This “LCD vs Plasma” debate has been happening for a long time, but now might be a good time for us to take another look. With high definition the new television format, and with all the new range of High definition televisions available, 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. I’m going to start by outlining how LCD works, and then examine LCD's benefits. Then we will examine how plasma teleivisions work, and highlight the benefits of plasma. I will then end the article with a summary of the main points, which will give you a good idea of which type of TV is right for you.
How LCD Works
LCD is short for Liquid Crystal Display. Liquid crystals are not actually liquid, but they do behave more like a liquid than a solid, and this is why they are called liquid crystals. Think of them as being somewhere between a liquid and a solid. 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, LCD televisions make use of the polarizing technology used in sunglasses. There is a large bright light at the back of the screen. In front of the light is a horizontal polarizing filter blocking all light waves apart from horizontal ones, 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 electricity passes through each crystal, it straightens out, blocking all light, but when this electrical current is switched off, the crystal then twists and the light comes out vertically.
Benefits of LCD
- Great for displaying still images.
- Full color detail.
- No screen burn-in or flicker.
- Comes in a broad range of sizes.
- Endurance - Liquid crystal display screens can last as long as 100,000 hours!
- Very energy efficient.
LCD's Disadvantages
- Not as good as plasma for fast action.
- As the backlight ages, the white balance of the LCD screen can become inaccurate.
How Does Plasma Work?
A plasma screen contains thousands of low pressure, sealed glass chambers 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: one green, one blue, and one red. When energized, the chambers of plasma generate invisible UV light which hits the various phosphors, causing them to emit visible light.
Plasma: the Good
- Processes truly digital image sources well.
- Great for fast moving action.
- Amazing contrast.
- Available in larger sizes than LCD.
- Less expensive, especially with larger HDTVsTVs.
Disadvantages of Plasma
- Tends to suffer burn-in (not ideal for still pictures)
- Brightness of screen gradually fades with as it gets older (however, this occurs very slowly, over a few years).
- Uses more electricity than LCD.
LCD or Plasma: Which Should You Buy?
Okay, so which is best for you?? LCD or Plasma? Well, the answer to that lies in what you will mostly be using 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 especially true if you enjoy watching fast action films or if you’re gamer.
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 choose LCD. 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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So, what now? If you have decided on which type of TV to go for out of Plasma or LCD, but you’re not quite sure which model to go for, 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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