Plasma used to be a term restricted to describing ionized gas and blood cells. These days, the word “plasma” enjoys a more stylish place in society, and many people consider plasma to be the lifeblood of uber-television viewing.

Since televisions were first marketed about fifty years ago, the industry has evolved at a mind bending rate. From tiny rabbit-eared sets to wall-sized flat screens, televisions have grown in size and in quality. The media has grown as well. North American viewers used to have three major networks to choose from. With modern satellite programming, hundreds of programs are available with the click of a remote control.

Buying a television used to be as simple as choosing from a few models at the local department store. Today, viewers are faced with many factors in choosing a new set. There are analog and digital sets. Some are HDTV ready while others are simply HDTV enabled. Screens can be plasma or LCD, true flat or virtual flat. The decision can be so overwhelming that it’s necessary to educate yourself about the basic elements present in modern day television sets.

Analog Signals

The television you’ve known and loved for all these years is an analog TV. With this tried-and-true technology, signals are sent and received in analog format. Analog televisions are very competitively priced, and can offer good quality for your relatively small investment. The disadvantage of this format is that analog TV signals can only accommodate a limited amount of data for the screen and sound, and analog signals can be easily and immediately corrupted. Don’t worry, though, if you have an analog television. The service will be available and your set will work just fine, even years after other formats dominate the market.

Digital Television

Digital TV signals allow television stations to send date that is much more dense, and includes more definition. There is also less degradation of signal. This increased level of density creates a much better quality sound and picture, particularly through DVDs.

HDTV (High Definition Television)

Traditional digital television has paved the way for the newer standards of high definition programming. In order to provide customers with the highest level of audio and video quality, television stations should transmit high definition television (HDTV). Your TV set should be able to receive and process the HDTV signal, and display it on a high definition-enabled screen. When all of these pieces fall into place, the results are simply stunning.

Even though digital television and HDTV are now commonplace in our modern television industry, viewers can’t appreciate the pristine levels of sound and picture if they don’t have proper equipment. The recent advancements like DTV, DVD-Video, HDTV, digital satellite broadcasts and computer video have placed us in the midst of a digital video revolution, but we need to keep up with the technology in order to enjoy and appreciate it. One giant leap forward in the way we’re able to enjoy modern television technology is with plasma display technology.

Plasma screens first appeared on the North American market toward the end of 1999, but the concept was initially developed in July 1964 at the University of Illinois. In their initial stages, these first plasma displays were nothing more than points of light formed in laboratory experiments. This was the starting point from which the technology began to flourish. By the late 1960s, plasma technology had advanced to the point where scientists were able to put up geometric shapes. Thanks to the development of high speed digital processing, new materials and advanced manufacturing technology, we are now able to enjoy brighter, full-color plasma display screens in our own homes.

Plasma televisions have taken technological leaps and bounds ahead of other television technologies, making them the fastest-selling ‘new’ television technology on the market. Plasma television screens provide a higher resolution compared to conventional TVs, and many new plasma televisions are capable of displaying HDTV signals. In addition to superior picture quality, plasma televisions can be wall mounted, saving valuable floor space and offering a theater-like display.

Watching HDTV television programming displayed on a plasma screen really is a unique experience. In fact, it’s like you’ll be seeing your favorite movies and television programs for the very first time.

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