LCD vs Plasma: Which is Best for HDTV?
This “Plasma vs LCD” debate has been happening for a while now, but this could be a good time to revisit the topic. With the new high definition TV standard, and with all these new HDTVs on offer, you might be unsure of which route to go down. Here I am going to take a look at both sides, so that we can better understand the advantages of both. I’m going to start by outlining how LCD works, and then examine LCD’s benefits. Then I’m going to discuss how plasma works, and also look at the benefits of plasma. This will then be rounded off with a conclusion where I summarize the main points, helping you to decide which type of TV would be best for you.
How LCD Screens Work
LCD is short for Liquid Crystal Display. These “liquid crystals” are not actually liquid at all, but their behavior is more like liquid than solid, and this is why they are called liquid crystals. Think of them as being somewhere between a liquid and a solid. They can remain in one place like a solid, but they can also change shape and move, just like a liquid can.
To create a picture, Liquid crystal display televisions utilize the same kind of polarizing technology as sunglasses. At the back of the display there is a bright light. In front of this light is a horizontal polarising filter which blocks all light waves that aren’t vibrating horizontally, so that only the horizontal light can get through.
The pixels of the screen are made up of lots of tiny liquid crystals. Sitting behind each pixels is a trasistor controlling the amount of electricity through the crystal. Each crystal is twisted, and in front of this is a vertical polarizing filter that only lets vertical light waves pass through. As the electric current goes through the crystal, it goes straight, stopping all light, but when the current is switched off, the crystal then twists and the light comes out vertically.
Benefits of LCD
– Brilliant for showing static images.
– Brilliant colors.
– Doesn’t suffer from burn-in or flicker.
– Comes in a wide range of sizes.
– Durability – LCD screens can last as long as 100,000 hours!
– Exceptionally energy efficient.
LCD’s Disadvantages
– Not so good for fast action.
– As the backlight ages, this can cause the white balance to go slightly wrong.
How Does Plasma Work?
Inside a plasma screen there are thousands of sealed, low pressure glass chambers that are filled with “plasma”, which is a mixture of neon and xenon. Behind each of these chambers is a set of colored phosphors: one green, one blue, and one red. The plasma chambers, when energized, give off an invisible UV light which hits the various colored phosphors, making them emit visible light.
Plasma: the Good
– Processes truly digital image sources well.
– Brilliant for fast action scenes.
– Fantastic contrast.
– Comes in bigger sizes than Liquid crystal display.
– Less expensive, especially with bigger HDTVs\TVs.
Disadvantages of Plasma
– Tends to get burn-in (not great for still images)
– Brightness of television gradually fades with as it gets older (although this occurs very slowly, over several years).
– Consumes more energy than LCD.
LCD vs Plasma: Which is Right For You?
Right, so which type of TV is the one for you?? Plasma or LCD? To decide, you should take a moment to think about about what you will want to use it for. If you want a screen that is very big, and is great for displaying very smooth fast action scenes at extremely high contrast, then you should go for Plasma. This is definately true if you like fast action movies or if you’re an avid .
But if you’re more concerned about vivid colors, longevity, and energy efficiency, and you’re not really into the fast action films or the games, then LCD is right for you. This is particularly true if you’re planning to use your TV for viewing any static images, for instance if you wanted to browse the photos you’ve got stored on your digital camera, or if you wanted to also use your TV for browsing the internet (as certain models of LCD do have internet TV functions).
Right, so what now? If you have decided on which type of TV to go for out of Plasma or LCD, but you’re still not sure which exact model to buy, this is what I recommend:
For a great LCD TV, take a look at the Samsung LN46C630.
For Plasma, the LG 42PJ350 is worth checking out.
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