The Current State of Flat Panel TV Technology

The biggest television-technology revolution since color, flat-panel TVs will eventually replace tubes as the direct-view televisions of choice. You can hang flat sets on the wall, on the ceiling, or above the mantle in place of a trophy buck. The two major players in the flat-panel game are plasma and LCD, so we’ll go over each type separately. Note: All plasmas–and most LCDs–are HDTV-capable, meaning that they can accept a high-definition signal. However, some of these sets don’t have enough pixels to display the full resolution of Blu-ray discs (1080p).

Plasma

Upside: As little as three inches thick; potential for very large screen size; wide viewing angle; often computer-display capable.

Downside: Sometimes consume more electricity and emit more heat; potential for burn-in.

Forecast: Prices have fallen to compete with LCD and pictures have improved dramatically, especially black-level.

With prices starting at around $1,000, plasma technology has finally jettisoned it’s former reputation of being a plaything of the rich. If you want the current state-of-the art in flat panel performance and a sexy, flat-panel TV with a picture that’s nearly as good as that of a rear-projection CRT then plasma is your best choice. The word plasma refers to the gas trapped inside every pixel, which lights up when an electric charge is applied.
With significant, recent advances, plasma panels can nearly replicate the deep blacks that CRT tubes could. A tiny handful of today’s top-rate models come so close, though, that the average consumer could not distinguish one from the other in a blind comparison.

You may have heard that plasma has a couple of drawbacks. One such downside is called burn-in, which occurs when an image–such as stock ticker or a network logo–gets etched permanently onto the screen because it sits in one place too long. However, if you take a couple of preventive steps, the risk for burn-in can be greatly diminished. As long as the contrast control is kept to a reasonable level (we recommend 50 percent or less), and the user avoids showing static images on the screen for hours at a time, a plasma screen should not burn in. Newer panels also have burn-in-reduction features that further reduce this possibility. Keep in mind that a plasma panel is most susceptible to burn-in in it’s first few months of life, therefore, burn-in is less likely to occur as your unit ages.

The life span of a plasma TV is probably not as good as that of a CRT, but these panels still last quite a while. According to Samsung and Panasonic (two of the most reliable brands), a high quality plasma has a life span of about 100,000 hours, which equates to a little over eleven(11) years of 24/7 usage before the panel fades to half brightness.

LCD

Upside: As little as two inches thick; very bright picture; no danger of burn-in; potentially long product life span.

Downside: Below-average black level; slow response time.

Forecast: Prices on this technology have fallen precipitously over the last couple of years, following the computer LCD trend. Big-screen LCDs have been threatening plasmas due to lower manufacturing and shipping costs and therefore lower consumer prices.

Think of flat-panel LCDs as plasma’s smaller, less attractive, tougher brother. Currently, its screen size tops out at around 65 inches, although larger prototypes have been shown. LCD also hasn’t come as close as plasma has to reproducing true blacks, and the relatively low response time of flat-panel LCD means that you may notice smearing or lag in fast-motion areas. On the other hand, LCD prices have dropped quickly as manufacturing potential increased and new plants have been built.

LCDs are generally brighter than plasmas and, therefore, look better in well-lit rooms. They’re also immune to burn-in. Large, flat-panel LCDs are now about the same cost per square inch of screen as plasmas.

LED

Upside: As little as 1.2 inches thick; very bright picture; excellent black level; good response time; no danger of burn-in; potentially long product life span.

Downside: Expensive.

Forecast: Being the “new kid on the block” prices on this technology are high at this time but will begin to fall as sales increase and economies of scale kick in. This hybrid form of LCD technology has the potential to supplant both standard LCD and plasma in the flat panel marketplace.

Think of flat-panel LEDs as the next generation in TV. Not to be confused with OLED technology which is still in development, LEDs images are bright, smooth (due to 240 Hz refresh rate), deeply saturated (colorful) and quite stunning upon first glance. Currently, its screen size tops out at around 55 inches, although larger sizes will be available in the future. LED technology has come closer than most plasmas and as close as top-of-the-line plasma has to reproducing true blacks, and significantly surpasses the relatively low response time of standard flat-panel LCD.

LEDs, like standard LCDs are brighter than plasmas and, therefore, look better in well-lit rooms. They’re also immune to burn-in. At this early stage, LEDs are more costly per square inch than either standard LCD or plasmas.

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