Plasma Vs LCD TV: Difference Between Plasma and LCD

The electronic market is buzzing with a lot of improved and superior quality flat screen televisions. The two types of flat screen television sets that have become popular are the LCD and plasma televisions. Before discussing the difference between plasma and LCD, let's understand the basics of LCD and plasma TV.

What is LCD TV and Plasma TV?
LCD stands for liquid crystal display, and it is a flat panel that displays information in the form of text, images and moving pictures. How does an LCD TV work? Liquid crystal display television sets employ the use of LCD technology. They are colored television sets and have dominated the television market since their existence. They have variety of features; chief among them is the ability to be produced in very large screen sizes than the traditional cathode ray technology (CRTs). The LCD television sets are light weight, slim and portable. You may want to know more about LCD televisions.

Plasma television sets are one of the major competitors of LCD television sets. While LCDs and plasma television sets look similar in appearance, they have completely different systems. How does a plasma TV work? Between the plasma panel display (the screen to display images), there are two panels of glass that contain tiny cells of noble gases. These noble gases are turned into plasma by the passage of electricity which then excites phosphors to emit light. For more information on plasma television, read plasma televisions.

Plasma Vs LCD TV
Instead of going into the technical specifications and details, let us discuss the important difference between LCD vs plasma televisions.

The Size Factor: Plasma Vs LCD TV
The first and foremost thing that you need to consider is the size of the television set that you are interested in. Generally, plasma TVs or LCD televisions are manufactured in the size ranging from 32 inches to 63 inches. Various companies have now started manufacturing plasma and LCD TVs in the range of 100 to 103 inches, but these are generally not meant for domestic purposes. While neither the plasma TV nor the LCD television sets are cheap, still depending on the size of the TV, you can save some money. While the price of LCD and plasma TV sets keep fluctuating, the best bet is to keep a track of the latest trends and discounts in the market and prefer a television set that suits your requirement. For example, buying a 17 inch model would definitely cost you less but then it's just meant to be used in a kitchen or in a small room. A 20 inch model would also be too small and you will be required to sit closer so that you can easily view the display. The ideal size for a bedroom television set is the 32 inch LCD or a plasma TV (check out the price difference from the shop as they are dependent on the make and model). For the living room you can choose a 40 inch LCD TV or plasma TV. If you have a king size living room and you want a bigger screen than 40 inches, then you can go for the mighty 100 inch television set, however be ready to pay a heavy price for the ultimate flat screen TV.

Picture Quality: Plasma Vs LCD TV
On a general note, the picture quality of a plasma TV is better than a LCD TV. However, this does not mean that LCD TVs have poor picture quality. In fact, LCD television sets are improving every day. The performance of a plasma TV has been found to be better for large audiences and when it is used for home theater systems as it provides a greater screen availability. Plasma TVs also have a better contrast ratio and the color accuracy is suitable for most tastes. LCD TVs produce a brighter picture, though the colors often appear brighter than normal or even dull in many cases. When it comes to picture resolution, LCDs are better than plasma television sets.

The Burn-In Factor: Plasma Vs LCD TV
If you are thinking about LCD vs plasma TV, then this factor can help you differentiate between the two. Plasma TV screens suffer from burn-in. Screen burn-ins degrade the picture quality of the plasma TV and lead to formation of 'ghost images'. Basically, the phosphorus compound that is a major part of the phosphor based electronic display, loses its luminosity over a period of time. The prolonged display of images can give the impression of ghost images. LCD TVs have no such problem but in LCDs the individual pixels on the screen can burn out resulting in the formation of black and white dots on the television screen. You may like to read more on LCD TV reviews - how to choose an LCD tv.

Lifespan: Plasma Vs LCD TV
The lifespan of a plasma or a LCD TV is the number of hours before the pictures start appearing dull and dim and the images appear to smudge a lot. Generally, LCD TVs have a lifespan of nearly 60,000 hours before they start losing their screen life while the plasma TVs have a lifespan between 30,000 to 60,000 hours. However, nowadays the lifespan of both television sets is almost 60,000 hours. The lifespan depends on the model and make of the television sets, so you can inquire about the company and the model to get a clear idea of the efficiency of the television.

Gizmo Freak: Plasma Vs LCD TV
If you are a die hard fan of video games and dvd movies then you need to consider this fact. Generally, both the television sets have the facility to double as computer monitors and support DVD movies and even offer quality video services. They will also let you play your favorite games without any problem. So which one should you pick up? LCD or plasma? Well, since plasma TV are vulnerable to the problem of screen burn-ins, it's better to go for LCD TVs, in case you will regularly use your TV for gaming purposes. You may read more on LCD vs. Plasma televisions: choosing the best TV for you.

Height Issues: Plasma Vs LCD TV
LCDs don't have any problems with regard to the altitude. They can be used in airplanes and the such, but plasma TVs are problematic at an altitude higher than 6500 meters. The plasma TVs contain noble gases trapped in them that behave differently at higher altitudes and hence they have some problem in functionality at higher altitudes. Read more on buying guide: plasma TV vs LCD TV - reviews and comparison.

By now, you must have got an idea about the difference between plasma and LCD. You can also get in touch with your relatives and friends who have bought these flat screen television sets or conduct an exhaustive research on the various makes and models. This should help you get a clear idea about the best television set for you.