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shiv gupta
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TV & Radio
at
3:21 PM on March 28, 2008
geetika's Answer
PLASMA TV
At the heart of the plasma TV are chemical compounds called phosphors. In a plasma TV, each pixel is made up of three phosphors – one red, one blue, and one green. These phosphors emit light when struck by beams of electrons. The intensity of the electron beam determines the amount of light emitted. It is the phosphors themselves that create the light.
LCD TVs
LCD TVs use millions of crystals, which are suspended in a liquid that is sandwiched between transparent panels. Behind this liquid crystal sandwich is bright florescent light. The crystals are instructed to either let the light pass or not. Color filters are used to determine color.
LCD vs. Plasma TVs
SIZE
Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs are as thin as you could hope for. In viewable screen size, though LCD TVs are getting bigger everyday, plasmas generally run larger. Once you get into the larger sizes, you will also find a bigger selection among the plasma TVs. Plasma TVs generally have a larger viewing angle than LCD TVs, however high-end LCD TVs do live up to their claimed 170° viewing angle.
Life Span
Both LCD TVs and plasma TVs have good lifespan, but LCD TVs can technically last longer because their light source can be replaced. The low end for both LCD TVs and plasma TVs these days is 30,000 hours, with many going up to 60,000 hours before noticeable picture depreciation takes place.
Issues with Each Type of TV
Burn-in: Plasma TVs have a reputation of occasionally suffering from “burn in” effect. This is not such a problem for your average user, unless you leave your TV tuned to a channel with a continuous news ticker. A function called “white flash” can erase the burn in effect, but it takes some life off the TV's lifespan.
Watching Motion: LCD TVs can be susceptible to a delay that causes the outline of figures or objects to appear jagged or blocky when in motion. High definition TV greatly reduces this effect.
Pixel Problems: LCD TVs can be affected by pixel problems. This is not generally a problem with name brand versions, but it could still happen, definately worth getting the extra protection plan to cover this.
Color, Brightness, Black Levels, & Contrast
Color: LCD TVs are known for their sharp pictures and lively color. An LCD TV’s colors are vibrant and can wow you when you walk into a room. Plasma TVs are known for their wide range of colors and their accurate color reproduction. A plasma TV’s colors are warm and deep.
Brightness: Brightness numbers from manufacturers will mean little because they aren’t measured under real-life conditions. Your own viewing area will play into this considerably. LCD TVs have the reputation of doing slightly better in bright-light conditions.
Black Levels: Plasma TVs generally produce very black blacks whereas an LCD TV will produce a very dark charcoal gray. The very dark gray that LCD TVs produce is sufficiently dark for most people. Many would take it for black if not told otherwise.
Contrast Levels: Plasma TVs, technically, are known to have greater contrast levels than LCD TVs, however many see LCD TVs as being more vibrant, which seems connected to contrast, at least in the mind of most viewers
Answered at
6:37 PM on March 28, 2008
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