The “LCD vs Plasma” debate has been going on for a while now, but now might be a good time for us to take another look. With high definition the new television format, and with a load of 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 get a balanced understanding of the benefits of both. To start with, we will look at how LCD screens work, and then take a look at LCD's benefits. After that, we will then look at how plasma works, and also take a look at plasma's benefits. This will then be rounded off with a conclusion where I summarize the main points, to help you come to a decision about which type of TV you want to buy.
How LCD Screens Work
LCD means Liquid Crystal Display. These crystals are not really liquid, but they do behave more like a liquid than a solid, and this is how they got their name. They are kind of somewhere between a solid and liquid. They can stay in one place the way a solid can, but they can also change shape and move, just like a liquid can.
To create a picture, Liquid crystal display televisions use the same technology as used in polarising sunglasses. At the back of the screen is a large bright light projecting forwards. A horizontal polarizing filter sits in front of this and blocks all non-horizontal light waves, so that only the horizontal light can get through.
The screen is made of many little liquid crystals. Behind each pixel is a transistor which controls the amount of electricity flowing through the liquid crystal. Every crystal is twisted, and in front of this is a vertical polarizing filter that only lets vertical light waves pass through. When electricity passes through the liquid crystal, it straightens out, blocking all light, but when this electrical current is turned off, the crystal twists and lets the light out vertically.
LCD Benefits
- Brilliant for showing static images.
- Great colors.
- Doesn't suffer from burn-in or flicker.
- Available in a wide range of sizes.
- Longevity - Liquid crystal display televisions can last as long as 100,000 hours!
- Incredibly energy efficient.
LCD's Disadvantages
- Not so good for smooth fast scenes.
- When the backlight gets older, this can affect the white balance of the whole screen.
How Plasma Works
Inside a plasma screen there are thousands of sealed, low pressure glass chambers that are filled with "plasma", which is made out of xenon and neon. Every one of these tiny chambers has a set of colored phosphors behind it: green, blue and red. When energized, the chambers of plasma generate invisible UV light which hits the various phosphors, making them generate visible light.
Plasma: the Good
- Reacts well to a truly digital image source.
- Great for fast action.
- Amazing contrast.
- Comes in larger sizes than Liquid crystal display.
- Costs less, especially with larger models.
Plasma: the Bad
- Prone to burn-in (not good for static images)
- Brightness of television slowly fades with as it gets older (however, this takes place extremely slowly, over a long time).
- Uses more power than LCD.
LCD or Plasma: Which Should You Get?
Okay, so which is best for you?? LCD or Plasma? The best way to decide is to consider what you will most likely be using the TV for. If you're looking for an extremely big TV that will give you extremely smooth action scenes, then you should go for Plasma. This is definately true if you’re into fast action movies or if you’re an avid .
However, if you're more concerned with longevity, rich colors, and energy efficiency, and you're not so much of a fan of the fast action films and 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 example if you wanted to display photos from your camera, or if you wanted to also use your TV for browsing the internet (some LCD sets have internet TV built in).
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Right, so what now? If you have made your choice between LCD and Plasma, but you're still not sure which exact model to buy, then here are my recommendations:
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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