Plasma TVs Explained
Plasma televisions are an innovative new technology that provides flat screen displays. Using a variety of noble gases encased in small compartments (pixels), plasmas work by converting the gases into plasma. This plasma radiates light and forms an extremely clear picture. Liquid crystal displays (or LCDs) are also flat screened TVs. However, these use liquid crystals with backlighting to form pictures.
Plasma TVs are easier to maneuver than traditional CRT televisions (also known as tube televisions). They are flat, with a width of 5 inches, and lightweight, weighing approximately 100 pounds each. In contrast, CRT televisions are much heavier and bulkier. This gives consumers more flexibility when deciding where to place their plasmas; they can be hung on walls or put on stands that support less weight. Manufacturers have even designed plasma televisions that weigh only 45 pounds and are only an inch thick.
Flat screen televisions cover a range of much higher resolutions than do traditional televisions. High definition plasmas and LCDs have resolutions from 1024×768 pixels per square inch to 1920×1080 pixels. The ceiling of resolution for CRTs stands at a mere 480 lines, providing a much more muddled picture than plasmas or LCDs do.
Plasma television manufacturers boast a lifetime of up to 60,000 hours for their televisions, compared to a CRT television’s life span of at least 5 years. Which is better? Depending on how much a plasma is turned on, its lifespan can range anywhere from 7 years (turned on for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to 55 years (turned on for 3 hours a day). The lifespan of a plasma TV is significantly greater than that of a CRT TV.
Color reproduction and contrast ratio are two important components of a clear picture. Plasma televisions excel in both; they produce richer, more vibrant colours and truer blacks than LCDs. Due to the backlighting in LCDs, any pixel that should be black will have some light leaking through, which spoils the contrast.
Plasmas also have a wider viewing angle than LCDs. When viewing the television from the side, higher above, or lying on the floor, plasmas retain their crystal clear picture much better than LCDs do. Due to the shutter effect caused by the backlighting on LCDs, the larger the viewing angle is, the more brightness variation an LCD television viewer will experience.
Plasma TVs have been criticized because of the possibility of burn-in images. The burn-in effect happens when a still image is shown on the plasma’s screen for long periods of time (for example, when a DVD is paused and the plasma is left on, burn-in might occur). A ghost of the image may remain on the screen after the image has been changed. However, this effect has almost been negated in the newer models of plasma televisions.
Plasma televisions have almost no size limitations, as long as the consumer’s budget can cover a gigantic screen. LCD and CRT televisions, on the other hand, are constrained to a diagonal measure of about 52 inches.
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