DIfference between LCD and Plasma TVs

[coolraj003]

Right, i m sure this is a quite easy one to answer but i have been reading a lot of information and it s a lot contradictory. So here it is, what is the difference between an LCD TV and Plasma TV? I know these days LCDs are outselling Plasmas but what is the reason? Are LCDs better in quality, reliability or just cos they are cheaper? I have been considering buying a 42" full HD LCD but have been put off for now cos my current flat is a bit too small. Did get a once in a lifetime deal as well but had to pass on it. SO guys come on, hit me with what u know.

[jermaghs07]

LCD is of course liquid crystal display which uses transistors to switch between colors, and plasma uses a gas filled chamber similar to neon lighting when i was looking at them the salesmen told me that the plasma would only last so long then it was trash. something about the plasma will only burn for like 5000 hours then the gasses dissipate.

from what iv been hearing plasma is a dieing technology. LCD is where it's at. It's cheaper, it lasts longer and the picture is (slightly) better, and you can get down to a 3ms refresh rate where plasma only goes down to a 5ms, which really doesn't really make that much of a difference unless you do alot of gaming.

there is my two cents, hope it helps

[coolraj003]

Cool man, Appreciate it.

Raj

[Smooth=1]

i agree LCD is much beeter than Plasma, it's much cheaper than plasma...

[itdupuis]

Okay, I will give you my thoughts....cuz I am a TV junkie.....but mainly for video games (xbox 360-cpu; okay I love movies as well...lol). Anyway, I have had both...and my thoughts for the winner is absolutely the LCD. I bought a 50" plasma, only to die out within two years of purchase (of coarse a few months after the factory warranty expired :( ). I currently have two LCD widescreen tv's and they work like a charm. I do suggest getting the full 1080 on anything bigger than a 36". If you are going with anything 36 and under, 720 will output quality just fine. And along with your purchase, if you are into movies at all........DO get a blu-ray player.....it will blow your mind how crisp the picture quality is. Good luck in your quest!

[coolraj003]

I have seen a good deal on a 40inch full hd tv but the brand aint a renowned one. What you guys feel for the brand names, i mean i aint much of a brand fanboy but would like some onput on the experience of both high street brands(samsung, sony, panasonic etc..) and not so high street brands(Vistron, wharfdale etc...). I am under the impression that you pay a lot for the name only. quality is almost identical to the Non premium brands. Any opinions..???

Raj

[itdupuis]

There is (sometimes) a quality difference with brands.....but to see the difference, you have to look at information about the TV's that a normal person would not. Refresh rates, lumens and other such items a regular joe would not look for are some areas to start checking into. I do find that big brand names do not always have the best models, but you have to look at those details.........Some of the top brands I like are, VIZIO, Mitsubishi, and sony. Some brands like emerson, vieta, and westinghouse are brands that i tend to shy from. Good luck, and let me know if I can help! It's always a pleasure chatting with you RAJ!

[daveanne]

yeah! that's right smooth lcd is better than plasma

[coolraj003]

Ok that is decided then, now another one of similar questions...c'mon u knew it was coming..hehehe.

Well what about the Projectors? WHat sort of thing should i be looking for in the projectors, if i want to get a good quality one. Obvioulsy one thing if the lamp life which does run out. What else should I have to look for when it comes to getting a decent projector to watch movies etc.

Raj

[ruthallison]

Outward appearances are definitely deceiving when it comes to LCD and Plasma televisions. Although both types of televisions are flat and thin, they employ different technology in an attempt to deliver similar results.
Plasma TV Overview
Plasma television technology is based loosely on the fluorescent light bulb. The display itself consists of cells. Within each cell two glass panels are separated by a narrow gap in which neon-xenon gas is injected and sealed in plasma form during the manufacturing process. The gas is electrically charged at specific intervals when the Plasma set is in use. The charged gas then strikes red, green, and blue phosphors, thus creating a television image. Each group of red, green, and blue phosphors is called a pixel (picture element).
Although Plasma television technology eliminate the need for the bulky picture tube and electron beam scanning of traditional televisions, because it still employs the burning of phosphors to generate an image, Plasma televisions still suffer from some of the drawbacks of traditional televisions, such as heat generation and screen-burn of static images.
LCD TV Overview
LCD televisions, on the other hand, use a different technology (see also question #1 for this same explanation).
Basically, LCD panels are made of two layers of transparent material, which are polarized, and are "glued" together. One of the layers is coated with a special polymer that holds the individual liquid crystals. Current is then passed through individual crystals, which allow the crystals to pass or block light to create images. LCD crystals do not produce their own light, so an external light source, such as florescent bulb is needed for the image created by the LCD to become visible to the viewer.
Unlike standard CRT and Plasma televisions, since there are no phosphors that light up, less power is need for operation and the light source in an LCD television generates less heat than a Plasma or traditional television. Also, because of the nature of LCD technology, there is no radiation emitted from the screen itself.
Plasma vs LCD
The ADVANTAGES of Plasma over LCD are:
1. Larger screen size availability.
2. Better contrast ratio and ability to render deeper blacks.
3. Better color accuracy and saturation.
4. Better motion tracking (little or no motion lag in fast moving images).
The DISADVANTAGES of Plasma vs LCD include:
1. Plasma TVs are more susceptible to burn-in of static images.
2. Plasma TVs generate more heat than LCDs, due to the need to light of phosphors to create the images.
3. Does not perform as well at higher altitudes.
4. Shorter display life span (about 30,000 hours or 8 hrs of viewing a day for 9 years) than LCD. However, screen life span is improving to as high as 60,000 hours. due to technology improvements.
LCD television ADVANTAGES over Plasma include:
1. No burn-in of static images.
2. Cooler running temperature.
3. No high altitude use issues.
4. Increased image brightness over Plasma.
5. Longer display life (about 60,000 hours - at which time all you may need to do is replace the light source, not the entire set). This can vary according other environmental and use factors.
6. Lighter weight (when comparing same screen sizes) than Plasma counterparts.
DISADVANTAGES of LCD vs Plasma televisions include:
1. Lower contrast ratio, not as good rendering deep blacks.
2. Not as good at tracking motion (fast moving objects may exhibit lag artifacts) - However, this is improving.
3. Not as common in large screen sizes above 42-inches as Plasma. However, the number is growing fast, with some LCD sets having a screen size as large as 65-inches now available to the general public.
4. Although LCD televisions do not suffer from burn-in susceptibility, it is possible that individual pixels on an LCD televisions can burn out, causing small, visible, black or white dots to appear on the screen. Individual pixels cannot be repaired, the whole screen would need to be replaced at that point, if the individual pixel burnout becomes annoying to you.
5. LCD televisions are typically more expensive than equivalent-sized Plasma televisions (although this is changing), especially when comparing EDTV Plasmas to HDTV-LCD Televisions.

[jermaghs07]

Ok that is decided then, now another one of similar questions...c'mon u knew it was coming..hehehe.

Well what about the Projectors? WHat sort of thing should i be looking for in the projectors, if i want to get a good quality one. Obvioulsy one thing if the lamp life which does run out. What else should I have to look for when it comes to getting a decent projector to watch movies etc.

Raj

If you are looking into projectors some of the things you need to be look at are the affective projections size. this is the size of the area that it is made to project. if you are just wanting it for a tv a 4X8 should be fine. the next thing you want to look at is the Lumines. that is how bright the bulb shines. the higher the lumines the better the picture will look with the lights on, and also when the lumines go up so does the price. you want to make sure it has HDMI ports and you also want to make sure that it has enough ports to run everything you want to run because going through a splitter is kind of a pain. If you are getting a home theater grade projector make sure you have it professionally installed it cost a little bit but they will integrate everything that you will use into it, set up the screen and perfectly focus and align it for you. and use an actual home theater screen(it makes the picture 10 times better)

[itdupuis]

I think your first task on thinking about projectors is what you are wanting to spend........ranging from $300 (USD) to $3500, is a large gap.....if you are only watching movies on them, just find one with decent specs to meet your needs.......one that projects 1080I is a good start. You will also need to consider your lighting levels in the area you are going to use the projector in. If you are in high light, you will want a projector that emits lots of lumens....low light you can go with lower projection. Let me know what you needs are, and I will recommend one for you!

[coolraj003]

Thanks man, appreciate all the advice but beleive me in these things the lady of the house will get to have her say before anyone. And being a bit old fashioned she thinks TV is better, Projector...whats that???

The thing that puts the movie on the conema screen.

After that the answer is oh we dont want one of that, our rooms are way too smaller than cinema.

So it will need more convincing on that part but i have been lookin around for tv. There has been some very good deals on ebuyer.co.uk for 40" ones but they are not those sonys or panasonics. Anyone wanna have a look at them and tell me if they would be worth buying. I think they have Vistrons, Sense etc for quite cheap.

Raj

[jermaghs07]

There is nothing wrong with a good lcd tv. just make sure it has a good warranty and has full 1080I. in my opinion the off brand tv's are just as good as the name brand such as sony, pannasonic, Visio ect, but they are normally a lot cheaper.