High Definition televisions and programming have become the new buzzword in technology circles. If you are like me, then you’ve walked the aisles of a major electronic store and found the HD televisions to look better than standard televisions. High Definition (HD) TVs present clear, vibrant colors and a thin design. But the jargon related to these TVs can stumble many consumers, while even sales associates become consternated with explaining some of the concepts behind the technology. This article will explain the technology behind High Definition television and discuss what you need to take into consideration before buying your next entertainment centerpiece.
Introduction
HD television promises to change many consumers viewing preference from the old standard programming to high definition media. When HD TVs first emerged, they were costly to produce and few consumers could really take advantage of the technology with the lack of broadcast HD programming. Now we have multiple sources for HD quality television, including cable, satellite, gaming consoles, and Blu-ray players. So the question becomes, what level of High Definition technology suits your needs? Do you want the 52” 1080p plasma television or should you purchase the 42” 1080i LCD? Plasma and LCD televisions are competing technologies and offer different benefits.
Plasma High Definition Televisions
A plasma HD TV is a flat panel display with sizes typically 37” and above. The largest plasma TV to date measures 150” and was shown off at a recent consumer convention. Each plasma television has two panes of glass sandwiching inert gases, like argon and xenon. The gases are stimulated with electrical impulses to produce colored phosphors. The electrical stimulation of the gases from electrodes takes place on a miniscule level and can create varying color ranges stemming from the base colors of red, blue, and green. The resulting picture can hold millions of colors in the spectrum.
The gases in the plasma layer create a bright picture due to each pixel having equal color and vibrancy. There is no backlighting, like in LCD televisions, so the picture remains consistent at a wide viewing angle. Imagine sitting in a room to the far left or right of a plasma TV. You would be able to see the same quality picture as if you were sitting directly in front of the set. The viewing angle benefits those with smaller, confined living rooms.
Plasma televisions also respond quicker than their LCD counterpart. The electrical impulses behind the plasma display can manipulate each pixel to a different color quickly. This means you can view high motion entertainment, like sporting events, without noticing any blurring or choppiness in the picture. The media appears near perfect.
Many of you may have heard that plasma televisions will ultimately burn out, die, or otherwise be non-usable. The technology of today has increased the half life of plasma TVs to an estimated 60,000 viewable hours. This would equate to twenty seven years of six hours a day viewing the television. Half life simply means the color would fade to half its vibrancy.
Power consumption has emerged as a major issue for many households. With the growing price of utilities, many have grown concerned that a plasma display, which generates heat and requires a lot of power to run, may be a burden on the utility expense. The latest and greatest plasma televisions have reduced power consumption from early models. With plasma televisions, the brighter the picture on screen, the more power the TV uses to produce the color. To create a white pixel, the plasma must send a full charge to the electrode stimulating each phosphor. It takes little power for a plasma to achieve a true black color, as no power would be used to achieve this color state on the pixel level. This also explains why a plasma TV can achieve far greater contrast ratios, up to 3000:1. The contrast ratio refers to the comparison of blackest black to whitest white.
The plasma TV has long been regarded as the best HD choice for TVs larger than 42”, but this has changed with advancements in LCD technology. The plasma TV still boasts better viewing angle range, greater color spectrum, and faster response times. The technology has solved some of the screen burn-in issues, which occur when a television displays a similar menu again and again. The phosphors used to display a similar menu may create a ghost image of the graphic over time. With pixel orbiters and image washing techniques, modern plasma TVs have overcome this hurdle to provide a relatively risk free HD television experience.
LCD High Definition Televisions
Many of you may be familiar with Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) as a computer monitor. As for televisions, the LCD display typically sizes up to 37”, but recent improvements in the technology have seen manufacturers market this television technology up to 46”, with the largest ever produced at 100”.
The television has limitations that result from its fundamental technology. The liquid crystals can be thought of as small mirrors. These crystals block the backlighting, but can open when told to do so by electrical impulses. How far they open depends upon the amount of electricity sent to them. They produce colors depending on how far they swivel. All the way open and they produce white; while all the way closed, they darken the screen. This is why an LCD cannot compete with plasma TVs when it comes to the contrast ratio. The best advertised LCD television touts a 1000:1 contrast ratio, about a third below the best competing plasma TV.
Unlike plasma displays, LCDs can last for a long time. The liquid crystal should never deteriorate like the plasma gases, but some consumers have noticed one or two pixels may go dark over an extended period of time. More common to the LCD, the backlight LED will go dark after several years of use. This LED works just as you would imagine a light bulb. After it’s been in use for a long period, the light simply burns out. While these can be replaced, many manufacturers hesitate to reveal how to perform this task or even provide replacements. If you are concerned about long term use, then it may be wise to check if the manufacturer provides a way to perform this task.
If you’re a world traveler then you have probably noticed LCD displays in the seatback of airplanes. The LCD performs better at higher altitudes simply because plasma cannot do well at low pressure. A plasma TV can perform well at up to 6,000 feet above sea level.
There are a few advantages leaning in the LCD HD TV’s favor. For instance, the LCD display does have a brighter picture than a plasma TV. There are no risks of burn in or ghost images like with the plasma. And the LCD television typically has a lighter weight and lower running temperature. Overall the size limitations of the LCD, which are quickly becoming a non-issue, may sway some towards a plasma TV.