If you're in the market for a new flat screen TV, there are hundreds of choices. For many though, it boils down to 2 categories...a Plasma TV or an LCD Widescreen Television. There's so many flat panel TV's to choose from, and you have so much content and great programming. There's so many things to see, movies, sports, HDTV, and everyone wants the best HDTV television they can get, but it's one of the most common questions. Should I get an LCD or Plasma TV, and is there a difference?
If you haven't upgraded to a flat panel television set, you would probably gladly take either an LCD or a Plasma Television. In the same room, they can be difficult to tell apart. They look very similar, even next to each other. It's certainly a little difficult to tell the difference right away.
First Two Main Considerations
When choosing between the two technologies, there are really two issues to consider. First, where will you put the TV, and what do you plan to watch on it. A Flat Panel LCD TV Monitor is best for a bright room. A plasma TV Screen is better in a dark room. So, if you have a bright room, LCD TV's are probably a good choice. If you watch mostly in the evenings, a plasma TV is probably a better bet.
Plasma & LCD TV Prices and other Considerations
Some people say LCD sets are best if you play video games on the TV or want to hook your TV Monitor up to a computer. LCD's are less likely to suffer from the burn in effect. That can happen when a static image is on the screen for too long. Plasmas are best for movies and sports. If you are watching a lot of quick motion, like sports or action scenes, a plasma television would definitely be better for you. While LCD and plasma TV's are priced about the same in smaller sizes, if you want the largest flat panels on the market, you will have to go plasma. For example, 50 inches is a large LCD TV. You'll also see bigger price differences in the large flat screen TV's. Usually, the cheaper the TV, the grainier the picture. You get what you pay for.
TV Lifespan, Burn-in and Dimming
One other benefit to flat panel TV's, unlike projection sets, their are no bulbs to replace, ever, and both technologies are rated to last 60,000 hours. That's about 15 years of average television viewing.
Technically what's the difference between the two? Well, 'LCD' stands for Liquid Crystal Display. It's the same thing as the calculators we used in school or even the LCD panels you have now for your computer. With a plasma, there are actually tiny gas plasma cells more or less being fired around inside the plasma screen and that's what gives you the beautiful vibrant color.
In addition, LCD's don't have that burn in problem that some plasma screens do, so if the kids have a video game on and they go to get a snack and they leave it on for half an hour, you won't have burn in.
And for lifespan, how long again for either of these? As Neil Young says, it's better to burn out than fade away. LCD TV screens won't burn out, but they will fade over time. So instead of 60,000 hours, at about 30,000 hours, they just start to slowly fade. So, you'll never be watching and have it just burn out, but it will dim over time.
In Summary...
So, to sum things up, plasma's are generally best for:
Darker rooms and evening viewing
Fast motion and movement
Sports and movies
Larger sizes - After 50 inches you really have to move up to a plasma.
No dimming over time
LCD is really best for:
Brighter rooms, daytime viewing
Video Game Systems
Hooking your computer to your TV
No Burn In
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