Plasma vs. LCD
Mark, what is a better tv, a plasma or an lcd? What is the difference? Does the size matter? Someone told be that you should always buy a plasma if the tv is over 40 inches.
Thanks
Kevin
Thanks for for question Kevin! We must get this one twice a day. There is much misleading information on this topic, mostly from inexperienced salespeople who mis-interpret something that they have been told.
Truth is, there are applications for both technologies. I’ll start by saying that Plasma is better, a bold but very true statement if you are not biased. Currently Plasma delivers better blacks and black and white are the foundation that your picture is based upon. It is the nature of the technology that is responsible, to put it simply, when a plasma TV creates black, it does not energise the cell (pixel) therefore no light is emitted. An LCD on the other hand always has light of varying degrees on behind the cell. Then, the light is “blocked” by the cell in order to create black. Unfortunately the light cannot be blocked 100% and the result is varying degrees of grey. When you have light area next to the dark area your eye interprets the grey as being black due to contrast.
Plasma also has faster pixel speed so you are less likely to encounter “digital artifacting” which is a blur following fast moving objects. Depending on the brand, you may also find colour that is more true to the eye on plasma.
LCD does have some advantages in the right circumstances, if you are installing your new TV in a room with significant uncontrolled sunlight LCD due to it’s anti-reflective front screen and the aforementioned back light technology is the display of choice. Also, if you are seriously into gaming or wanting to use it for a computer display, LCD would be the way to go.
Some people have claimed that LCD will last longer, this is simply not true. For the most part they have a similar life span, in fact, there are some Plasma TV’s on the market today that have a 100,000 hour life which is 34 years if you watch TV for 8 hours a day.
As for size, it is not economical to produce Plasma panels below 37″, that is why there are very few of them. My best advice is to stay with well respected name brands, deal with a store that will stand behind their goods and find a salesperson that knows what they are talking about. Don’t buy “cheap” as you will pay the price later.
Here are some stories that customers came in with after visiting local “big box” stores; 1) you will need to recharge the gas in a plasma every year (2) if you have small children, don’t buy a plasma as there is too much radiation (3) plasma technology is dead and finally (4) they burn out really fast. Our staff were quite amused at how much wrong information is out there. This is why it is most important to deal with someone that has YOUR needs in mind and will provide the right product for your purpose.
Hope this helps
Mark