Choosing A Plasma Of Lcd Hdtv: What To Consider

When plasma television was first launched, it was the leader in flat screen cinematic style viewing. Early on, plasma really had no serious competition in this arena, but that was to change with the advent of LCD TV. Following the emergence of the LCD TV, there has been a recurring, heated argument over which type is best. The avid supporters of each type of TV will tout their brands superiority over the other. Lets go ahead and take a look at the pros and cons of each type of flat screen television.

The first topic of discussion is cost. Presently plasma screen tvs are less expensive than the LCD television. The bigger the size the bigger the price difference will become. The next part of the discussion is picture quality. For awhile, plasma tvs held a good advantage over LCD televisions in picture quality. Plasma tvs tend to give a deeper, truer level of black but in recent years LCD TV has gained ground in picture quality to the extent that in many ways it can produce a better picture, with sharper whites and an overall brighter picture. In recent years the LCD picture has gotten even better with the advent of LED technology. LCD tvs now have higher refresh rates and their plasma counterparts.

The next debate surrounds the durability of plasma tvs. When plasma tvs were first introduced, the screen would go bad after 4-5 years. Modern plasma tvs last as long as any other type of TV, but the stigma of a short-life span seems to stick with the plasma TV. Burn-in is another issue between the two. Burn-in has to do when images "burn" into the screen, resulting in what is called "ghosting". This has continually been a problem with plasma televisions screens, but has never been a problem with LCD tvs.

Viewing angle is another discussion point when evaluating plasma and LCD. Some plasma lovers will maintain that you get a good quality picture regardless of what angle you happen to be sitting at. Just as fervently, LCD viewers will state the same. The only accurate judge on this topic is going to have to be the individual consumer.

Size and weight are a huge concern because lots people want to put their tvs in some unorthodox areas in their home. Plasma tvs are by far the thicker and heavier of the two tvs. There exists upwards of a 20-40% disparity of weight between plasma and LCD. LED technology has made both tvs even lighter than before, but if you are looking for a lighter TV that be easily mounted, the LCD models will give you more flexibility than plasma.

In the final analysis, given todays advancements in TV technology, both plasma and LCD TVs are good choices and for the most part it boils down to individual preference. If you are a serious movie buff, and are not apprehensive about burn-in, then a plasma screen is most likely the better alternative. If you need a thinner, lighter television for multiple purposes such as watching movies, gaming, viewing still photos, and other types of applications then you should probably choose the LCD TV.