A plasma TV can be a great addition to your home theater. If you plan on buying one, though, there are a few things you need to know before you make a final decision. We’ll cover the basics, as well as a few pros and cons to the plasma TV.
A plasma TV’s screen is made up of cells containing glass panels. A narrow gap between the panels is filled with neon-xenon gas in plasma form (hence, a plasma TV). When an electric current passes through this gas, it becomes charged, and when the charged gas strikes phosphors (which are red, green, and blue in color), it produces an image on the screen. This is similar to the style of traditional TVs, which used a cathode ray tube to activate phosphors (this is why we sometimes call TV “the tube”). Each red, green, and blue phosphor acts as a pixel on the screen.
A plasma TV has a good contrast ratio, meaning its dark colors are dark and its bright colors are bright, giving the viewer a very crisp, vibrant experience. The image is very accurate and the pixels cannot burn out to leave blank splotches on your screen. The plasma TV has very good refresh rates and reliably high resolution, allowing for a full HD experience without too much expense.
There are some negative issues with a plasma TV, however. It tends to produce more heat and use more energy than other kinds of HDTVs, because it takes more energy to charge the gas than to turn on a fluorescent bulb or activate LEDs. A static image might burn into the screen if left on too long, just like with traditional TVs. Occasionally, a plasma TV will have some trouble working properly at higher altitudes, and the TV itself is typically heavier than other types.
One thing a lot of people will complain about that you really don’t need to worry about is radiation emissions. In fact, the computer monitor you’re reading this on probably produces more radiation than a plasma-screen TV. On a plasma TV, this radiation only extends about 1″ past the screen – compare that with the 12″ past when cathode ray tubes were standard. Besides that, it complies completely with the FDA guidelines for TV radiation emissions.
So if a plasma-screen TV sounds like it will fit your HD needs perfectly – with its good contrast ratio and crisp, clean picture – then you’re all set to start shopping around for an exact match.
