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What is a Plasma TV?

Plasma TVs are flat panel displays that utilize two pieces of glass to contain cells, which hold a mixture of noble gasses inside of them. When the display is on, the gas in the cells electrically changes into plasma that produces ultraviolet light, which then stimulates phosphors to send out visible light.

Plasma television is completely different from LCD (liquid crystal display), which utilizes a very different process to produce its image.

How do Plasmas Work?

The noble gases contained inside of the cells in a plasma TV are xenon, neon, and helium; they are contained inside hundreds of thousands of minuscule cells detained between two plates of glass.

Also positioned between the glass plates in front and behind the cells are long address electrodes and transparent display electrodes. The display electrodes are insulated and then covered by a thin layer of magnesium oxide, and mounted on the front of the cell along the front plate.

When the electrodes are charged, they create a voltage difference between the front and back, which then causes the gas to ionize and turn into plasma. As the gas ions travel to the electrodes and smash together, the impact creates photons. The pixels are made of three unique sub-pixel cells, each with its own distinctive colored phosphors. One is red, one is green, and one is blue; the colors blend and produce the overall pixel color, and plasmas utilize pulse-width modulation to control image brightness.

Advantages to Plasma Television

There are many benefits to plasma image technology. These displays have a slim profile, which is lighter and less bulky than traditional televisions; as such, wall mounting is easily achieved.

Plasmas achieve better and more accurate color production than other displays, also creating richer, more genuine blacks that allow advanced contrast ratios. Plasma technology also has far wider viewing angles for which images do not degrade at high angles.

Lastly, there is almost no motion blur because of a plasma TV’s extremely high refresh rate and faster response time, which adds to its higher performance when projecting images with considerable amounts of quick motion.

Disadvantages to Plasma Television

Earlier plasma TV models were vulnerable to screen burn-in and image retention. Not to worry though, more recent models now have green phosphors and other included technologies to do away with this.

For those who have had their plasma for a long time, the phosphors in those older models lose brilliance over time, resulting in the gradual degradation of absolute image brightness.

They are also more prone to large area flicker and reflection glare in brightly lit rooms; they usually are not available in screen sizes smaller than 32 inches, are heavier because of the glass required to contain the gasses, and use more electricity than other available technologies.

There are also problems with them working at high altitudes because of the pressure discrepancy between the gasses and air pressure at altitude, and at such heights, the screens can make a buzzing sound.

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If you have recently started looking for a new TV, you know that choosing the right TV that meets your needs can be a difficult decision. Plasma TV and LCD TV are the two main choices in the TV market. Before you select one of these types of large, slim, and flat display TVs, it is important to understand the difference between the two so you do not regret your purchase.

Plasma TV

Plasma TV technology is loosely based on the fluorescent light bulb. Between the plates of glass there are very small cells where such gases as ionized neon, argon, and xenon are injected and preserved in plasma form. When the ionized (electrically charged) gas is in its sealed plasma form, they produce the colored images green, blue phosphors, and red. When the Plasma TV set is being used, the gas is electrically charged at specific intervals which then hit the colors (each group of red, green, and blue phosphors is called a pixel) and produces the image on the television. Plasma TV technology make use of the burning of phosphors to produce the image. Plasma TV advantages include: high quality image, better contrast ratio, color accuracy, and color saturation, the display of the color black is quite vivid, and viewers are able to clearly view the television image at different angles. Plasma TVs are available in a larger screen size than the LCD TVs. Plasma TV disadvantages include: screen burn of static images, excessive heat production, and the glass screens are fragile.

LCD TV

LCD TVs use different technology than plasma televisions. LCD panels consist of 2 layers of clear material, which are polarized and then ‘glued’ together. One layer has been coated with a specific polymer that holds the individual liquid crystals. An electrical current passes through each crystal which permits the crystals to allow light in or block the light in order to produce and display the television images. LCD crystals require an external light source for the image to be created by the LCD so that it is visible to the person watching the television. LCD TVs are not as good at tracking motion as Plasma. They have poorer contrast ratio and individual pixels can burn out resulting in small, visible, black or white dots to appear on the screen. The big screen sizes are not as common as with the plasma. The advantages of LCD TVs include: less power is needed, less heat is needed and generated, they do not emit radiation, they have increased image brightness over plasma, perform better at higher altitudes, they are lighter in weight, and they have a longer display life.

For many people, it is essential that they have the right television. Today, Plasmas and LCDs are used all over the world When you understand the differences between the LCD TV and Plasma TV which includes the advantages and disadvantages of each one, you will be in a better position to get a TV that meets your personal needs and preferences.

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Owning a 72 inch plasma TV is like a dream come true. Higher screen sizes of a plasma TV are cheaper than the same size LCD screens. Buying a 72 inch plasma TV can be relatively cheaper but it comes with high maintenance costs. The power consumed by a 72 inch plasma TV per square inch is high as compared to other flat panel models of the television. Working on the advantages and the disadvantages of having a 72 inch plasma TV can help the user decide better on which model and which brand to go for. There are several brands which offer different features in the different model. The plasma sets come with low availability of the PC connectivity option. There are very few models which can show this feature where as LCD TVs has this facility in most of the models. But if one is looking for a glare free image display, then LCD are the best. Their screens are made up of matte plastic and they do not reflect the ambient light from the screen. Plasma screens are made of glass and hence they result in the reflection of the light through the screen.

The distortion of the view when viewed through different angles is common in the LCD screen where as the plasma TVs show remarkable resolution and clarity of the image from any angle. There is also another feature that is important to note when talking about 72 inch plasma TV screens. They are not so durable and tend to form burn out images if the screen if left on the same image for a longer time. This is very rare in the LCD screens and hence they are considered more durable than the plasma. For lower sized models of the flat panels, the plasma is not suitable as they start only from the size of 32 inches and range till 72 inches. To compete with the plasmas in terms of picture quality, newer LCD screens has developed light emitting display technology with the backlighting system which reduces distortion and blur to the images and give a life like pictures.

Though the advancement of technology is huge there is no comparison with the plasma picture quality. The black color finish of the set makes the resolution even clear with the concept of the depth of black in the plasma displays. The Samsung and Mitsubishi are the leading brands when considering high tech display screens for better home theatre experience and featured game consoles. There is also an introduction of three dimensional imaging technology with the which gives live experience of playing games in a three dimensional environment. If one can bear the cost of the maintenance, plasma TVs are inexpensive among all other types of high sized TV sets. Other types of the flat panel display that are most popular are the rear projection televisions and the front view projector systems for home theatre experience. When plasma is compared to these types of flat panel displays, the picture quality reduces as one move away from the centre of the screen in the rear projection systems.

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Over the past decade home entertainment technology has really taken some huge leaps forward. Today, the task of buying a new TV is not just a matter of picking your favourite brand or buying the largest size you can afford. There seem to be more options than ever, and this has certainly led to a lot of confusion among consumers. With that in mind, what exactly are the main differences between the different types of TV, and which is the best?

Plasma TVs are one of the older types of flat screen. They are relatively cheap to produce meaning that prices are generally low for the screen size, which led to plasma becoming a popular choice with consumers who wanted to get the largest screen for their money. These TVs use a gas, which then turns into plasma when an electronic current is passed through it; the plasma then emits the light to create the pictures. This results in a high quality, realistic picture that doesn’t suffer from motion blur. It also offers a particularly wide viewing angle.

However, plasma screens do tend to only have a lifespan of about 10-15 years and do use a relatively high amount of energy, which is now frowned upon as many consumers are trying to become more environmentally friendly. Plasma screens are also quite thick, and are very heavy for their size, so they can be awkward to move. The screen is also fairly susceptible to glare, especially in bright rooms.

LCD TVs can trace their roots back to computer monitors and were first introduced at around the same time as plasma TVs. These TVs use the same basic technology as your pocket calculator screen and are backlit with florescent light. They have a much longer lifespan than plasma screens, something in the region of 30+ years, and also use much less power. Traditionally LCD prices were higher than plasma, but as new manufacturing techniques have evolved the prices are now rapidly falling.

While LCD TVs are available in a wide range of sizes, they do offer the worst performance of all the flat screens though, not only do they have the lowest contrast level but they also have a slow refresh rate meaning that motion blur often occurs. The viewing angle is also much narrower than that of plasma TVs, which means that it can be difficult to find a location that offers a good view for everyone, especially in smaller rooms.

LED TVs are actually the next generation of LCD screens, as they are based on a similar technology but use LED backlighting instead of the florescent backlighting found in traditional LCD screens. The new backlighting technology means that they are able to deliver a much more dynamic picture quality, they also use significantly less power than even the most efficient LCD TVs. LED screens can be made to be extremely thin, so they offer consumers the ability to place the TV practically anywhere – indeed it is now commonplace to see TVs fastened to the wall in order to save floor space.

As this is still a relatively new development, LED screens do tend to be more expensive than their LCD counterparts. However as LED TVs become more widespread the cost of production is expected to drop significantly, which will be reflected through dramatically lower prices in-store. Having said that, LED technology is considered to be the most reliable of all the flat screen formats so many people don’t mind paying a little bit more.

The world of home entertainment can certainly be a confusing place, especially as new advances in technology seem to come along on an almost monthly basis. Hopefully this article has shed some light on the current generation of flat screen TVs, so at least you can stand a fighting chance the next time you venture into the home entertainment section of the electronics store.

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A 50 inch plasma tv is on the mind of many people. In this article we are going to talk about 3 reasons to invest in a television that is 50 inches.

Buying a 50 inch plasma tv does not have to be something that drives you crazy. You do not have to keep scratching your head and trying to figure out if it’s a good investment or if you really need one. Let’s go on to talk about 3 reasons to invest in a television that is 50 inches.

Make Your Own Sports Bar

If you want to hang out with your friends, watch sports and have a good time you would usually go to a sports bar. There is food, drink and fun at a sports bar but it can get pretty expensive and sometimes the family gets upset at you for going out so much. If you have this problem then getting your own big screen television is a great idea. You won’t have to leave the house and you can still have an experience like a sports bar. Just invite your friends over and you can have the same environment but it will be cheaper and more fun.

Save Money On Movies

Have you ever thought about how much money you spend going to the movies? If you had a big screen television you would have a much easier time staying home and watching the movies that you want to see. You are sure to have more time with your family and extra money left over as well.

Enjoy A Better Experience

Even if you have a great sound system you are not going to be able to fully enjoy your movie and television watching experience unless you have a big enough television. I remember a few times watching a football game and wondering which of the little ants was throwing the ball to. It was really annoying and if you are dealing with this I am sure you are annoyed as well. A 50 inch plasma TV will make your viewing experience much better and you can thoroughly enjoy every minute of your viewing.

We have looked at the reasons why you would want to invest in one of these televisions, how it can actually save you money and allow you to enjoy a better viewing experience. Now you know why you would want to buy a 50 inch plasma TV.

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