Plasma TV and LCD TV: Televisions of the Future

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Although both Plasma TV's and LCD TV's display a big picture in a thin case, there are many notable differences between the two devices.

The plasma television sets are larger than LCD's and measure about 42 inches. The size of the LCD is approximately 37 inches. But a 42-inch LCD TV would cost $1000 more than the plasma television set. The LCD TV's weigh lesser than the plasma set. The plasma television sets are bulky and therefore they constantly require installation. They are well structured in order to prevent overheating due to constant usage by a means of proper ventilation.

The plasma televisions exhibit a contrast background and therefore are very appropriate for watching movies as you experience the enjoyment of a home theatre. LCD TV's are mostly bright screened and appropriate if your room is brightly lit. The plasma TV's do not appear lucid when the room is brightly lit. At the same time, the LCD TV's seem to emit strong rays when the room is darker.

You can watch your television from different angles when you are watching the plasma TV. The same convenience is not available in case of LCD as it bears a flat screen. As you move further we can feel the loss of brightness.

But there are a few disadvantages when you own a plasma television set. When it is linked to video, it often tends to leave an image for a long time. These images often get permanently etched on the screen. At the bottom of the screen, the text or the logos of the other networks are often seen and it causes a disturbance to the viewer. The estimated life of a plasma TV is around 25000 to 35000 hours.

According to Alfred Poor's anticipations, the LCD television will continue to be an expensive set compared to the other televisions.

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Check Out the Difference Between the Plasma and LCD TV Now

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You might be wondering what kind of flat screen television is better - is it Plasma or LCD? Let this review help you by comparing the features of these two types of television. In the recent market, Plasma television is leading the battle between the two televisions and sooner or later it will get the crown. Checking the features of each of these televisions can help consumers decide which television they should choose.

Plasma TVs came out with the 42 to 50 inch models which became a hit in the market. This made the Plasma TV a leader in the flat screen television industry. And since these large screens TV models have maintained its standing in the world of televisions, their prices started to go down. Initially, you can buy this Plasma TV for more than 5,000 dollars but at this time, you can get it at even less than 2,500 dollars. This is indeed an advantage for Plasma TV.

With this size factor, LCD television manufacturers are not allowing the Plasma TVs to completely take control. Today, they are producing larger screen models same as Plasma TVs at 42 to 50 inches. This makes the battle more exciting!

The 42-inch model leads the popularity when it comes to the screen size. Because of this, television companies tend to produce more than the demands. This is the reason why the prices of these televisions are beginning to go down. However, Plasma TVs is still leading when it comes to the price because they are the pioneer in producing these large models. On the other hand, LCD TVs are predicted to win the battle as it will begin dropping the prices down far more practical than the Plasma TV.

Now, if you are after the multimedia specifications, then you should go for LCD TVs. LCD Television has the features most consumers are looking for such as the PC connections, memory cards and USB ports to be able to connect it to the PC monitors. Another exciting feature is the ability to play MP3 files and to view images taken through your digicams. And for all video game fans, they will surely appreciate the crystal clear graphics and text resolutions.

What are the other factors why LCD televisions are leading the competition between Plasma and LCD TVs? This is the lifespan of the television. The life span of the plasma screen is usually around 60,000 hours while for LCD TVs, it is around 80,000 hours. Another good thing about LCD TV is that it does not have the "burn area" feature which is a shortcoming of Plasma TV. In addition, LCD TVs has become more popular when it comes to portability. LCD TVs have come out with petite and convenient to carry model which is a great deal people love.

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LCD Vs Plasma - What's The Difference?

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So you are contemplating about getting a large screen television to hang in your keeping room. It can get very frustrating with all of the television manufacturers, model numbers, features and styles to select from. As we review at this together you will see that there is no "one size fits all" TV here, as you will see that it depends on several factors. In this article we will look into the most commonly asked question.

So Should I Get A Plasma or LCD TV?

1) What size of a screen will you be selecting?

Both the LCD & Plasma screens are available in up to 65" now. Are you considering a TV bigger than 50"? I believe you will find that with Tv's larger than 50" you will get a better deal on a plasma than a LCD. But here's the good news...LCD's are becoming less expensive every day.

2) What will the lighting situation be in your TV room?

The reason I mention this to you is that the degree of sunlight that enters the room will play a role when choosing your flat panelwall mount television set. The reason I mention this is that the plasma's glass screen can reflect plenty of direct sunlight.So as you can imagine sometimes this can be an issue in very bright rooms. Did you know-- direct sunlight can also contribute to a washout of color. Even indirect or ambient lighting can cause a contrast ratio reduction, especially in black colors produced on the screen.

Now we will talk of one of the LCD's key benefits, since the LCD comes with a plastic matte screen that reflects less light. So if you have a very bright room-- the LCD is probably your best choice. So score a point for the LCD here.

3) Lets discuss your seating arrangements.

The reason I ask is that unfortunately, when you sit at a funny angle from the screen you will get a faded LCD picture. So this may be an important thing to consider when arranging your furniture in your TV room. Sometimes based on the the amount of wall space and windows you have...You really don't have much of an option. So think carefully about the trade off here. You tend to see some brightness and color shift when you're on too much of an angle with LCD's. (Thankfully LCD designers are burning the midnight oil to try to find a solution to this. Here's some good news for you plasma fans, a plasma can be viewed with a fairly solid picture from almost an angle. So score a point for plasma's here. Since technology is changing minute by minute and quality varies from manufacturer to manufacturer (and model to model) I would suggest a side-by-side comparison with several flat screens you may be thinking about. Try to make believe where your seating would be so you can watch it from the estimate angle you will be using at home--and simply judge for yourself.

These are just a few concerns to think about when picking a television for your home.

Would you like to learn more about the differences between a plasma and LCD?

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LCD Flat Screen TVs or Plasma TV - Which to Choose

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Many people are unsure as to what the difference is between LCD flat screen TVs and plasma TV sets. In fact it is only the screen and the way that the the image is created that is different between these two, and even between them and your big cathode ray tube TV : the rest is pretty much the same.

Let's look first of all at what LCD and plasma really are. Most people are acquainted with LCD from the display on their calculators but have never come across plasma before. So what is plasma? It has nothing to do with the clear fluid in the blood, but is a fluid of a sort in that it is a gas (which is technically a fluid).

The plasma in a TV screen is formed from neon and xenon gases that, when electrically charged, turn into what are known as ions. As the energy passes through this ionic cloud of gas they start moving faster and faster, and the negative and positive particles that make up the ionic gas become attracted to each other. When they collide they release a photon of energy. A photon is akin to a 'particle' of energy that is part particle and part wave.

This plasma is contained between two plates of glass with a tiny space between them. The inside surface of the plate that you view is coated with hundreds of thousand of tiny cells, each of which are coated with phosphor, a substance that emits light when hit by a photon. These can be excited to produce either blue, green or red light, and which are excited by the photon is determined by the energy of that photon.

The TV signal is converted to electrical energy that excites the photons of the plasma gases to specific energies according to the color of the original subject, and so excite the particular set of phosphor needed to produce the color. As red, blue and yellow can produce just about every other color of the rainbow, so red, blue and green do the same with photon sensitive phosphors.

On the other hand, an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen is totally different, and much more difficult to explain. To put it in simple terms, a liquid crystal is one that is more liquid than solid, and whose structure can be oriented by electromagnetic fields to either block polarized light or allow it through. Polarized light is light that is arranged so that its vibrations occur only in one plane, so that it is easily filtered.

Basically an LCD works by cells either allowing light through or not. This is colored by the use of red, blue and green filters in the front of each pixel, so that if light is passed through a pixel it is colored. If it is not passed through, then it is not colored. Therefore, both systems work through the use of the same three colors of light, just as the old cathode ray color TV does. With CTR the screen also contains red, blue and green phosphors, just as with the plasma screen, which are excited by a beam of electrons aimed at each specific pixel.

The choice between plasma TVs and LCD flat screen TVs depends on your specific needs that are beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say that each has its own merits and drawbacks, and whichever you choose will likely be a compromise. The situation will remain thus for many years since High Definition TV is not dependent on any particular system, other than it it is certainly not the old CTR, or Cathode Ray Tube TV.

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A Plasma HDTV or an LCD TV Set - Which is Better?

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Though both LCD and plasma displays come in the form of slim flat panel displays, yet from a technology perspective, these two flat panel displays process the image in a totally different manner.

Plasma uses a matrix of tiny gas plasma cells that are charged by precise electrical voltages to emit light and hence to create the picture image. Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) panels - work by trapping a liquid crystal solution between two sheets of polarized glass. When an electric current is passed through the liquid crystals, they change the polarization of the light passing through them in response to the electric voltage - as a result of which, more or less light is able to pass through the polarized glass on the face of the display.

It is not the scope of this article to go into the actual details of how these different display technologies process the image - after all, what really matters is not what is going behind the screen but rather how these different display technologies perform as a television screen. At the same time, it is worth taking note that it is these same differences that give each of these display technologies, its strengths and weaknesses, and that therefore render one more suitable than the other in certain circumstances.

The list below highlights the most important differences between these two flat panel display technologies:

Size: For the time being, collision between plasma television and LCD TV occur in the 40 to 50 inch screen range. In reality, most LCD TVs top out at around 50 inch; larger screen sizes are also available though choice is still very much limited. This means that for anything larger than 50-inch, a plasma display is your only real option if what you are after is a direct-view TV system. On the other hand, at the smaller end of spectrum, namely 15" to 36" TVs, LCD is the way to go if what you want is something stylish and slim (at under 4-inches in depth).

Price: Here, the playing field is leveling at a fast rate. Up to very recent, plasma was the obvious choice for all screen sizes where collision between these two technologies occurs; this is no longer the case. In general, plasma still leads by a good margin only at the bigger screen sizes - 50-inch and upwards. At the smaller end (up to 44-inch), the price advantage when it comes to plasma vs LCD TV sets, starts to shift more towards LCD TVs.

Overall Picture Performance: Both plasma and the latest TFT-LCD flat panel displays are capable of producing excellent picture quality - with bright, crisp clear images. However, plasma flat panel displays are more suitable for basic home theater usage than LCD. The gas cell structure within a plasma display is such that there is no light leaking between adjacent cells (or pixels). This renders plasma displays capable of displaying deeper blacks - hence more suited to television and movie scenes where lots of dark and light content is shown simultaneously.

In comparison, the nature of LCD technology - where a backlight shines through the LCD layer - means that it is hard for it to achieve true blacks (i.e. true absence of light) as there is always some light leakage from adjacent pixels.

This does not mean that LCD panel s are not suitable as TV screens; today's LCD TV sets make use of extreme high contrast panels that are capable of displaying very deep blacks, yet the latest plasma TV sets still have a slight edge.

Viewing-angle: What used to be a clear advantage for plasma displays is becoming more and more a non-issue especially with the latest generation of LCD televisions, however...

Do not always assume that viewing angle is no longer an issue when comparing plasma vs lcd TVs. The tendency - in particular with the cheaper LCD TV sets - is that the deterioration in picture quality with off-axis viewing is more accentuated with LCD than with plasma displays.

Image Retention and Burn-in: LCD TVs enjoys a technological advantage; they are not prone to burn-in, and image retention in LCD TVs - referred to as 'image sticking', is often completely reversible.

It is important to realize here that while burn-in in plasma displays and image sticking in LCD panels both lead to image retention, yet these are two completely different phenomena.

Burn-in is no longer much of a concern as it used to be with plasma televisions up to the recent past, especially for people with normal TV viewing requirements. Similarly, image sticking with LCD TVs is unlikely to take place under normal home entertainment use.

Viewing Distance: It seems that the pixel size and shape of an LCD panel renders a smoother picture than an equivalently sized plasma panel for the same pixel count.

This means that even if your viewing distance falls within the recommended distance of approximately twice the screen width for an HDTV, if this is less than at least nine feet, most probably you will be better off with an LCD TV.

Life-time: This is a non-issue with either technology. In fact, both plasma and LCD TV sets come with a quoted half-lifetime of around 60,000hrs. Even if this were just 30,000hrs, it would imply more than 14 years of use at 6 hours a day. And this when the average household in the US replaces the TV set every 7 years!

In other words, both plasma and LCD TV sets make use of extremely stable and reliable display technologies. As such, lifetime is more dependent upon manufacturer quality rather than upon display technology.

Response: Plasma TV sets carry an advantage here because even though LCD technology has improved to the extent that this is becoming less of an issue, yet LCD has still some way to go to achieve the same level of pixel response times as phosphor based displays.

Power Requirements: The advantage here goes to LCD panels as these consume less electricity. Estimates show that the use of LCD panels can result in some 30% power savings for the same screen size than plasma display.

Making the Choice

There is a market for both plasma and LCD displays - Plasma gives you a bigger screen for your dollar, deeper blacks, but then LCD do not suffer from burn-in and at the smaller end of the market (less than 40-inch screen size), LCD is your only way forward if you want something slim and stylish.

It is all a question of knowing what are the advantages and limitations of each with respect to your specific needs.

This article is an excerpt from a series of informative guides appearing on Practical-Home-Theater-Guide.COM under the Plasma and LCD TV sections of the site.

It covers only the very basics when it comes to compare plasma vs LCD TVs. There are a lot more considerations one has to take into account when selecting the display technology for a flat screen TV.

To find out more, please refer to the detailed guides appearing on the same site at http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/plasma-vs-lcd-TV.html.

Last updated on 10th May 2007. Copyright (c) 2004/2007 http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com. All rights reserved.

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Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U 42-Inch Plasma

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Panasonic has released yet another top product to help compete with the other top Plasma Screen Televisions Manufacturers which keeps them up with the current competition. The Viera TH-42PZ85U 42-Inch 1080p Plasma is very functional and has everything you want in a High Definition Television. From the Connectivity to the top of the line screen coloring and amazingly fast moving lines keeping up with every type of television show, movie and even fast paced sporting events for one of the best Television viewing experiences available on the market.

The Panasonic Viera offers 1920 x 1080 Resolution, 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the Brightest whites and darkest blacks, 4096 Shades of Gradation for spectacular Color Reproduction which is unheard of when looking into plasma televisions. All of these extras factored in together make the Panasonic Th-42PZ85U one of the top Plasma screen Televisions on the market and also make your Television viewing experience a great one. The colors are brighter and more crisp than most Plasma screens and at a much more affordable price than some of the top High Definition Televisions on the market.

A Panasonic Plasma screen Television combines anti-glare and anti-reflection technology with the natural light-emitting properties of plasma, to give you a super-wide viewing range with a crisp, beautiful image from almost any angle that you may be watching from. Another unique fact about this Televisions is that it is rated so high that it will last 100,000 hours, which is about 30 years of regular or 11 years of non-stop usage before the brightness of the display will start to go out, While other top Plasma Televisions will begin going out within 5 years of purchasing.

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A plasma or LCD HDTV TV - Which is better?

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Though both LCD and plasma are available in the form of thin flat panel displays, but from a technological point of view, these two flat panel displays process the image differently.

Plasma uses a matrix of small gas plasma cells charged by precise electrical voltages to emit light and create the image by image. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) - work by trapping a liquid crystal solution between two sheets of polarized glass. When an electricalCurrent is passed through the liquid crystal changes the polarization of light through them in response to voltage - as a result, more or less light can pass through the polarized glass on the face of the display.

It is not the scope of this article for details about the issue in terms of how these different display technologies vision - after all, what really counts is not what happens behind the screen, but Rather how thesedifferent display technologies work as a TV screen. At the same time, it is worth noting that it is these differences that each technology will give this, their strengths and weaknesses, and therefore makes a better choice than others under certain circumstances.

The following list shows the main differences between these two flat-screen technologies:

Format: For the momentConflict between plasma and LCD-TV area occur in 40-50 inches. In fact, most LCD TVs up to 50 inches, larger screen sizes are also available, although the selection is still very limited. This means that anything larger than 50 inches, a plasma display is your only real option if what you are after is a system-view satellite television. On the other hand, the smaller end of the spectrum, namely 15 "to 36" TV, LCD is the way to go if what you wantis something elegant and thin (less than 4 cm deep).

Value: This field is leveling at a fast rate. Until very recently, plasma is the obvious choice for all screen sizes where collision between these two technologies occurs, that is no longer the case. In general, plasma still leads by a good margin only in larger screen sizes - 50 inches and up. To small (up to 44-inches), the price advantage when it comes to plasma vsLCD TV, LCD TV shift begins more.

Total Video Performance: Both the latest plasma and LCD flat panel TFT display capable of excellent image quality - with bright and crisp. However, plasma flat panel monitors are more suitable to use basic home theater screen. The cell structure of gas inside a plasma display is such that the light is not lost between adjacent cells (or pixels). This plasma display makes it suitableDisplay deeper blacks - and therefore more suitable for television and film scenes in which dark and light content is shown more than once.

In comparison, the nature of LCD technology - where a backlight passes through the layer of liquid crystal - which is hard for him to reach the "real" blacks (ie true absence of light), because more light loss adjacent pixels.

This does not mean that LCD panel s are not suitable for use as TV screens, LCD TV todayextremely high contrast panels able to display very deep blacks, but the latest plasma TV still have a slight advantage.

Viewing angle: what was a clear advantage for plasma displays is more and more of a non-issue especially with the latest generation of LCD televisions, but ...

Do not always assume that viewing angle is no longer an issue when comparing plasma vs. LCD TV. The tendency - especially with the cheaper LCD TVs - isthat the deterioration of image quality with off-axis viewing more than with LCD plasma, with emphasis.

persistence and burn-in LCD TVs has a technological advantage, they are not susceptible to burn-in and image in the LCD - retention named as "stick image" is often completely reversible.

It 'important to recognize here that during the burn-in stick in plasma displays and LCD panels is in bringing an image to burn, but thesetwo completely different phenomena.

Burn-in is not so important, as it uses a plasma TV in the recent past, particularly for people with normal television standards. Similarly, attack with LCD TV image can not intervene in the normal home entertainment experience.

Viewing distance: It seems that the pixel size and shape of an LCD panel enables a softer image quality as equivalent to a large plasma panel for the same pixelcount.

This means that even if your viewing distance falls within the recommended distance of about twice the width of the screen of an HDTV, if lower than at least nine feet, you'll probably be better with an LCD TV.

Lifespan: this is not a problem with both technologies. In fact requires both plasma and LCD TVs have a cited half-life of 60,000 hours. Although only 30,000 hours, which would mean that more than 14 years when used6 hours per day. So, if the average size of households in the U.S. TV replaced every seven years!

In other words, use both plasma and LCD extremely stable and reliable display technologies. As such, duration more dependent on quality rather than the manufacturer's display technology.

Answer: Plasma TVs take an advantage here, because even though LCD technology has improved in some extent this is becoming less and less, yet LCDstill a long way to go to reach the same level of pixel response time, such as listings of phosphorous.

Power: The advantage here goes to power as LCD panels consume them less. Estimates indicate that the use of LCD panels can result in% energy savings, around 30 for the same screen size plasma.

For Decision

Is there a market for plasma and LCD - Plasma provides a larger screen for yourDollar, deeper blacks, but the LCD does not suffer burn-in and the bottom end of the market (less than 40 inches diagonal), LCD is your only way forward if you want something slim and elegant.

It's all a matter of knowing what are the advantages and disadvantages of each in relation to your specific needs.

This Article is a Extract from a series of informative guides toPractical-Home-Theater-Guide.COM in plasma and LCD TV sections of the site.

It covers only the basics when it comes to comparing plasma vs. LCD TV. There are many more considerations to consider TV to choose the right technology to show a flat screen.

For more information, see the detailed http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/plasma-vs-lcd-TV.html the site.

Last updateOn May 10, 2007. Copyright (c) 2004/2007 http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com. All rights reserved.

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Plasma calibration without a single penny

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Ok, you've gone out and bought a brand spanking new plasma TV, but how do you make sure that you're getting the best picture out of it? To do that you need to adjust the picture settings on your plasma TV, otherwise known as "plasma calibration" in the AV industry.

Before you start, you should know that the best calibration for your plasma TV will depend on your source material (i.e. what you're watching), your input device (e.g. DVD player or satellite box) and the amount of ambient light in your home environment... among other things. You should also be aware that your plasma TV needs to be run in for at least 200 hours to allow the phosphors to stabilize, or else you will have to repeat your plasma TV calibration in the future.

You may not own a plasma TV calibration DVD, so this article will try to walk you through the steps using readily available material. Remember to use the best available connection to connect your input device to your plasma TV. In descending order, the cleanest signal (and hence best picture quality) can be obtained via: HDMI = DVI > VGA = component > SCART (RGB) > S-Video > Composite.

1. Adjust Brightness. This actually determines the black level on your plasma TV: too high a setting and black will look gray; too low and dark grays are swallowed into blackness. To set brightness to its proper level, simply play a DVD with lots of black scenes (e.g. opening scene from Star Wars). Now crank your brightness up until the black on your plasma TV look gray, then slowly dial your brightness down until the black in the movie JUST matches the black on the black bars on top and bottom of the movie.

2. Adjust Contrast. This determines the white level and is responsible for how much light your plasma TV actually emits. To set contrast correctly, play a DVD scene containing a shiny bald head/forehead (e.g. The Fifth Element). Now increase contrast until the bald patch is glaringly Your eyes hurt, and then tone down until you are satisfied that you see all the details in the white.

3rd Adjust the focus. The most badly encoded source material for this use, edges increase, but if done excessively haloing introduce edges and blades around. It is better to be a "User Menu" (etc from your DVD, satellite receiver), adjust zoom fire to occur, many artifacts, playing at the edges of words, then sinkuntil the ringing just disappears.

4. Adjust Color. Color can either be too saturated or too dull... either way the picture will not look right, with the most noticeable errors found in skin tones and green foliage. As a rough guide, you can use a DVD scene with a hand and tinker with the color until the color matches that of your own hand.

What I've described above is 4 basic steps for plasma calibration using only what's available to you. If you wish to strive for more accuracy you can get a HDTV calibration DVD, but you'll need to know which one to buy and how to use it to calibrate plasma TV because the majority of them are still catered for the CRT market.

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life plasma television - why should not worry

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However, there are different opinions, is the general consensus is that plasma televisions have a long life to do. As one with a flat screen TV is usually more expensive than other TVs, its duration is usually the cost to justify the addition.

These TVs also provide a clearer picture, the joy of making this a sound investment for a television person.

When people begin to thinkthe possibility of adding a plasma TV in their collection as electronics, which usually ask myself what is the average life expectancy.

Plasma TVs deliver clearer, more distinct images than an LCD screen and are more inclined to take longer. The average person looks at a couple of hours of television per day, which means it can take up to ten years, if you see only eighty hours of television a week.

Early versionsplasma technology of today is not cost effective or environmentally. These older versions ran quite hot and listening to a person unable, to their fans. If charging to verify first before, how long should that most people do not have time to investigate.

However, a person is deemed the average use of time, and not the type to see more than a couple of hours at night, tend to take their checkbooks or credit cardsout and buy one just can not afford.

Today the average life span of plasma TVs is as impressive as the picture. Advances in technology and the fact that new models burn just as hot, the picture is clean and razor.

For people who simply watch a movie every now and then, or the news while preparing for work or in bed, as this is a wise investment.

Models can be hung on walls or set on special media that are builtfor flat-screen TV. The fact that save space, sometimes used to justify the purchase, but all in all, there are few good reasons to consider a plasma television.

When you buy a plasma TV type, life span plasma television should be taken into account. Usually requires a very long time with the extended display, so you should not worry about that are not worth the investment.

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Plasma TV Maintenance

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After you buy a plasma TV it is a good idea to learn how to maintain it so it will last you a long time - after all it is not a cheap gadget that you can change every few months without feeling a sharp pain in your pocket. So just make sure you know where the weaknesses are so you don't abuse your TV in that area. Also it's good to know the truth about some rumors like the one about refilling your plasma TV with gas.

The Recharging Myth

As a plasma screen television produces images, it uses electricity to burn xenon and neon gas in order to illuminate phosphors. Because of this, many people believe that the gas will run out over time. The notion of having to "recharge" your plasma screen television is a myth. The amount of gases consumed in normal use is minuscule, and they will last throughout the normal life of the screen.

Burn-in and Plasma Screen Televisions

If you leave a plasma screen television on for too long while it is displaying a single image, the television can suffer from burn-in. Burn-in occurs when an image is permanently etched on to the screen of the television, leaving a pale "ghost" of that image no matter what is displayed on screen. The burn-in was a major disadvantage of plasma screen televisions, one that wasn't shared by LCD televisions. However, you don't have to worry about burn-in if you have a new model of plasma TV or even if you have an older one and use it for normal television, DVD, and occasional computer use. Plasma screen televisions that suffer from burn-in are often found in corporate settings, where a single image, or a single channel with a news ticker, can burn into the screen.

Preventing Burn-In of Older Plasma Screen Televisions

Burn in will only occur in older plasma screen televisions that display the same image, or the same part of an image, for an extended period of time. Using the screen to display a single image, like a picture, for a long period of time will inevitably cause burn-in if your plasma TV is older than a couple of years. Using the screen as a computer display for long periods of time will cause the desktop of the computer to be burned in to the screen. Also, constantly viewing news programs that have stationary on screen objects (such as news tickers) will cause these objects to burn in to the screen. Most high-end plasma screen televisions have an option called "white wash" that will eliminate a burned in image. Using the white wash will shorten the life of your screen however so don't abuse it.

Maintaining Your Plasma Screen Television

One of the beautiful things about plasma screen televisions is that they require little or no maintenance. There are no gases to recharge or bulbs to replace like it is the case with projectors or DLP TVs. All you have to do is insure that the television is placed within a safe environment and used properly. Make sure that it rests in a clean, cool, and dry space. When you install it make sure you leave enough room around it so air can flow and cool the plasma TV. Clean the screen regularly and don't use chemical solutions for that unless the manufacturer recommends it. Don't leave the television on when its not in use. If you follow these steps, no maintenance will be required and your TV will last you a very long time.

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Energy Efficiency - Buying a New Plasma, LCD or Flat-Screen Television with Energy Star

Are you in the market for a new television set? Are you considering a plasma, LCD or flat-screen model? Have you considered it's energy efficiency? While most people shop for televisions with specific features already in mind, they rarely consider energy efficiency. Why is energy efficiency important in televisions? According to Energy Star, "today's TVs, when combined with related products like DVD players and set-top boxes, make up about 10% of a household's annual electricity bill."

Powering Your TV and it's Effect on the Environment

Watching television may seem harmless enough, but it's important to realize the environmental impact of the electricity you use. Generating electricity is a dirty business - especially in the United States. In 2006, nearly half (49%) of the country's 4.1 trillion kilowatt hours of electricity generated used coal as its source of energy. Why do we still rely so heavily on coal in today's more environmentally conscious world? You can find the answer in a recent MIT report titled The Future of Coal where they state, "Coal is a low-cost, per BTU, mainstay of both the developed and developing world," they continue with the following frightening statement, "its use is projected to increase."

Growing Power Needs

If 10% of your household's annual electricity bill doesn't seem outrageous to you then consider the following, according to Keith Jones of Digital CEnergy Australia, "by 2012, it will be safe to say that televisions will use more power than the average refrigerator in an average household."

Energy Efficiency - A Simple Solution

Thankfully, there is a simple solution - energy efficiency. The more energy efficient your new television is, the less electricity you use and the less pollution you contribute. With the help of Energy Star, finding an energy efficiency television has never been easier. Energy Star rated televisions use about 30% less energy in comparison to standard units. Energy Star also provides ratings on almost every type of television on the market - from standard TVs, to HD-ready TVs, to the largest flat-screen plasma TVs.

To maximize the energy efficiency of your new television, if possible, I recommend holding your purchase until after November 2008. According to Energy Star, "in November 2008, a new, much more stringent ENERGY STAR specification for TVs will be effective." This new standard will include efficiency improvements for both standby and active modes.

Finding Energy Star Rated Televisions

If you are ready to shop today then you can find Energy Star rated televisions using their free web-tool:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TV#FAPSearch

The following stores also carry Energy Star rated "Home Electronics" so you should be able to compare Energy Star models personally.

Best Buy
Costco
Sam's Club
Sears
Wal-Mart

To find the closest store near you, Energy Star provides the following free web-tool:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=store.store_locator

It's important to always remember using energy efficient devices is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint. Not only does energy efficiency help save the environment for future generations, it also saves you money each money by lowering your monthly electricity bill. When you purchase your next television, make the environmentally smart choice and purchase one rated by Energy Star.

Tags : TV buying guide

Plasma Television Life Span - Why You Shouldn't Worry About It

Though there are varying opinions, the general consensus is that plasma televisions do have a long life span. Because a television set with a flat screen is generally a bit more expensive than other television sets, its life span is generally used as a justification for the added expense.

These televisions also provide a clearer image which makes this investment a sound one for a person's television viewing pleasure.

When people begin to ponder the possibility of adding a plasma type television to their collection of electronics, they will typically wonder what the average life span is.

Plasma televisions deliver clearer, more pronounced images than an LCD television screen and tend to last just as long. The average person only watches a couple of hours of television a day and that means it can last up to ten years if you only watch eighty hours of television a week.

Early versions of today's plasma technology were not economically or environmentally efficient. These older versions ran quite hot and a person would not be able to hear over their cooling fans. When the pricing is considered first before how long it lasts is considered, most people will not take the time to investigate further.

However, should a person consider the average use time, and not be the type to watch more than a couple hours a night, they will tend to take their checkbooks or credit cards out and purchase one as soon as they can afford one.

Nowadays, the average plasma TV's life span is just as impressive as the picture. Due to the advance in technology, and the fact that new models do not burn quite as hot, the picture is clear and crisp.

For people who like to simply watch a film every now and again, or the news while they are getting ready for work or bed, this will be a wise investment.

Models can be hung on walls, or set on special stands that are built for flat screen televisions. The fact that they are space saving is sometimes used to justify the purchase, but all in all; there's quite a few good reasons to consider a plasma television.

When purchasing a plasma type television set, the plasma television life span should be taken into consideration. Most will last a very long time with extended viewing so you should not be worried that your investment will not be worth it.

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