HDTV

[Light]

Posted on Sun, Nov. 13, 2005

JONATHAN TAKIFF TECHNOLOGY A clearer picture of plasma TVs


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The gizmo

Old rumors die hard, and there are lots of 'em floating around about plasma televisions. Let's clear up some of the misconceptions about these sleek, flat-panel, hang-on-the-wall screens.

All flat-panel TVs are 'plasmas'

Just like all facial tissue is Kleenex, right? Wrong.

Plasma is a type of thin, flat-panel display illuminated by hundreds of thousands of individual pockets of charged gas. A rival form of flat-panel TV makes pictures from tiny LCD (liquid crystal display) shutters that open and close to let through light from a fluorescent source.

Plasmas burn out fast

That was true a decade ago. But the gas in today's plasma screens is more durable. First-quality screens from the likes of Panasonic, Pioneer, LG and Hitachi are rated for 60,000 hours of use - that's about six hours a day, every day, for 28 years - before fading starts to become obvious.

Burn-ins are a problem

Ghostlike after-images can remain when an image (such as a frozen video game scene) is paused for a long period on a plasma or a conventional picture tube set. Here, too, plasma makers have significantly tamed what used to be a serious problem with better materials and preventive/corrective circuitry.

Recently, I left a video still image paused on a Pioneer plasma screen for three hours (oops), yet there was no ghosting when I returned.

If burn-in does occur after a much longer "pause," running the set for another 24 hours clears up the problem.

Pictures look better on LCD

That depends on where you're watching. In a sunny room, brighter LCD screens do "pop" better, conceded demonstrators from Panasonic, which sells both varieties of flat panels.

But in a dimly lit room, a plasma makes a better impression. Most noticeably, the blacks are blacker because the plasma picture elements (pixels) blink fully off, while there's always a light source glowing behind the LCDs.

Also, plasma pixels refresh faster (to eliminate blurring) and don't fade when viewed off-axis - long-standing (but now lessening) concerns with LCDs.

Plasmas burn more electricity

While true in the past, the latest models are lower in power consumption than comparably sized LCD screens.

All plasmas are alike, right?

Wrong. While only five manufacturers make plasma panels, they save the latest/greatest versions for their own brands.

Also, the customized back end of a set is a major factor in determining image quality.


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Contact JONATHAN TAKIFF at takiffj@phillynews.com.

[selinayeo]

Hi there,

I’m a writer for The Sunday Times and I would like to seek your help for a story that I am doing on LCD and Plasma TVs.

Would anyone like to share their user experience with plasma/ LCD TVs? I’ve listed below some questions and would greatly appreciate it if you could reply to me with your answers by today, Dec 22, 8pm. My sincere apologies for such a tight deadline as my story submission is tomorrow.

You can either send me a personal message or email your answers to selina.yeo@gmail.com.

Full name, age: _________________ (for quoting purposes)
Occupation: ___________________

1. When did you purchase yr plasma/ LCD TV? How big is the screen?
2. During the period when you made the purchase, were you deciding between an LCD TV or a plasma TV? If yes, pls state why and how you eventually arrived at your decision to buy a plasma/ LCD TV. If no, why did you decide to get a plasma/ LCD TV?
3. Briefly describe your user experience so far. Have you experienced any problems with your plasma TV/ LCD TV? How did you overcome these problems?

Once again, thanks very much for your help & I look forward to reading your answers.

Warm regards,
Selina Yeo
Freelancer, The Sunday Times

[Vaucluse]

Selina, I'm sure this is a good way of others doing your research for you, but could you please not paste your wish on every post even closely resembling your task?

Everyone's seen it and has decided to answer or not by now.

[domo]

Hallo,

I am interesting in buying the highest resolution TV. I know in Japan there are many model possible to buy. How about Singapore? Is here any 1920x1080 available? I think this would be best TV to connect to PC and watch movies, play games.

Domo

[Bremen]

Hallo,

I am interesting in buying the highest resolution TV. I know in Japan there are many model possible to buy. How about Singapore? Is here any 1920x1080 available? I think this would be best TV to connect to PC and watch movies, play games.

Domo

You can get those here too, but you'll need to make sure that your PC's processor and video card setup support those resolutions for gaming.

[domo]

Hi,

I wonder why in Singapore TV with resolution 1920x1080 is not popular. I want to buy such TV and there are plenty models for sale in Japan. What models would you reccomend in Sg? At least 37"

Rimas

[ksl]

Quite a topic! I agree with Light on most of the thread, however, in my opinion, and i have a vast financial interest in the manufacturing of Flat monitors of all descriptions.

For what its worth, none of the Flat monitors are up to the quality standard of a CRT monitor, and that includes picture quality.

Presently the strategy of the industry is to fund the next generation, 7.5 and 8, for capacity reasons, rather than quality not many can afford to do this. Sony have teamed up with Samsung, yet they cannot meet their own, demands, so outsource to Taiwan.

I believe middle to end of 2007 will see, quality picture in line with CRT monitors, in general. The industry is consolidating now, but there is a long way to go.

Electronics can be manipulated to burn out on the day after your guarantee runs out..

Of course this isn't the case, I was just making a point, that life span has been taken into account, its all part of the manufacturing strategy in my opinion. I have not puchased one myself,

I also suspect it will be many more years before digital transmission is the norm, due to the cost of transition, channels will come slowly.
Unless they do it the cheap way, by inserting a analouge to digital converter, inexpensive digital chip, is all they inserted in digital HiFi systems. and dvd players

[Bremen]

Hi,

I wonder why in Singapore TV with resolution 1920x1080 is not popular. I want to buy such TV and there are plenty models for sale in Japan. What models would you reccomend in Sg? At least 37"

Rimas

Japan uses high-definition broadcasts. Singapore doesn't.