Going Flat - Flat Panel Display Technologies Compared
“Flat panel television.”
The very mention of the phrase “flat panel TV” exudes class and leisure. After all, after more than half a century of consumer televisions being of the cathode-ray tube (CRT) variety, sleek designs that seem to say “cool” and “expensive” are what flat panel TVs have become. Lately, though, flat panel televisions are gaining traction in the market because of prices ever getting lower and screen sizes ever getting larger (though thinner and thinner). Gone are the days of bulky and heavy television sets. Now you can even mount the TV set on your wall and do away with having to set it on furniture.
What does “flat panel” denote, really? In truth, there is no one single technology or television variety that the term “flat panel” can be solely associated with. Flat panels come in different shapes, forms and sizes, from tiny eight-inch portable LCDs, to large 100-inch Plasma displays. There are also less commonly used techonogies, such as liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS), and Organic LED (OLED), among others.
What’s common among flat panel screens and televisions is that they are less than 4 inches thick.
A comparison
Let’s have a look at the more popular technologies in flat panel televisions today, namely LCD and Plasma. These two are often pitted against each other to compare advantages and disadvantages. It’s generally a rule of thumb that Plasma displays are usually more expensive. But in some cases, LCD may still be the preferred choice.
Let’s first have a quick definition of how each other works. Plasma displays are in essence a mixture of inert gases sandwiched in between two flat glass panels. The display works by inducing each pixel to light up by passing electricity onto the plasma. The display uses the plasma itself both as the source of the image and the light.
LCD, on the other hand, displays images images using liquid crystals (as the name implies) sandwiched in between two plates of glass. When electricity is passed through each pixel, the liquid crystal can change position, pattern and color to form the desired onscreen image. LCDs do not emit light themselves, and must be lit up from behind (or sometimes the sides) with while lamp that is shone through the screen.
So how do they fare against each other?
Maximum size
Plasma televisions can come as large as 103 inches in diagonal measurement. LCDs max out at 73 inches.
Viewing angle
Plasma is the clear winner when it comes to flexibility in viewing. LCDs usually require that a viewer be directly in front of the screen in order to see accurate and consistent color reproduction and brightness. If viewed from an angle or from the sides, LCD displays usually come out discolored or sometimes even non-visible at all. Plasma doesn’t have this problem, since viewing from any angle is perfect.
Life span
In terms of life span, LCD has the advantage. Plasma screens and televisions have a lifespan of about 30,000 hours, or up to four years, until the plasma ceases to work. Plasma screens are also prone to burn in—that is, if a static image is displayed in a continuous manner, the plasma will leave a permanent imprint on the glass. LCD displays, on the other hand, can display both static and moving images without any problem. This is why Plasma is not ideal for use with computer monitors, as computers usually display static images most of the time.
LCD displays have about 50% longer life span than Plasma.
Power consumption
LCDs are ideal for use in portable devices because they consume very little electricity. Plasma, on the other hand, needs more electricity especially since it’s the screen itself that lights up.
Picture quality
Brightness and contrast are still among the basic criteria for judging picture quality. In terms of flat panel televisions, you can’t get the best of both worlds. LCDs will be brighter than Plasma displays, especially since LCDs have external lighting while Plasma has to light itself up in each pixel. However, contrast-wise, Plasma has the advantage because of the contrast range it can produce. You get the whitest of whites and blackest of blacks with Plasma.
So in purchasing a flat panel television, you would usually be torn between LCD and Plasma. Both have their advantages and as well, their respective disadvantages. In summary, you should opt for LCD if you are energy-conscious and if you want your set to last longer than usual (about seven years service life). You should go for Plasma if you want a larger screen and if you are particular about color reproduction and contrast.
[ Source: Flat Panel TV ]
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[…] We previously wrote a guide comparing the two prevalent technologies in slimline displays: LCD and plasma. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. I happened to chance upon more arguments for either side on digitaladvisor. This time, it’s more of what your requirements are, and how you plan to use your flat screen TV. […]
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