subject: LCD's and Plasma's - How to Know Which One To Choose [print this page] Going to the store to learn about the new televisions can be kind of confusing for the average consumer as the choices have become varied. The old picture tube television is on it's way out and the replacements fall into two categories, a plasma and an LCD. The TV called the plasma is called that due to plasma being a part of the function of making the picture. A small plasma layer is put in between two glass sheets, then that is exposed to electricity which ignites the phosphor which gives off green, red or blue lights. These lights provide the image you see with a coordination of the timing and degree of activation. In a way there is a similarity to the old bulky TV's but minus the big vacuum tube. The LCD also is named due to what it does to produce the picture, it stands for Liquid Crystal Display. There are two layers of polarized glass that are connected with a semi liquid crystalline layer in between the layers. Providing some electricity makes the crystals dissipate or make forms and this either allows light to pass through or not. This process doesn't create light by itself so LCD's have another light source situated behind the screen to illuminate everything. The same phosphors used in the traditional televisions are the same ones being used in the plasma televisions and there are some similar problems to the older TV's. There is a problem called burn in that can affect plasmas where if the phosphors are used in the same spot for long periods of time, the image will stay there all the time. There is quite a bit of heat generated by the plasma, and they have been shorter lived but that is being corrected in the recent plasmas. LCD screens have their own sets of complications. It's possible for these screens to develop individual bad pixels - a small point on the screen that remains dark all the time. These pixels cannot be individually repaired, the entire screen must be replaced. LCDs have historically had trouble with fast tracking images, but the increased refresh rate (of 120Hz or even 240Hz) of recent models is correcting this issue. For all their drawbacks, plasma screens also have several advantages. Their contrast ratio tends to be better - they can depict darker blacks and richer colors. They also have better color saturation and accuracy. LCDs, on the other hand, are lighter in weight, and their separate light source means that they produce a much brighter image than their plasma counterparts. Both of these types of TVs offer attractive features, and it is ultimately up to each consumer to weigh the qualities that are important to them to reach an individual decision.
LCD's and Plasma's - How to Know Which One To Choose
