Different options available when choosing a flat screen TV
The technology behind televisions has advanced rapidly over the last decade and many of us have struggled to keep up with the introduction of plasma, LCD TVs, high definition TV, Blu-ray players, Freeview and even TVs that can surf the net. If you are finding the prospect of buying a new TV daunting then here are a few features of the plasma, LCD and LED televisions that can help you distinguish between the different options available to you.
Plasma televisions have been around for a number of years now. At first glance they do not look overly different from the LCD and LED television but the technology behind them varies considerably. A plasma TV contains plasma of xenon and neon gas that is contained between two sheets of glass. When electricity reaches these plasma chambers they emit visible UV light that is transformed into a visible image using red, blue and green phosphors. An LCD (liquid crystal display) TV uses a display of LCD pixels that are backlit with a fluorescent white backlight. The technology is similar in an LED television, the only difference being that LED lights are used instead of fluorescent CFL lighting.
Plasma TVs tend to be larger and heavier than LCD and LED televisions. They have better picture contrast although the image resolution is usually higher on an LCD or LED model. A plasma TV tends to have better viewing angles and greater image contrast in a darker room while the LCD or LED TV will have reduced glare during daylight hours. LCD and LED TVs consume less power and also come without the risk of image burn that can occur with a plasma TV, though this is much less of a problem today and only tends to occur when a single image is displayed on the TV for any great length of time. Plasma screens will last up to 60,000 hours before they begin to dim by half, while an LCD or LED TV will last upward of this figure.
When comparing LCD and LED TVs the LED designs tend to consume less power and offer better contrast and black levels than LCD TVs. This is because LED TVs use local dimming that controls certain areas of the screen that should be dark. Another advantage of local dimming is that it improves the viewing angles of LED TVs when compared to LCD TVs. Generally LED TVs tend to be more costly than LCD TVs but other than the points discussed there is little difference between them when comparing models of the same size with similar features.
Plasma televisions have been around for a number of years now. At first glance they do not look overly different from the LCD and LED television but the technology behind them varies considerably. A plasma TV contains plasma of xenon and neon gas that is contained between two sheets of glass. When electricity reaches these plasma chambers they emit visible UV light that is transformed into a visible image using red, blue and green phosphors. An LCD (liquid crystal display) TV uses a display of LCD pixels that are backlit with a fluorescent white backlight. The technology is similar in an LED television, the only difference being that LED lights are used instead of fluorescent CFL lighting.
Plasma TVs tend to be larger and heavier than LCD and LED televisions. They have better picture contrast although the image resolution is usually higher on an LCD or LED model. A plasma TV tends to have better viewing angles and greater image contrast in a darker room while the LCD or LED TV will have reduced glare during daylight hours. LCD and LED TVs consume less power and also come without the risk of image burn that can occur with a plasma TV, though this is much less of a problem today and only tends to occur when a single image is displayed on the TV for any great length of time. Plasma screens will last up to 60,000 hours before they begin to dim by half, while an LCD or LED TV will last upward of this figure.
When comparing LCD and LED TVs the LED designs tend to consume less power and offer better contrast and black levels than LCD TVs. This is because LED TVs use local dimming that controls certain areas of the screen that should be dark. Another advantage of local dimming is that it improves the viewing angles of LED TVs when compared to LCD TVs. Generally LED TVs tend to be more costly than LCD TVs but other than the points discussed there is little difference between them when comparing models of the same size with similar features.
