Plasma TV Burn In

One of the most common problems that plasma TV owners have had to face, especially the owners of early models of these TVs, was plasma TV burn in. you may have heard rumors about this issue from a lot of people, and many people think that this is something that just happens. Plasma TV burn in leaves a distinct 'burnt in' mark on the TV screen, and greatly ruins the viewing experience on a high-end television set that you have paid a lot of dollars to purchase.

So, what exactly is this plasma TV burn in, and how do you fix it? Moreover, can it simply be prevented? It would be comforting for you to know that this is mainly a problem that was faced by plasma TVs when they had just started coming into the use. The models, that are available today, do not face this problem anymore as the manufacturers have figured out a way to combat this occurrence.

What is Plasma TV Burn In
The phosphor-based screen technology used in plasma TVs is similar to that used in old tube TVs and older CRT-rear projection TVs. The downside of this technology is that if an image is allowed to sit on the screen for an extended period of time, it ends up leaving a ghostly trace of itself behind. This occurs due to the uneven wear on the phosphors inside the TV, and this is known as plasma TV burn in. Needless to say, it is a damaging and limiting effect that potentially ruins the viewing experience in its entirety.

The most cases of plasma TV burn ins were known to occur in high contrast images, where a bright text would appear on a very dark background. The reason for this is that while the pixels on the bright text were turned on to their brightest, the ones on the dark background were almost turned off completely. Watching the TV continuously for a few hours can cause this problem to occur, and the traces of this burn in can be seen on other screens and other channels.

Plasma TV Burn In Prevention
Now, even though manufacturers have taken steps to counter this problem from arising, there is still a distinct possibility that it may crop up. The first 100 hours of viewing the TV are when this is most likely to happen, so we advise you to keep the contrast at about 50 percent, and avoid watching channels that show static bright images, for a long period of time. After you have completed around 100 hours or so of viewing, you can alter these contrast settings as you please.

Analysis of peoples' comments and reactions has also showed that by leaving a normal widescreen channel on all night, this problem can be avoided. Some people also suggest that if you record some bright static on a VCR and play it for 24 hours, all traces of an after image can be gotten rid of. There are a few other plasma TV burn in repair options that can be made use of as well, but these are just based on the comments of people gathered across various forums. There is no proof that these methods will effectively work.

Manufacturers have certainly done their part in helping to get rid of plasma TV burn in. Screen-savers that are available on most TV sets play this role to perfection. Some other techniques like 'pixel shifting', 'pixel wobbling' and 'pixel orbiting' are ways to reduce the risk of plasma TV burn in. These techniques shift the pixel on the screens slightly, at regular intervals. This prevents the bright pixels from creating an after image at one particular spot. The change of the pixels is so small and subtle that the viewer notices nothing at all. Some TV sets also provide an option to blast the screen with a plain white image for a few hours to get rid of the after effects of bright images.

More and more methods are being developed by plasma TV manufacturers as plasma TV burn in fixes. This is not such a serious problem anymore, and manufacturers have realized what they need to do about it. There is still a slight chance that it may bother you, but if you know what to do you can enjoy viewing your plasma TV for many years to come without having to worry about a plasma TV burn in.