Buying a Flatscreen Television

By Joshua Erdman
Digital Foundation, inc.

The appeal for a large screen television without the huge footprint is undeniable. Who would pass up an opportunity to create a high definition theatre in their own home? But the persuit of these technologies almost turns into a quest. Alas there are several options to create such a large picture:

Plasma Flatscreen
LCD Flatscreen
Projector

This article will focus on LCD and Plasma displays. Projectors require more consideration, such as extra wiring to the projector's location and the brightness needed (lumens) to avoid image washout from ambient light.

Display Size

Typically what you will find are LCD screen for sizes up to 48" and Plasma screen starting at 42" and up. In general LCDs are for smaller sized screens (below 40") and Plasma for larger sizes (48" and larger). The sizes between 40 and 50 inches are a grey area on which technology (Plasma vs. LCD) is better.

LCD Advantages

LCD screens offer higher resolution for a better HDTV experience and are the obvious choice when looking for a high resolution computer screen. LCDs also offer a longer guaranteed lifespan in the number of hours used. Finally LCDs are typically lighter and use less power (about 30%).

Plasma Advantage

Plasma screens offer a better contrast for achieving true black and have greater viewing angles without the loss of image clarity and brightness. Plasma screens also are faster in rendering fast moving images and produces brighter colors.

Trends toward the future

Expect LCD screens to increase in size and decrease in price. Image quality and color brightness continues to prove, someday large screen LCDs might be competitive in the large screen (48"+) market.

References:
You might want to read:
Plasma vs LCD: Which is right for you?

Article last reviewed: 04/02/2006

Created by: Digital Foundation, inc.

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