How Plasma TVs And LCD TVs Differ

The buying of large-screen TVs has absolutely skyrocketed lately. It seems that everyone wants one – and with good reason. The large-screen TV has come a long way from those faded-out behemoths of old that took up half your living room and never really produced a picture of decent quality. Now, however, especially in combination with HDTV, you can get not only a nice, large picture, but a crisp, clean one too. Panasonic TH-42PX700 - 42" Widescreen Viera HD Ready Plasma TV - With Freeview, From Panasonic. Once you decide that you’re ready for a large-screen TV, you quickly discover that you only really have two main options – a plasma TV or an LCD TV. Plasma TVs were first on the scene, but the recent mass production of LCD TVs by major manufactures has put LCD TVs pretty much on equal footing with plasmas. That said, you will still have to make a choice. If you’re like most people, you not only have no idea how the two differ, you don’t even know the areas you should be considering in order to determine how they differ. But they do indeed differ, and knowing the difference is extremely important if you’re going to get the TV that’s right for you. You can essentially boil the differences between plasmas and LCDs into twelve basic points. In some areas, plasmas will win out. In other areas, LCDs will win out. In yet other areas, it will depend on your own personal taste in order to decide who wins out. The twelve ways plasma TVs and LCD TVs differ are the following: The first is a technical issue, and may seem a little boring, but it really does affect other areas. Plasmas TVs are made of chemical compounds called phosphors. LCD TVs use millions of liquid crystals. The next section is related to how big the TVs are and the availability of larger sizes. You have a wider selection of larger-size TVs with plasmas (though LCDs are catching up). The next section is “small size,” which is also important. Plasmas don't come in smaller sizes, which you will need for places like the kitchen. Next is viewing angle. Plasmas tend to have a wider viewing angle (though, again, LCDs are catching up). Although the manufacturers may not like to admit it, each “can” suffer from certain problems. Plasmas can suffer from burn-in effect; LCDs don't. Another problem area, but for LCDs, is “delay.” LCDs can produce a jagged figure when in motion. Plasmas tend to do better. HDTV improves this dramatically for both. The next area is life span. You can replace the light source with an LCD, thereby bringing your original picture back. With plasmas you can't. In the next few sections, the theme of “picture quality” is considered. First, color: LCDs produce sharp, lively colors. Plasmas produce warmer and more accurate colors. Next is brightness levels and the TVs ability to handle different lighting. LCDs tend to do better in bright-light conditions Also related to picture quality is “black levels.” Plasmas tend to produce blacker blacks. Another area to consider is contrast range. Plasmas, "technically," produce a higher contrast range. Last, and certainly not least, is price. At the moment, plasmas tend to run a little cheaper, but this is changing rapidly as LCDs flood into the market. By the time you read this, in fact, there may be no difference at all. Essentially, which one is right for you will all comes down to taste: What potential negatives will you not really notice? What positives do you want more of? What do you really want the TV for – movies, sports, news, regular TV shows? Both plasmas and LCDs have strong advocates in their corners. Both have deliriously happy customers. But those happy customers are only happy because they knew what they wanted before they made their purchase. If you want to make the right choice, you’ll have to decide what it is you want and which of the two TVs can best give you that. About the Author: Plasma vs. LCD TVs: To learn more about these two technologies and how your own personal tastes and viewing habits will affect your choice, read the full report at http://www.plasma-vs-lcd.com . You might also be surprised to learn that plasma TVs are like peanut butter and LCD TVs are like jelly. Yes, really. Read the report. Article Source: www.iSnare.com

LCD Televisions: The Future's Standard In Home Theater

LCD televisions are incredible, space-saving appliances. LCDs possess extremely thin, flat screens that can be mounted on a stant or even hung on a wall in your family or entertainment room. In the case of the latter, hanging an LCD television on a wall provides consumers with additional space in the room in which the television is placed; allowing much more space for furniture and decorating. Furthermore, many LCD televisions include the option to tilt and pivot their direction, allowing the viewer to easily adjust the screen to their preferences. LCD (liquid crystal display) projectors usually contain three separate LCD glass panels, one each for red, green, and blue components of the image signal being fed into the projector. As light passes through the LCD panels, individual pixels ("picture elements") can be opened to allow light to pass or closed to block the light, as if each little pixel were fitted with a Venetian blind. This activity modulates the light and produces the image that is projected onto the screen. LCDs possess a number of advantages over Plasma televisions and standard television sets. Such advantages pertain to their cost effectiveness, their space saving capabilities, and their image producing capabilities. In fact, in the future, the market is likely to see a rise in the sale of LCDs that surpasses the selling of both Plasma and standard television (SDTV) sets; such a rise in the sale of LCDs will directly parallel the increase in technology. One benefit of LCD is that it has historically delivered better color saturation than you get from a DLP projector. That's primarily because in most single-chip DLP projectors, a clear (white) panel is included in the color wheel along with red, green, and blue in order to boost brightest or total lumen output. Though the image is brighter than it would otherwise be, this tends to reduce color saturation, making the DLP picture appear not quite as rich and vibrant. However, some of the DLP-based home theater products now have six-segment color wheels that eliminate the white component. This contributes to a richer display of color. And even some of the newer high contrast DLP units that have a white segment in the wheel are producing better color saturation than they used to. Overall however, the best LCD projectors still have a noteworthy performance advantage in this area. LCDs are more energy efficient as well. LCD projectors usually produce significantly higher ANSI lumen outputs than do DLPs with the same wattage lamp. In the past year, DLP machines have gotten brighter and smaller--and there are now DLP projectors rated at 2500 ANSI lumens, which is a comparatively recent development. Still, LCD competes extremely well when high light output is required. All of the portable light cannons under 20 lbs putting out 3500 to 5000 ANSI lumens are LCD projectors. LCDs are more cost effective; this does not mean that they are less expensive than other television brands, but they are, however, money saving in the long run. Due to the fact that LCDs require less electricity to operate, the long term savings on electricity can really add up. The reason that LCD televisions are cost effective is because they do not require florescent lighting to work, and their flat shape produces less heat. Thus, if consumers are looking for a television that can save them money on their monthly electric bill, then LCD television is definitely the way to go. LCD televisions are praised for their ability to produce sharp, crystal clear images. In fact, the crystal clear imagery produced by LCDs can be attributed to the fact that their screens are literally comprised of crystals. Every crystal either obstructs or allows light to pass through it and such lighting produces the images seen by the viewer on the screen. Furthermore, because LCD screens are flat, there is very unlikely that glare from other lights in the room will present a problem. Directly related to the clearer pictures, is the fact that LCDs produce sharper images and consumers will experience far fewer occasions in which eye fatigue occurs. Many consumers enjoy watching television for several hours at a time; thus, the clearer images and less glare that are provided from the screens of LCDs can prove to be quite beneficial in alleviating eye fatigue. Finally, for those individuals that are environmentally conscious, LCDs offer less radiation emission as well as a lower frequency of electromagnetic field emissions. Electronic magnetic fields have been scientifically associated with a number of health risks, including cancer. About the Author: Mitchell Medford is a popular reviewer of consumer electronics and has served as a product development consultant for several consumer electronics manufacturers. Visit his site or more information on hi-tech TV: http://www.newtechnologytv.com Article Source: www.iSnare.com

LCD TV or Plasma TV? 5 Tips to Help You Get the Best Buy

TV technology is moving incredibly fast and the pace is hottest with LCD and Plasma TVs. Last year's models will be outperformed by the new season's products for sure. Even better LCD and Plasma TVs are getting slimmer, more elegant and 'room friendly' all the time. The beauty of flat panel TVs is that they take relatively little space, look great and make for a great home theater system. Until recently, a Plasma was the only sensible large, flat panel TV choice, but LCD TVs are now available all the way up to 50 inch sizes. At that size they are more expensive than an equivalent size Plasma TVs, but the gap is closing fast. For smaller sizes up to 32 inches, an LCD TV is the most common flat screen TV choice. Buyers Tip No 1. Make sure you know the size you want and that it fits in your room. Measure up the space where your LCD and Plasma TVs will go - on top of a cabinet or hanging on a wall. The reason for this step? When you get to the mall and see the largest screen you're going to go "Wow I want that!" Buyers Tip No 2. Know your budget and stick to it. No doubt about it, LCD and Plasma TVs are sexy, especially when you see one showing one of your favorite movies. This means it's very easy to get carried away, spend too much and end up regretting your purchase as you pay it off, when you should be enjoying your new Plasma or LCD TV. Buyers Tip No 3. Be patient and shop around - time is on your side. Because the technology is evolving so quickly, prices drop noticeably every month and the products are getting better. Wait a little longer and the price for the Plasma or LCD TV you want will drop into your budget range. Buyers Tip No 4. Write down the features you want in a checklist. For example High Definition TV (HDTV) is now common, so you'll probably want that. Many Plasmas and almost all LCD TVs are now High Definition ready. List your key features in a table format and use it to compare and check off the features of each model on your shopping list. Buyers Tip No 5. At the end of the day, just trust your own eyes (and ears). After you've set your budget, worked out what size and features you want and compared the TVs in your price range, how do you make your choice? The answer is simple - buy the LCD or Plasma TV that you like the best. The best picture (and best sound) at the end of the day is the one you like best. Good shopping. About The Author Chris Galloway is a home theater and audio enthusiast. For product reviews and tips you can understand, visit http://www.lcdtvcenter.com.