Hi All,

I really cannot differentiate the difference btw an LCD and a Plasma TV.

Anyone with ideas? Pls holla!

Comparison Plasma televisions LCD televisions Advantage

Screen Size Screen sizes range from 32 inches to 63 inches. Larger plasmas, like a 103 inch unit from Panasonic, are in production, but are still prohibitively expensive for consumer use. Sizes range from 13 inches to 45 inches. As with plasma, there are larger LCD TVs made, like a 100 inch display recently released by LG, but they are not readily available or affordable at the consumer level. Plasma TVs are the current size champions, particularly when comparing TVs that consumers can easily purchase. LCDs are catching up in size with their developing technology, however, and may surpass Plasmas in the near future. This may be due to difficulties in producing glass large enough for larger plasmas.

Viewing Angle Up to 160° Up to 175° LCD TVs have the advantage here, but by a small margin. Your viewing experience is not going to be ideal at 160 or 175 degree angles. LCD TVs used to have a problem in this area, primarily because LCDs were originally used as single person computer monitors.


Screen Refresh Rates Plasma displays refresh and handle rapid movements in video about as well as CRT televisions. LCD TVs were originally designed for data display, and not video. Therefore refresh rates had to be improved. LCD TVs with refresh rates below 16 ms or lower (5-15 ms) show very few noticeable artifacts. LCD TVs are now available with refresh rates as low as 5ms. Slight edge to plasma technology.

Burn-in or Stuck Pixels Plasma TVs can suffer from burn-in produced by static images. After extended periods, stationary images "burn in" and produce an after-image ghost which remains permanently on the screen. With technologies such as 'pixel orbitor,' new plasma TVs have addressed burn-in and significantly reduced the issues of older models. LCD TVs do not suffer from burn-in, but can have a "retained pixel charge" which may also produce ghosting. Stuck pixels are also possible with an LCD display. With the latest plasma technology, this is less of an issue than ever before. "Pixel orbitor," for example, is one method of reducing burn in used by plasma manufacturers. It requires no additional programing from the end user as some older burn-in prevention techniques did. If you plan to use a plasma for gaming, some games with permanent 'dashboards' may still cause some burn-in. Check user-manuals for available solutions by model.

Product Life-span Plasma TVs have a reported half life of 30,000 to 60,000 hours. Half-life is the time it takes the lamp to fade to half its original brightness. LCD TVs also have replaceable backlights, but the expense of replacing one when the time comes may be greater than simply replacing the entire TV. Both Plasma and LCD technology should more than adequately satisfy most consumers. The average CRT TV (the kind most of us have at home) has a half-life of around 25,000 hours. If the average American household watches an average of four to six hours of television a day, even a 30,000 hour lamp would give you over 16 years of use. By then you'll be enjoying your new 'Holodeck.'

Weight Plasma displays are fairly heavy, and may need additional supports to be mounted onto a wall. LCD TVs weigh less than comparably sized plasma TVs. LCD TVs are considerably lighter, more portable, and cheaper to ship.

Durability Plasmas are very fragile making them tricky to ship and install. Unlike the commercials where plasmas are mounted on the ceiling, plasmas are best installed by a professional, and should be installed on a wall that can bear a good deal of weight. Much more durable than plasmas. End users can easily mount an LCD TV themselves if desired. LCD TVs are far less fragile than plasmas.

Shipping Due to their fragile nature, plasma TVs need to be shipped by specialty carriers. Overnight or fast delivery options are not recommended. Special shipping methods and their heavier weight add to higher shipping costs. Shipping LCD TVs is not difficult, and is not as expensive as shipping plasma displays. LCD TVs are lighter and far less fragile than plasma displays making shipping easier and less expensive.

Installation Plasmas are heavier, use more power, and run hotter than LCD TVs, and therefore require more planning when mounting them. Plasmas are generally best installed by professionals. End users can easily install LCD TVs themselves, or can use them just as they use a traditional TV using a stand. LCD TVs are much easier to install than plasma TVs.

Brightness/Contrast Plasma TVs report higher brightness and contrast levels than LCDs. Under ideal conditions (no ambient light) this is a true advantage of plasma technology, because LCD TVs are backlit and therefore light must be blocked to create blacks. Plasmas have individual pixels that either on or off, creating deeper blacks and better contrast. LCD TVs can often look better in 'real-world' situations. Plasmas are made with a special glass surface that can reflect light, which dulls the brightness and contrast of the image. LCD TVs reflect very little light, allowing them to maintain levels in well-lit rooms. Both LCD and plasma TVs will meet the brightness expectations of most consumers. However, in 'real world' situations with ambient light, LCD TVs will generally look a little brighter.

Thickness As thin as 3 inches deep. As thin as 2 inches deep. LCDs TVs are just a bit thinner.

Performance at High Altitude High altitudes can affect the performance of plasma displays because the gas held inside each pixel is stressed, and has to work harder to perform. Some manufacturers make plasmas that are specifically designed for high-altitudes, but they may be priced higher than standard models. LCD TVs are not affected by high altitudes. LCD TVs

Following the growing controversy among market leaders and consumers of high technological electronics products over the superiority in quality between the LCD and Plasma models of television, LG electronics has risen to say that both technologies are superb and do not necessarily need to arouse controversy.

According to the company, it is actually a matter of consumers’ choice rather than controversy on superiority, because both technologies have superior qualities which are peculiar to them respectively.

Stating these facts to a select reporters, while making a brief presentation on plasma versus LCD TV in his office last week, the General Manager of the company’s Nigerian operation, Mr. Tae-Joon Park also noted that Nigerians are highly sophisticated people, even as the trend in the market has been able to establish that high-end and technology-led product categories are doing well in the Nigerian market.

For him, more and more Nigerians are changing the way they watch TV by adopting Plasma and LCD which are the two latest and most popular technologies in flat screen TV, but should not be confused or goaded by any misconception that one is superior and the other is inferior.

Park said, “today, it is obvious that when one sets out shopping for a new flat-panel TV, there are two main options to choose from: either for the Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or Plasma Display Panel (PDP) TV. But the truth is that one isn’t necessarily better than the other because these technologies have different attractive features and the customer will make a choice based on these”.

“LCD means Liquid Crystal Display TV. Put simply, they are smart television sets that allow viewers to enjoy vivid life-like display of text and graphics. LCD TVs use non-emissive technology and fluorescent tubes which require less power to operate. But Plasma TVs work by charging electricity through a matrix of gas cells, which illuminates the gas ions to form a picture. The two biggest benefits of this technology are colour quality and display performance. Plasma TVs produce blacker blacks than LCDs, which makes dark scenes in movies look better and extremely fast. Yet, Plasma TVs give viewers a soft and natural picture, and allow them to enjoy sports and movies for long periods of time without eye fatigue” he added.

He stated further that the differences between LCD and Plasma, particularly where performance is concerned, are getting smaller all the time, adding that “a few years back, LCD screens were said to have severe refresh issues, often producing hideous digital artifacts whenever the on-screen action intensified. Meanwhile, Plasma displays were also said to have short life spans because of the radioactive half-life of the gases they use
Fortunately for both sides, those problems are pretty much a thing of the past. LCD artifacting is now a relatively rare occurrence and Plasmas now live twice as long as their forebears”.



Extract From Vangaurd Newspaper