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.

Plasma televisions (and flat screen TVs in general) are extremely easy to handle. Due to their very nature, plasmas are flatter than traditional televisions (also called CRTs) and thus, are lighter as well. Currently averaging 5 inches in width and 100 pounds, their size will soon be reduced to an inch in width and 45 pounds. This lack of bulk has heralded in a new era of television placement; consumers can now mount their plasmas on the wall without worrying about ruining the wall.

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 1024×768 (720p) to 1920×1080 (1080i), which is much higher than the maximum resolution for tube TVs-480 lines.

Flat screen televisions also have a longer life span than CRT televisions. Most plasma manufacturers now assert that their televisions have a life span of up to 60,000 hours, where CRT televisions have a life span of at least 5 years. Assuming that a consumer watches 3 hours of television a day, a plasma TV can last up to 55 years!

Color reproduction and contrast ratio are two important components of a clear picture. Plasma televisions excel in both; they produce richer, more vibrant colours and truer blacks than LCDs. Due to the backlighting in LCDs, any pixel that should be black will have some light leaking through, which spoils the contrast.

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.

Many worry about the possibility of burn-in images on plasmas. This occurs when a still shot is shown on the screen for too long. Afterwards, a faint outline or trace of the image may still be visible on the plasma’s screen. However, this should not be a serious problem with newer models, as manufacturers have worked to eliminate the burn-in effect.

Plasma televisions have almost no size limitations, as long as the consumer’s budget can cover a gigantic screen. LCD and CRT televisions, on the other hand, are constrained to a diagonal measure of about 52 inches.

Tags: TV

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