly lit room. These also offer a greater lifespan with most sets clocking 60,000 or even 100,000 viewing hours, far greater than the 40,000 to 60,000 viewing hours offered by plasma.
And the Winner is.
You! As you get to make the pick. The gist of the LCD Vs Plasma debate is: If you want a larger screen (equal to or greater than 42 inches) go for Plasma, if your living or bedroom (or wherever you want to put the set) is brightly lit, go for an LCD set, if you want a higher contrast ratio, you can bet your bucks on Plasma again, although do remember that this is changing with the advent of LED diodes in LCD TVs, these are cheaper and also prolong the life of the TV. Finally keep in mind that Plasma TVs have known issues if used in high altitudes (read mountains, hills, the International Space Station), so if you live in any of these places you might want to settle with an LCD TV.
Author Resource:-
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