Plasma & LCD Televisions
Which type of flat panel television is right for you?
The choice between a plasma & LCD television is an important one. While both types of flat panel televisions look the same they have some significant differences.
Without the power turned off it is very difficult to tell the difference between most modern Plasma & LCD Televisions. Both types provide stunning picture quality and boast resolutions of up to 1080p. In terms of user satisfaction both plasma & LCD televisions perform equally well in most situations. There are, however, some considerations that may help you make the final decision of which flat panel television to purchase.
The Physical and Visual Differences Between Plasma & LCD Televisions:
There are many minor differences between plasma and lcd flat panel televisions. Listed below are the ones most buyers are interested in.
LCD televisions tend to have a slightly slower response time than their plasma counterparts. This is most visible in fast action sequences and often very apparent when the image flashes quickly such as when viewing a video of a celebrity with hundreds of photo flashes going off. In most cases this is not a major problem though and should not be the sole reason for your decision. LCD televisions use less energy that their plasma counterparts and tend to have a longer lamp life (although recent advances in plasma technology have made the lamp life issue almost a moot point). LCD's also tend to have the ability to produce richer and deeper colors.
Plasma televisions share most of the same characteristics as LCD televisions, but do show strength in areas that LCD's come up short. Plasma televisions have much deeper blacks than an LCD. Many people feel that and LCD television showing a blank, black picture, can appear almost gray in contrast to the plasma image which is much closer to a true black. Plasma televisions also sport a much wider viewing angle. Viewers can sit much farther to the sides of the set before the image begins to suffer. LCD's on the other hand look best when viewed straight on.
Which Television Should You Buy, Plasma or LCD:
Plasma televisions are the best bang for your buck at this time in history. At the same time, the larger the screen size, the larger the price difference will be. Always check to see what the maximum resolution of the television is before making the final choice. Another factor that may influence your overall enjoyment of the set will be if it will be able to reproduce true, full 1080p high definition images. Very few broadcasts occur in 1080p right now, but that will very likely change in coming years. If you are a movie buff and intend to invest in a HD DVD player then 1080p is essential to get the most out of your investment. You can also save a few bucks on the HDMI cables by not buying them at the same time as your new plasma or LCD television.
