what is better...plasma tv's or lcd's?

Answer 1

depends on how deep your pocket is... LCD's tend to be smaller, plasmas usually arent any smaller than about 42 inches.... personally i would go with a plasma.... but you have to take care of it so you dont burn it up before the break in period... LCD's are nice for their price... thats about it..

Answer 2

This question has been asked many times, so I've formulated my standard answer. Here it is:

Picture quality of plasma is brighter, better color, better blacks than LCD. (There is something about looking directly at glowing phosphors!)

Sharpness is the same for equivalent pixel counts. Some newer LCDs have 1080 x 1920 resolution, most plasmas still in the 720 x 1280 range.

Plasma is heavier and uses more power than flat panel LCD.

There are reports that plasmas are not as reliable or they don't last as long, but that is no longer true with the latest models. Plasma phosphors dim slowly over time (but not as fast as CRT phosphors); but direct view LCDs use flourescent lamps which also dim and eventually burn out (some are replaceable). Projection LCD sets have bulbs of limited life, but are replaceable and the lifetime is a few thousand hours of viewing.

Plasmas are subject to burn-in. A stationary image left on the screen for a long time could produce a permanent ghost image. The most risk is when viewing a lot of 4:3 ratio pictures (non-HD), which are displayed with vertical dark areas on the left and right to fill in the wide screen. There are ways to minimize this, however. many sets have a "stretch" mode which widens the picture to fill the whole screen. This could also be a problem with extended playing of video games if there is a background image that remains stationary.

Plasmas come in larger sizes, although large flat panel LCDs are coming out, but they are expensive. LCD projectors can be 70".

LCD contrast and brightness can be reduced when viewing from off-center (both flat and projector, but sets will vary).

Answer 3

The market trend seems to favour the LCD panels. The prices are dropping, but the plasma prices don't appear to be falling as fast as LCD panels and DLP projection TVs.
Sony has dropped the plasma products completely and most of the major players are only offering 2 or 3 models of plasma while increasing their LCD panel line ups.
Of course, if you want a very large screen (50"+), you have no choice but to buy plasma. I don't think we will see anything larger than a 50" LCD, at least for a while.

Answer 4

The prices of both technologies have come down quite a bit to the point where they are almost even. In my opinion LCD is the way to go. They have just as good viewing angles as plasma TVs and some have brighter pictures. I just bought an Sony LCD at a local Sears store and got a great deal.

Answer 5

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LCD future is very bright right now. In the last couple of years we have seen Plasma Manufacture's making moves to change their focus from Plasma to LCD. Who knows what next year might bring? OLED is another emerging technology. Similar to LCD yet cheaper to build. As you can see by the Pros & Cons below LCD is a serious contender, but will it delivery the knock out punch?

What if you want a picture larger then 46"? Right now if you want thin and light your choices are Plasma or Projectors. There are still some really good Plasma Screens out there. If you want even larger then the Projector's or Rear Projection are your best bet. The Sharp XV-Z12000U with a 5000:1 contrast will blow you away on screens over 92". If that won't work Optoma has a rear projection TV with the same DLP chip in sizes up to 65"



PLASMA PROS

Available sizes as large as 71"
Prices dropping Everyday
Bigger sizes coming soon 102"?
Contrast ratio surpasses some LCD's



LCD TV PROS

Higher Native Resolutions as high as 1920x1080
Extremely Detailed Picture
Extremely Thin (less then 2.25")
Brighter then Most Plasma's
Light Weight Champions
Extremely Resistant to Shock
Can't Burn Images (Burn Proof)
No Glare in Direct Sunlight
Lower Power Consumption
Life Span (60,000 + Hours) Replaceable Bulbs
Better Color Reproduction then Plasma
Larger Screens in 2005
Faster Response Times Equates less Artifact





PLASMA CONS

Very Few Produce True Blacks
Still Images can Burn on Screen
Color Accuracy somewhat inaccurate
Extremely Fragile




LCD TV CONS

Some What Expensive
Largest Screen Available 46"

Answer 6

Every Plasma screen I've seen in the shops has looked bitty and rubbish compared to the (albeit smaller) LCD next to it. What's wrong with 20" anyway? I'm sure a widescreen LCD 25 or 30" would be good enough for most people. I think a big Plasma just stretches the image too much for home use.

Answer 7

I think personally now, Plasma is an obsolete technology, and the LCD types are now getting bigger and more reliable, dead pixels are very uncommon now, most LCD panels are made by the one manufacturer in any case, duds get cut up into smaller units so less waste and etc etc etc... but at the end of the day, it often comes down to personal choice, wallet, and who told you what?

Answer 8

LCD is best, plasmas have been known to burn out pixels if left on a sky channel (one with a logo in the corner) for extended periods.

For this reason, Sony no longer manufacture plasmas.

Answer 9

Less than 40" go with LCD. More than 40" go with plasma. Research the best units. Ask lots of questions. It pays to educate yourself.

Answer 10

LCD's. They last longer and have a sharper picture.

There is a new technology coming along, supposedly next year, called SED.

This is supposed to produce better picture quality and uses less energy. The manufacturing costs are supposed to be cheaper so eventually the price should come down.

If you are not desperate for a TV now, you should consider waiting to see if these TVs are as good as they claim.