The Flat Panel TV is where technology stands before holographic display takes over as far as seeing things is concerned (I am serious). The flat screen TV basically comes in two varieties – LCD and Plasma and this is where most people just can seem to get past. If this sounds like you then read on as this article will attempt to demystify the difference between these two rivals and reveal to you which one you should be eying the next time you visit the mall.
Ok, the first thing you need to be aware of is the difference between the two: technically the only difference between the two is in the way they present the picture, and for most people there really will not be that much of a difference unless they are busy using a magnifying glass on the screen. Plasma Flat Screen TVs for instance use “cells” of xenon-neon gas in plasma form which is charged which in turn strikes red, blue or green phosphors to create the image. Plasma Flat Panel TV thus offers much higher contrast ratios and deeper blacks, producing very sharp and crisp image. However these tend to heat a lot as all those cells are actually millions of fluorescent light bulbs lighting up and thus there is a very real chance of a burnout. Also Flat Panel Plasma TVs are great if you want a larger screen of over 42 inches. A Plasma TV will also offer you much better viewing angles.
Flat Panel LCD TVs on the other hand work by passing light through liquid crystals which are glued to a transparent sheet. As the crystals are charged, they either let or stop light from passing. As the crystals themselves are not the source of light, they need a backlighting source which was lamp until recently but is changing to LED diodes fast. LCD TVs are best suited for places which are brightly lit, Plasma pictures tend to look white when placed in a bright setting. Also they consume lesser power than plasma TVs and with the advent of LEDs their life is now in the range of 100,000 viewing hours (Plasma is nowhere near this close). LCD TVs are generally recommended if you want screen sizes less than 40 inches.
While this gave you some idea as to what kind of a Flat Panel TV you will be getting, let’s close this discussion by spending some words on Aspect Ratios. All Flat Screen TVs coming out today are available in either 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratios. This is merely a measure of their width and height basically. 4:3 AR means the screen is 4 units wide and 3 units high, while 16:9 means the screen is 16 units wide and only 9 units high. The latter is what we call a widescreen TV. A 16:9 AR is best suited for a Home Theater setup and is what you will want if you have access to HDTV signals where you live or if you want to watch HDTV movies which come in both 4:3 and 16:9 formats, but are more enjoyable on the latter.
#434