What's the difference between plasma and LCD?

Plasma TVs are great at delivering high-definition TV in a stylish case that's thin enough to hang on a wall. LCD TVs can do the same, but there are some fairly important differences between the two:

  • Plasma TVs are available in fewer screen sizes than LCD TVs. Though more screen sizes are available than before, the smallest current plasma TVs are 42 inches, while the biggest ones sold to consumers are 65 inches. LCD TVs, on the other hand, can range from just a few inches to 75 inches in size. For home theaters, LCD TVs with screen sizes from 32 inches to 65 inches are most popular.
  • Plasma TVs work better in dimly lit rooms. Though plasma TVs often do a better job of creating deep blacks and displaying details in shadowy areas of the picture, most can look washed out in rooms that are brightly lit. That's less of an issue for LCD TVs, which produce more brightness. Additionally, many LCD TVs have an adjustable backlight so brightness can be dialed up or down to accommodate a variety of room-lighting conditions. Many LCD TVs now use LED backlighting instead of the formerly popular cold-cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) backlights. These LCD TVs -- often called LED TVs -- do a much better job of producing blacks, and some are even competitive with the best plasma TVs in that regard.
  • Plasma TV screens are more prone to glare. That's because many use a screen that's more likely to reflect any light sources that are in the room. On the other hand, some do a better job with ambient light, while some LCD TVs now use a more reflective screen.
  • Plasma screens have good viewing angles. With an LCD TV, you often need to sit more or less directly in front of the screen to see the best picture. That's not an issue with a plasma TV. Even those sitting a bit off to the side will enjoy the full picture quality that the set is able to deliver.
  • Plasma TVs are more energy-efficient than they used to be, but they still trail LCD TVs by a wide margin. Despite improvements in the latest generation of plasma sets, LCD televisions are typically far more efficient to operate.

Important features

Choices among plasma HDTVs have been reduced of late, but there are still plenty of options to consider and lots of decisions to make. Here are just a few things to point you in the right direction:

  • The more HDMI inputs the better. All HDTVs are equipped with at least one HDMI input, and better models have multiple HDMI inputs. Most modern home theater equipment -- including HD-capable cable and satellite TV boxes, upscaling DVD players, Blu-ray Disc players and many home-theater audio receivers -- uses this connection, which makes it possible to route video and audio on a single cable, minimizing signal loss and cutting down on cable clutter. In addition, this input, which supports HDCP (a system intended to prevent people from making copies of high-definition movies), is required for watching Blu-ray movies or upconverted standard-definition DVDs at full 1080p resolution. Most current HDTVs support the latest HDMI specifications, which allow for the passage of 3D video and to send audio back to a home theater receiver (audio return channel) that's also equipped with the latest HDMI ports.
  • Match TV size to the size of your room. Because HDTVs have much higher resolution than conventional TVs, you can sit closer than you formerly could. That means you can get away with a bigger screen in a smaller room.
  • Decide on the resolution. While most HDTVs now have 1080p resolution, many experts say that at screen sizes of 50 inches and below, most people can't see the extra detail at typical seating distances. If you sit 10 feet or more away from the screen, and/or your screen is 50 inches or less, a 720p HDTV can be a sensible and economical choice.
  • Verify that the plasma TV comes with a stand or mounting hardware. Most plasma TVs come with a basic table stand. Wall-mounting hardware must be bought separately and the most versatile and sturdy mounts -- a good idea with a heavy plasma TV -- can get expensive (about $200 or even more).
  • Shop around for prices. In our research, we often found large price differences from retailer to retailer, so it pays to look around. Note that the lowest prices sometimes come from unauthorized dealers, which, depending on the manufacturer, can cause warranty problems if something goes wrong; see below.
  • Check the manufacturer's policy before buying online. Some manufacturers have strict policies regarding authorized dealers. In those cases, if you buy your plasma TV from an unauthorized dealer you'll probably violate the terms of the manufacturer warranty, though the retailer might offer a substitute warranty. While there can be a substantial difference in price between authorized and unauthorized dealers, if you plan on buying from the latter, be sure to calculate your threshold for risk on such a large purchase, and ask the dealer about warranty coverage.

Burn-in no longer an issue for plasma

Burn-in, caused by damaged pixels that leave a permanent ghost of a static image on the screen, was a problem with early plasma models. However, new technology reduces the risk of burn-in, and experts generally say it's no longer a concern with most plasma TVs. LCD TVs have no burn-in risk.

Temporary image retention is a similar problem but is less severe. In this case, a static scene leaves behind an annoying ghost that takes several minutes -- or more -- to completely disappear. Some plasma TVs include anti-image-retention features such as an eraser function that removes image retention quicker or a pixel shifter or pixel orbiter, which imperceptibly moves an image around the screen by a pixel or two. Image retention can be a problem with all plasmas, but recent reviews indicate that LG plasma TVs are a little more susceptible than plasma TVs from other makers. Reports say that temporary image retention seems to decrease as a plasma display ages.

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