Plasma Television Review

Plasma vs. LCD TV

2007-07-22T13:10:00.000-07:00

Are you yearning for a flat screen TV but can't decide which kind is better; this article will look at plasma vs. LCD TVs and the specific features of each. Plasma TVs may have a slight edge over the LCD TVs for now, but LCD TVs may soon take over as king of the flat screen world and win the plasma vs. LCD TV match off. The following is a break down comparison of plasma vs. LCD TVs.

Plasma had gotten an early lead in the plasma vs. LCD TV game on producing large format TVs such as the 42 and 50 inch models. Because they have been around slightly longer, the price for these larger models has already begun to drop $5,000 plus as the price we saw several years ago, all the way down to $2,500 or less today. This earns plasma one point in the plasma vs. LCD TV match off.

Until recently, LCD TVs were unable to produce anything much larger than 30 inches. That is now changing though and LCD TV manufacturers are now coming out with more and more 42 and 50 inch models which will create competition in plasma vs. LCD TVs.

The most popular size is the 42 inch and this is the size that manufacturers are producing more and more of in the plasma vs. LCD TV battle. Due to this overproduction, we will begin to see an even greater drop in prices of the 42 inch models. Currently in the plasma vs. LCD TV battle, plasma wins on the price because of their head start on producing the larger models. In the next couple years however, LCD TVs will be slashing prices even more and giving plasma a run for their money in the plasma vs. LCD TV match off.

If you are a customer who enjoys multimedia benefits in the same electronics source then LCD TVs beat out plasma in the plasma vs. LCD TV battle thanks to their PC inputs and memory sticks that allow you to use the LCD TV screen as a computer monitor. You can also play MP3 audio files and share pictures from you digital camera on many LCD TVs today. You will also get crisper graphics and text on a LCD TV rather than a plasma, which is perfect for any video game fan. As far as multimedia capabilities are concerned LCD TVs earns a point in the plasma vs. LCD TV game.

Why are LCD TVs are gaining an edge in the plasma vs. LCD TV battle? For one thing, LCD TVs have a longer life than plasma TVs, beating them out by about 20,000 life hours. Also, LCD TVs do not have the problem with burn-ins that plasma TVs face. LCD TVs gain a point in the plasma vs. LCD TV match off simply because they will last longer. While the 42 inch TVs rule for now, another plus about LCD TVs is that they are able to produce small and portable models also which is very popular among families with children who go on long car rides.

While they won't destroy plasmas altogether, LCD TVs will definitely win the plasma vs. LCD TV popularity contest as their prices drop and reliability increases in the next couple years.

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Visit http://www.relcdtv.com to learn all about LCD Television and the new lcd tv trends and information.

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Plasma TV or LCD - Which Should You Choose?

2007-07-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

When it comes to high quality flat screen TVs, there are a number of choices available these days and the technology is constantly improving. However, as each competing TV screen technology matures and improves, the differences between them become more difficult to detect. And so it is with the comparison between LCD and plasma TVs.

The big advantages of both kinds of TV monitors is that they are very thin, only a few inches thick. Because of that you can choose to either place them on a stand, as you have with televisions you have owned in the past, or mount them to the wall instead. They both also produce stunningly beautiful visual displays, especially when coupled with high definition television programming. But there are some subtle differences that you will want to be aware of though.

Plasma TVs have been in use for many years and they use inert gases that are illuminated to display colors on individual pixels on the screen. Their best feature is the high contrast image that they reproduce. The colors are extremely vivid and sharp and this is mostly due to the fact that plasma TVs are able to exhibit true saturated blacks, whereas other monitors, LCDs included, usually have some compromise in how much true black they display.

Plasma screens are also easily viewed from almost any angle and so if you have a wide room with seating that extends out at an angle from the front of the television set, you may want to consider this advantage, although recently many LCD TVs have been steadily improving in their accepted viewing angle.

One area that plasma TVs have historically had a disadvantage is in the amount of electricity needed to power them and how hot they run. It can cost more to run a plasma TV if you use it very regularly, and it can generate quite a bit of heat inside, enough to warrant most manufacturers making use of a fan to cool them down as they run. This is not a noticeable problem unless the fan makes noise that can be distracting. So be sure to actually view a plasma TV before buying that particular model and see if the fan noise is a problem.

Another quirk of plasma TVs is that they can be susceptible to screen burn-in, which happens when one image is left on the screen for a very long time and it then becomes "burned into" the screen so that you can still faintly see it even when another image is displayed. This can happen on some TV channels that display an image that stays in a certain part of the screen for a long time, and if you play video games, there may also be a possibility that some games can cause this problem. So ask yourself before buying how you intend to use the TV, and if you happen to view programming that may have static screen images a lot of the time, it may be wise to choose an LCD screen as it does not suffer from this problem.

LCD TVs may not produce deep contrasty images like plasma monitors do, but the colors are still very pleasing and they can also be a better choice for brightly lit rooms since their display is not as susceptible to ambient light influences. However, they can tend to get more pricey than plasma TVs once you go above the 40 inch screen size.

All in all though, either type of TV screen technology will do a great job for you. The best recommendation is before you buy, visit a local electronics retailer and view representatives from plasma screens and LCDs. Bring along your own movie that you are familiar with and look for the differences. Then choose the one that makes the most sense to you. There is no need to buy from the store as you can often save lots of money by making your purchase online instead, but by doing your homework you can make a more informed buying decision.

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Find out more about the best plasma tv and getting a plasma wall mount by visiting our HDTV website.

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What To Look For In Plasma TV Wall Mounts

2007-06-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

One of the great advantages of the modern TV screen is that many of the newer technologies employ display methods that allow the TV screen to be very thin by past TV standards. This makes having a large screen TV much more practical, especially in rooms where space is at a premium. Older large screen televisions that used CRT monitors were very large, bulky pieces of equipment that only the most spacious rooms could accommodate. But that has all changed now with LCD and plasma TVs.

So if you have decided on mounting your plasma TV to a wall in your home, you need to keep a few things in mind. First and foremost is the weight of your particular TV model. You can usually find that weight specification in the user manual or even on the box that it comes in. As you start to shop for a wall bracket system, make sure that any mount that you consider is able to comfortably handle the weight of your television. If for any reason, the wall mount fails you can wind up with a very expensive piece of equipment on the floor pretty much destroyed. So with wall mounts you will need to have strong, sturdy equipment that can easily handle the weight of your TV. As always, price will affect how heavy-duty the brackets will be, so don't spend a lot of money on the TV and then try to scrimp too much on buying a plasma TV mall mount.

If you can, it's good to get a wall mount that is specifically made for your TV model, but there are also good universal mounts available. It used to be that the only wall mounts you could get for most televisions were a set of metal brackets that mounted to the wall and the TV hung on those brackets. While very sturdy, it did not allow any movement or repositioning of the TV, so today, you can find flexible wall mount units that actually let you extend the TV from the wall and turn it to adjust the viewing angle too. Just bear in mind, that with every flexible joint in the mounting system, there is more chance that something can go wrong. So buy extra heavy-duty in this particular area.

Just getting the plasma TV wall mounts is only the first step though. Now you have to install them and we suggest that you have someone who is very familiar with this kind of task to do this job for you. You can't simply drill holes at any spot in your wall and mount the hardware. You have to do it correctly or the weight of the TV will simply pull the wallboard down along with the brackets. So it's a good idea to factor in the cost of having a well-qualified person install the mounting hardware for you, in your total wall mount budget.

Once installed, a wall mounted plasma TV can be a joy to behold and watch, and if done correctly, it will last for many years.

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Find out more about the best plasma tv and getting a plasma wall mount by visiting our HDTV website.

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The Top 3 Problems With Plasma TVs

2007-06-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's easy to be instantly drawn to a plasma TV screen, especially one that is displaying full HDTV programming. The visual beauty is amazing. And plasma TVs tend to be among the lower cost thin screen technologies that are available today. But there are a few problems inherent to the design and you should at least be aware of them before making a buying decision.

The first is that plasma TVs use inert gases that are illuminated to display colors on the screen. The way that this is accomplished makes for very high contrast, vivid images on the screen, but it also can be affected by high altitudes. If you live above 6,000 - 7,000 feet above sea level, you should know that plasma TVs have to work much harder to produce the same image than they would at lower altitudes. This may not cause an immediate problem, but over time the monitor wears out much faster due to the extra work load. So if you happen to live in high altitudes, just bear this in mind when buying a plasma TV.

The second problem that plasma TVs can exhibit is a susceptibility to screen burn-in. This happens whenever any static image stays on the screen for a very long time and is still faintly visible even when the image changes. It is said to have been "burned-in" to the screen, and can be very irritating to see a ghost pattern still visible as you watch TV. The easy way to avoid this problem with older plasma screens is to make sure that you don't leave the TV on when you are not watching it, and especially when pausing a video game for a very long time. Thankfully though, newer plasma screen TVs have technology built in to address this problem that subtly shifts the image to surrounding pixels as you watch and essentially keeps the image moving although your eye does not detect it.

The third plasma TV problem that we will discuss is the heat it generates as it runs. Plasma screens often cause so much heat inside the unit that manufacturers usually install a fan to cool it down while operating. This actually works very well, but on some models the noise that the fan makes can become an annoyance. So listen for this problem carefully before you buy.

None of these problems are major enough to say that you shouldn't buy a plasma screen TV, but they should be understood beforehand so you can use the equipment properly, and choose the right plasma TV when you buy.

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Find out more about the best plasma tv and getting a plasma wall mount by visiting our HDTV website.

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The Top 4 Things To Look For In A Plasma TV

2007-06-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

If you have ever seen a plasma TV screen displaying HDTV programming, you know why so many people are rapidly discarding their old CRT type televisions and getting ready for the digital TV revolution. Plasma TVs produce such sharp, crisp images that they make perfect companions to the new HDTV standards that will be widely used in the coming months and years ahead. So if you happen to be in the market for a plasma TV here are the top 4 things to consider as you shop:

1. Determine if it is indeed a plasma TV, or just a plasma monitor. A plasma TV already has the tuner built in to receive it's own television signals and it usually has it's own built in speakers. Plasma monitors on the other hand, are just simply large display screens without the tuner and speakers. If you subscribe to cable or satellite TV, you can use their tuner for programming, but you will still need speakers. Just understand what you are buying beforehand.

2. Is the set HDTV enabled? Since HDTV promises to be in full swing very shortly, you don't want to miss this great leap in TV viewing quality by not having a plasma TV that is at least ready and able to process the HDTV signals sent to it. Again, if you subscribe to cable or satellite TV you will be able to receive HDTV broadcasts as they make them available, but just make sure that your plasma display can indeed process high definition signals.

3. Choose in advance your mounting system. Will you mount the plasma TV to the wall, or will you use a stand instead? Don't forget that just getting the television is only part of the expense. Since most plasma screens sold are in the larger sizes, they will have to be supported by either a stand or wall mount because of their thin configuration. So make your choice and factor in this added expense beforehand.

4. Consider an extended warranty. Often extended warranties for electronics are not really as cost effective as they may seem, but especially for high cost items, they can be useful. Plasma TVs are not cheap, and they are not cheap to repair either, so buying an extended warranty that will cover you for needed repairs later on can be a good investment in this case.

Using a few simple guidelines such as these as you shop for plasma TVs can help you make better buying decisions and save money as you do.

About the Author

Find out more about the best plasma tv and getting a plasma wall mount by visiting our HDTV website.

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