TV Alphabet Soup - Learn More About LCD, Plasma, DLP and HDTV

Because of advancements in science and technology, there has been a revolution in the world of television as well. This article is going to focus on the new world of television and get into brief details of LCD, Plasma, DLP and how they relate to the HDTV.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) is the only 100% digital display in the world today. DLP televisions use an optical semiconductor that works with fidelities impossible to achieve with analog systems. DLP projectors make use of microscopic mirrors placed in a matrix formation on a semiconductor chip called the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD). Each mirror contributes one pixel to the projected image. The higher the resolution, the greater is the number of mirrors needed. Some common DMD sizes are 800x600, 1024x768, and 1280x720. HDTV compatible projectors need a 1920x1080 matrix.

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) creates images by streaming light through LCD glass panels. The three panels are typically red, green, and blue filters. These filters will permit or block light to pass through each pixel thereby creating the final image. LCD TVs have brighter colors and can easily substitute for computer monitors. Most LCD TVs are less than 32". LCD TVs come in both HDTV capable and non-capable.

Compared to LCD TVs, Plasma TVs offer more screen real estate. Plasma TVs are cheaper per square inch and have better black levels makes them ideal for people looking for a big-screen home-theater. Plasma TVs are not available below 37" screen size. Plasma TVs are either enhanced definition (EDTV) or high definition (HDTV). EDTV are cheaper and can display HDTV format but at lower quality. EDTV works at 480p resolution, same as DVDs. While EDTV will do justice to your DVD collection, it won?t be very useful with HDTV formats.

While these different formats give good picture quality, that doesn?t mean that every model of each one is compatible with HDTV. You must make sure that the set you are interested in is HDTV ready if you want to take advantage of the high definition TV signals that are now available. It would be a great disappointment to pay a high price for an LCD, DLP or plasma TV only to find out that it isn?t HDTV capable. The better quality picture of these formats does make them better choices over CRT format TVs for HDTV programming.

Check out http://www.hdtvland.com/ for articles on LCD vs Plasma and bluray player.

Buying Guide to Plasma TVs

Plasma TV?s and LCD TV?s should not be confused with each other, as some people tend to do. Plasma televisions basically use a plasma discharge inside, compared to LCDs which uses a mercury based active matrix system. This TV tends to be more popular among households these days compared to LCD TV?s and this is simply because of one thing; the price.

Usually, the price of a Plasma TV would be far cheaper than an LCD TV. This is due to the cost of producing the LCD display panel and the quality of the LCD display itself. Although in general the Plasma TV?s resolution is not as good as an LCD TV?s, it can still produce very sharp images compared to CRT TV?s with the help of various technology.

Worthiness

Sometimes when it comes to buying Plasma TV?s, many people do not really know the real aspects behind choosing the correct one. There are many different sizes of Plasma TV?s, but when you choose one, make sure the TV does not take up too much space in your house.

This is because unlike LCD displays, even the smallest Plasma TV is 40 inches in dimension. And usually Plasma TV?s come with a mounting stand, which nowadays are pretty fashionable compared to the TV itself. The TV is not usually beyond 4 inches in thickness, meaning to say that you can put it right next to your wall without anything next to it, and nobody will realize it?s even there.

One big difference about Plasma TV?s in general compared to LCD TV?s is the brightness of the picture as well as the response time of the moving images. Compared to LCD TV?s, Plasma TV?s are generally not so bright, but these days with so much improvement, the brightness has increased, and sometimes you can?t even differentiate between the two.

Response time refers to the time that images take to shift from one frame to another, usually calculated in milliseconds. The lesser it is, or the faster it is, the better. This is because when it is faster, there won?t be any ghostly images forming up when there are transitions from white images to black ones.

Another main aspect to consider when it comes to buying Plasma TV?s would be the lifetime of the televisions. Usually the manufacturers guarantee a lifetime of 60,000 hours or sometimes more. These days, the lifetime has been extended up to 70,000 hours or even more in many cases. You have to make sure that your TV will last at least 60,000 hours before the brightness begins to fade and the images can?t be seen properly.

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How LCD TVs and Plasma TVs Differ

The buying of large-screen TVs has absolutely skyrocketed lately. It seems that everyone wants one ? and with good reason. The large-screen TV has come a long way from those faded-out behemoths of old that took up half your living room and never really produced a picture of decent quality. Now, however, especially in combination with HDTV, you can get not only a nice, large picture, but a crisp, clean one too.

Once you decide that you?re ready for a large-screen TV, you quickly discover that you only really have two main options ? a plasma TV or an LCD TV. Plasma TVs were first on the scene, but the recent mass production of LCD TVs by major manufactures has put LCD TVs pretty much on equal footing with plasmas. That said, you will still have to make a choice.

If you?re like most people, you not only have no idea how the two differ, you don?t even know the areas you should be considering in order to determine how they differ. But they do indeed differ, and knowing the difference is extremely important if you?re going to get the TV that?s right for you.

You can essentially boil the differences between plasmas and LCDs into twelve basic points. In some areas, plasmas will win out. In other areas, LCDs will win out. In yet other areas, it will depend on your own personal taste in order to decide who wins out.

The twelve ways plasma TVs and LCD TVs differ are the following:

1. The first is a technical issue, and may seem a little boring, but it really does affect other areas. Plasmas TVs are made of chemical compounds called phosphors. LCD TVs use millions of liquid crystals.

2. The next section is related to how big the TVs are and the availability of larger sizes. You have a wider selection of larger-size TVs with plasmas (though LCDs are catching up).

3. The next section is ?small size,? which is also important. Plasmas don't come in smaller sizes, which you will need for places like the kitchen.

4. Next is viewing angle. Plasmas tend to have a wider viewing angle (though, again, LCDs are catching up).

5. Although the manufacturers may not like to admit it, each ?can? suffer from certain problems. Plasmas can suffer from burn-in effect; LCDs don't.

6. Another problem area, but for LCDs, is ?delay.? LCDs can produce a jagged figure when in motion. Plasmas tend to do better. HDTV improves this dramatically for both.

7. The next area is life span. You can replace the light source with an LCD, thereby bringing your original picture back. With plasmas you can't.

8. In the next few sections, the theme of ?picture quality? is considered. First, color: LCDs produce sharp, lively colors. Plasmas produce warmer and more accurate colors.

9. Next is brightness levels and the TVs ability to handle different lighting. LCDs tend to do better in bright-light conditions.

10. Also related to picture quality is ?black levels.? Plasmas tend to produce blacker blacks.

11. Another area to consider is contrast range. Plasmas, "technically," produce a higher contrast range.

12. Last, and certainly not least, is price. At the moment, plasmas tend to run a little cheaper, but this is changing rapidly as LCDs flood into the market. By the time you read this, in fact, there may be no difference at all.

Essentially, which one is right for you will all comes down to taste: What potential negatives will you not really notice? What positives do you want more of? What do you really want the TV for ? movies, sports, news, regular TV shows? Both plasmas and LCDs have strong advocates in their corners. Both have deliriously happy customers. But those happy customers are only happy because they knew what they wanted before they made their purchase. If you want to make the right choice, you?ll have to decide what it is you want and which of the two TVs can best give you that.

To learn more about these two technologies and how your own personal tastes and viewing habits will affect your choice, read the full report at http://www.lcdvsplasma.com

Putting Your Plasma TV in Its Place

Purchasing a new television involves numerous decisions. Once consumers have waded through the various features and made their selection, there is yet another decision that will be necessary. Finding the right location and method of placing a new plasma television is an important step in assuring optimal viewing as well as the safety of the new screen.

There are a number of viable options for the placement of a plasma television. These space saving flat screens can be mounted on the ceiling, on the wall, or placed on a stand. Some methods of mounting the screens are less costly, others allow for greater ability to save space, and some provide more flexibility to assure that the television can be viewed at different angles and heights. Looking at each of these options in advance will help consumers make the choice that will best suit their needs.

If a wall or ceiling mount is preferred it is important to realize that a plasma television can be heavy for its size and therefore wall studs or a ceiling joist must be present to support it. Any additional hardware needed for installation should be available with the mounting device purchased but will be dependent upon whether the television will be mounted on wood or metal studs/joists or concrete block. Therefore, consumers should go into the buying situation knowing where they wish to place their new plasma television and what type of structure is present.

A ceiling mounted plasma television can save floor space. A ceiling mount often has an extension pipe in addition to the mount itself to allow for comfortable viewing. Some owners use a "plasma lift" with a ceiling mount option that keeps the screen hidden until they are ready to use it.

Wall mounts can be flat, tilt, swivel or an articulated arm. A flat wall mount is generally the least expensive and is the greatest space saver as it adds only 2 inches to the depth of the display but because it is often fixed, does not offer a flexible viewing angle. Getting a tilt mount for a plasma television adds about 4-6 inches to the depth but is often used when needing to mount the display above eye level; such as over a fire place.

An articulating arm mount allows users to keep the display pulled back flat against the wall but also provides the flexibility of pulling out the display and turning/tilting it as needed.

Table stands are generally customized to the specific plasma television that is purchased but do tend to take up a bit more space. Some stands offer options that allow tilt and other movement of the display including "plasma lifts".

Obviously any mount purchased will need to fit the specific plasma television selected. The television will have a pattern of holes on the back that will need to correspond to the screws on the mount. Some mounts also have adapter plates available that will match up to popular plasma television models.

Selecting the proper mount for a plasma television can help to assure that the television is stable and positioned so as to reduce the risk of being struck or knocked over. A proper mount can also help to assure optimal viewing and comfort and should be carefully considered to assure years of viewing pleasure.

Christine Peppler believes that consumers should not have to possess a technology degree to be able to choose home electronics and entertainment devices. Take advantage of the wealth of simple to understand, useful information and shopping available on her website at http://www.homemedias.info.

Buying an Affordable Philips Plasma TV

Philips is one of the leading manufacturers of affordable plasma TV's on the market. They offer many models in various price ranges, and there is something available for everyone, no matter your price range. However, this hasn't always been the case with Plasma TV's; until recently, they retained higher prices, but as the LCD market is dropping in price, so too is the Plasma TV market, creating a more affordable environment for consumers.

For those looking for larger, affordable big-screen Philips Plasma TV's, prices range from $1300 for the lowest model to more than $10,000 for the higher level, sixty-two inch model. According to resellers, the average price that consumers want to spend on a big-screen TV is between two and four thousand dollars; luckily, there are some excellent Philips options in that price range.

There are three factors to consider before you decide to purchase a big screen TV, especially a higher-end Philips Plasma TV. First off, set an approximate budget with a maximum price; this allows you to pick exactly what you want within a given price range. If you want an average, affordable model that still offers good LCD or Plasma TV quality, think about a price range of between two to four thousand dollars. If you want to go for luxury, go above five thousand; and if you want the most affordable Plasma TV, plan on thirteen hundred to two thousand dollars.

Second, measure the area where you want the Plasma TV and give the retailer your measurements. They will help you find a correctly sized set in your price range so you don't have any space or budgetary issues when you take it home with you.

Third, do the research before you go in and determine which Plasma TV is the most affordable, and which model is the most expensive. Next, determine your model. In this case, we're looking at Philips, as they currently have some of the best quality, most affordable Plasma TV's on the market.

No matter which model you choose or what your budget is, there is a gorgeous, affordable Philips Plasma TV out there waiting for you to come along and claim it. Just make sure you do so after doing solid research, setting your budget specs, and completing your space measurements. Educate yourself so that you get the best deal on the big-screen, Plasma TV of your dreams.

The best place to start your research is at www.plasma-lcd-tv.co.uk, a website committed to having the best selection of plasma TV?s on the market.

Should You Buy A Plasma TV Or LCD TV?

Both plasma and LCD technology are the latest technology available in home entertainment. They are less bulky than the traditional cathode ray tube televisions and offer better resolution and high quality pictures.

So which one is better? Plasma TV or LCD TV? Since they are priced almost the same, it can be difficult to determine which is the better one.

The answer depends on what you plan to do with it. The technology behind these plasma and LCD is quite different.

For plasma tv, it is made up of thousands and thousands of small pixels with the color scheme RGB (Red, Green and Blue). These primary colors can combine to produce millions of variations of colors.

A plasma tv consists of two panels that are filled in between with neon gas or xenon. As electricity is passed through the gas, it becomes liquid and can generate light. The light in turns lights the pixels and together the pixels form a image. Now this happens quite quickly up to 50 frames per second.

I would recommend getting a plasma tv if you are watching movies etc. It has a higher colour resolution and clearer picture image than LCD TV.

LCD TV uses a panel of cells that are filled with liquid crystals. When the electricity is passed through these cells, the liquid crystals allows lights to pass through or be filtered. By blocking the different wavelengths of lights, the different colours are displayed. It works in a way like a prism.

I would recommend a LCD TV if you use it for digital photography or playing computer games. The response time are better for LCD TV compared to Plasma TV and can be used as a monitor for your computer.

Plasma TV and LCD TV each have their own applications and use with both advantages and disadvantages. The decision to buy which one will depend on your needs

Ricky Lim is an avid home theater fan. Visit his site for more info about home theater accessories and home movie theater.