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The whole "LCD vs Plasma" debate has been going on for years, but now might be a good time for us to take another look. With HDTV the new technology, and with all the new range of HDTVs on offer, you might be unsure of which route to go down. Here I am going to take a look at both sides, so that we can get a balanced understanding of the benefits of both. I'm going to start by outlining how LCD works, followed by the benefits of LCD. Then I'm going to discuss how plasma works, and highlight the benefits of plasma. This will then be rounded off with a conclusion where I summarize the main points, helping you to decide which type of TV would be best for you.
How LCD Screens Work
LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. Liquid crystals are not actually liquid, but they do behave more like a liquid than a solid, and this is how they got their name. They are kind of somewhere between a solid and liquid. They can remain in one place like a solid, but they can also move and change shape like a liquid.
To generate a picture, LCD screens use the same technology as used in polarizing sunglasses. At the back of the screen is a large bright light projecting forwards. In front of this light is a horizontal polarizing filter which blocks all light waves that aren't vibrating horizontally, meaning that only the horizontal light waves are able to pass through the filter.
The pixels of the screen are made up of lots of tiny liquid crystals. Behind each pixel is a transistor which controls the amount of electricity flowing through the liquid crystal. Each crystal is twisted, and in front of this is a vertical polarizing filter that only lets vertical light waves pass through. When electricity passes through the liquid crystal, it straightens out, blocking all light, but when this electrical current is turned off, the crystal twists and lets the light out vertically.
Benefits of LCD
Great for displaying static images.
Full color detail.
No flicker or screen burn-in.
Available in a wide range of sizes.
Longevity - LCD screens can last as long as 100,000 hours!
Very energy efficient.
Disadvantages of LCD
No as good as Plasma for fast scenes.
As the backlight ages, the white balance of the LCD screen can become inaccurate.
How Plasma Works
A plasma screen contains thousands of low pressure, sealed glass chambers filled with "plasma", which is a mixture of neon and xenon. Each of these chambers has behind it a set of colored phosphors: one green, one blue, and one red. The plasma chambers, when energized, give off an invisible UV light which hits the various colored phosphors, causing them to produce visible light.
Benefits of Plasma
Reacts well to a truly digital image source.
Great for fast moving action.
High contrast.
Available in larger sizes than LCD.
Better value for money, especially with larger models.
Disadvantages of Plasma
Prone to burn-in (not good for static images)
Brightness of screen gradually fades with time (although this happens extremely slowly, over many years).
Consumes more power than LCD.
LCD vs Plasma: Which Should You Choose?
So, which do you choose? LCD or Plasma? Well, the answer to that lies in what you will mostly be using it for. If you want a screen that is very big, and is great for displaying very smooth fast action scenes at extremely high contrast, then Plasma is the one for you. This is particularly true if you're into fast action movies or if you're an avid gamer.
However, if color, longevity and energy efficiency are more of a concern to you, and you don't go in so much for the games and the fast action, then LCD is right for you. This is particularly true if you're planning to use your TV for viewing any static images, for example if you wanted to plug in your digital camera and browse through your photos, or if you wanted to also use your TV for browsing the internet (as certain models of LCD do have internet TV functions).
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