i'm going to buy a new T.V. whats the difference between plasma and lcd and which is the best?

Answer 1

I INSTALL PLASMAS, LCD'S, PROJECTORS, AND HOME THEATERS FOR A LIVING....
That being said, here's my advice.
Plasmas have better black levels, brighter whites, and a clearer picture than similarly sized LCD's. If you're looking for price, LCD's get very spendy above 42". If you want a TV bigger than 42, get a plasma.
LCD's DON'T suffer from "burn-in." If you leave a menu guide, display, or the same picture paused on an Plasma for too long, you will get a ghost burned into the screen. However, most LCD's have a problem with thier viewing angle. i.e. when you look at the screen from an angle greater than about 140 degrees, the picture will go gray or diminish. Another thing to think about before purchasing is what elevation you live. If you live anywhere above 6500 feet, (such as Park City, or many mountain towns,) you will have to get a Plasma tv that's rated for that elevation. Other than that, my personal opinion is that for the money, plasmas give you a better contrast ratio, (most are 4000:1 ratio) and have a crisper, clearer, better picture than an LCD.
Need help installing your new TV? ;)

Answer 2

We just bought a 55 inch sony LCD which ahs the best picture I have seen on a TV . Plasma is suppose to be the best but every where we went to buy a TV they told us to get an LCD because the cost of repair is 150 x's lower than a plasma not to mention we were told that every 5000 hrs of watching television the lights or batteries or something in the plasma has to be recharged. The price of LCD tv's are so cheap the TV is dispossable. Don't for get to say NO to extended warranties they are a sham to get more money.
Go with an LCD way cheaper and some are nicer looking than the plasma if you ahve the room you can always build the tv into the wall to make it look like a plasma. We are replacing a built in aquarim with an LCD tv built in ... just a few minor adjustments and everything will be fine.

Answer 3

Plasma's are a lot less energy efficient then the LCD TVs. You also have to worry about screen "burn in". For example: You pause an image on the screen and leave it for a couple of hours. That image is likely to be permanently stuck on your screen. Plasma's are not as bright as LCD TVs are and the colors are not as vibrant. The half life of a plasma is usually around 60,000 hours. After that 60,000 hours the tv will be half as bright as when you first bought it.

LCD's are more efficient than a plasma, but not as efficient as a DLP. However, an LCD is bright, has good clarity and vibrant colors. The blacks are the only downside because they are not very black. They are a more dull, charcoal color. Another downside is that they have a shadowing effect when things move fast across the screen. A positive though is that they have the same life as a Plasma and have no worries of "burn in".

DLP's are a waste if you ask me. You pay almost as much for one of these as you do for the LCD or Plasma...and you will constantly have to change out the bulbs. The bulbs burn out around every two years and cost $300 dollars a piece to replace. The life of a DLP is also not near as long as the other two and the clarity is not as good. In the end you will have paid almost triple what you would pay for the same size LCD or Plasma. (Around 15 years)

Answer 4

Samorphius is right. Give him the best answer.

If you don't *have* to have a flat panel tv that you're going to mount on your wall, consider checking out DLP. It offers many advantages of both the LCD and Plasma. Like the LCD, the picture is very detailed and there's no issue with burn-in, but you don't have a problem with the viewing angle that LCD's have. Like the plasma, they offer very good contrast ratios and a much better, truer "black". Price wise, for the large screen sizes, they are cheaper than both the plasma and LCD.

The downside to DLP's are of course the size (though it's much smaller and lighter than the rear-projection TV's of the past) and the fact that you have to replace the bulb after like 4 years (at a cost of around $250). They have however announced some new DLP's that are using LED's instead of a standard bulb, which significantly extends the lamp life.

Answer 5

Up to 46" lcd are far better. Above this some people say plasma have a very slight edge. If you intend gaming on it avoid plasma. The best on the market at present is the Sony Bravia range.

Answer 6

Plasma has lost the race. Initially some were clearer, but LCD is catching up fast. The difference is not now necessarily significant. It is true that Plasma sets do 'die' with the passing of time.

Answer 7

i have a sony bravia LCD and it has the best picture the big difference between the two is that a plasma tv uses gas tube but no ones knows how long they last it could be 2 or 3 years and a LCD tv has a halogen strip in it which will last up to 5 years making a lcd tv the better one if i was you i would buy a sony bravia and a sky+ hd box.

Answer 8

I have an LCD tv and its pretty cool . I dont know much about Plasma But I never had a Problem with my LCD till now . Its definetely worth the money .

Answer 9

plasma TVs are larger, heavier, shows better pictures but are more fragile than LCD TVs. LCD TVs, on the other hand are more portable, a bit thinner thus, much easier to install. If you'll ask me, I'll go for an LCD TV. :)

Answer 10

Plasma is better and it has clearer picture. Go with Plasma HD, 51" with a blue ray disk and Sony Playstation 3