Wednesday, July 1, 2009

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.

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Tuesday, November 18, 2008

How To Mount A Plasma TV On A Plaster Wall

After purchasing a plasma or LCD television as well a corresponding wall mounting kit, determining the wall on which to mount it, and making sure all of the necessary tools are available, the next step in mounting the television to a plaster wall is to choose the exact spot on the wall where the mount should be attached.

It is absolutely essential that the television mount is placed in a spot that has a stud or studs directly behind it. Anchor bolts will be used to secure the mount to the stud(s).

Obviously, a plaster wall alone cannot support the weight of a plasma or LCD mount and television, and at least one stud is necessary to ensure that the mount and the television are safely installed. Anchoring the mounting unit to two studs is more secure than using just one, so if there is a location on the wall where two studs are located and can both be used for the installation of the mount, this spot should be seriously considered for the placement.

Beginning the Installation:
It is recommended that the mounting kit be opened and the instruction and installation manual be thoroughly read and understood prior to beginning the installation process. Make sure that all the pieces are present and that all the necessary tools are within reach. Every brand and model television mount is slightly different from the next, so it?s important to follow the directions that come with the one that will be used.

Even if the instruction manual does not list this first, it?s a good idea to place the mounting rails into position on the back of the plasma or LCD television that will eventually end up on the wall. This will help ensure that the television will sit on the wall in its originally intended place. (Sometimes the brackets end up pushing the television up or down an inch or two. If the brackets are put in place first, a better placement estimation can be determined.)

Next, it?s time to mark the wall with indicators as to where the anchor bolts will be drilled into the wall. In addition, the locations where the cable will go from the television to the electrical outlet should also be notated on the wall.

After drilling holes where the anchor bolts will be placed and cutting out spots on the wall where the cable will enter and exit the wall, the next step is to the get the mount ready to affix with the anchors.

Prior to tightening the bolts, make sure that everything is nice and even, using a level. If everything looks good, it?s time to tighten the bolts so that the mount is fastened very snugly to the wall.

After fishing the cable from the cut hole near the mount down (or up) to the electricity source, the television can be added to the mount. Since many plasma and LCD televisions are extremely heavy, it?s recommended that at least two people help to lift it to the mount. After this is completed, all of the cables can be attached to the television, and the television can finally be turned on.

Jason West is the owner of the UK's leading Wall Bracket supplier http://www.tv-wall-brackets.co.uk.

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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Plasma Television: With Maturity Has Come Greater Dependability

During the holiday season of this year, millions of consumers will be considering the purchase of a new television. Those beautiful plasma screen displays will scream at shoppers from the display floor with their vibrant, life like colors and detail. But undoubtedly, wary shoppers will have heard the rumors or perhaps have known someone who bought a plasma television in 1999 which has already moved on to television heaven just seven short years later. It seems to a prudent shopper that perhaps a new plasma TV isn't the choice for them if a long term relationship is desired.

But are the rumors false? Has plasma undergone a bit of reinvention? Was this lack of longevity a symptom of a fledgling technology that has now perhaps matured? Is a plasma television now more reliable, a screen to be around for the long haul?

In a word...yes.

With lower power usage and changes with the mix of gases in the panels, the longevity of plasma televisions has been significantly enhanced. The lifespan of a television display is measured in "half life"; the hours of use before the screen has dimmed to only 50% of its original brightness. In recent years, plasma television manufacturers have been touting a half-life which is equivalent to that of other screens such as the higher priced LCDs; around 60,000 hours. From this, consumers can see that the lifespan of a plasma screen is dependent upon how much it is viewed. For instance, if a plasma television is on for 6 hours a day, 365 days a year (2190 hours per year), it should last just over 27 years.

Knowing this, it becomes clear that the life of the screen on a plasma television can be significantly influenced by how it is used. Turning off the television when no one is viewing it could certainly extend its life. Adjusting the brightness is important as well; maximum levels are seldom required or recommended and can unnecessarily cause pre-mature aging of the phosphors.

Additional changes over the years for plasma televisions include technologies aimed at reducing the risk of "burn in"; another significant concern about the "character" of plasma displays that developed during its youth. Features such as pixel shifting, pixel orbiter, and motion adaptation all describe methods of moving the image on a plasma screen which is imperceptible to the human eye but effective in reducing the risk of burn-in. With these added features, many plasma manufacturers now claim their screens have no greater risk of burn in than the traditional CRT, "tube" televisions.

As with anything, consumers need to compare brands as they aren't all created equally. Reviewing the facts from the manufacturer is important. In general, it is best to stick with the more reputable and well known brands as a bargain "off-brand" in the long term may not save money if the quality and dependability are lacking.

There are many excellent technologies to choose from when buying a new television. Which type of display is best is dependent upon each individuals wishes, but plasma televisions certainly deserve the full attention of buyers as they do not warrant the negative reputation developed during their formative years in regards to longevity.

Christine Peppler believes that consumers shouldn't 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/.

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Friday, November 16, 2007

Why Choose A Plasma Television?

Why Choose A Plasma TV

Still watching your programs on a standard CRT television?

Heard a lot about Plasma Television recently, but not sure why you would benefit from having this latest technology sitting in your living room?

Well, lets start with the basics, without the jargon! What is a Plasma Television?

Plasma televisions are a new type of display that uses technology different from other televisions. Although, Plasma televisions are not a new invention, but it has only been up until recently that this new technology is able to be produced cheaply enough for the consumer.

Plasma televisions use gas such as Xenon or Neon between two glass panels. Between these two panels are over 1 million pixels capable of producing over 16 million colours.

The gas is excited by a charge from an electrode, one pixel of the display, turning it into plasma. The pixels are illuminated by the plasma gas, producing the three primary colours and all the colours in between, creating the display we see on screen. A processor in the Plasma television controls which pixels are illuminated to which colour, controlling the images displayed.

How would a Plasma Television Benefit Me?

Plasma Televisions now are available in a range of sizes, alike the CRT. But the first main difference is the weight and size between both.

Due to the large glass tubes in the CRT televisions, these make them extremely heavy and bulky. As Plasma televisions do not have the glass tube, they are light in comparison, and due to their slim design, can be wall mounted or freestanding.

As mentioned before, due to the amount of pixels on the screen, the viewer would benefit from improved picture quality, sharper images, more vibrant colours with better saturation. Due to the nature of the technology within the Plasma television, the image won?t get distorted from magnetism, even if you place you speaker above, below or to the side of the screen. Plasma televisions also benefit from high ambience light tolerance and better contrast, pure flat screen and a slim design.

Plasma televisions have better response times as opposed to LCD Televisions, and wider viewing angels at 160 degrees.

In addition to this, most Plasma Televisions have connections to connect to your Personal Computer system, which provide a large viewing area than the traditional computer screens.

So, with the better picture quality, slim and light weight design, compatibility, and latest technology, why not choose a plasma television?

TV Aerials Aerials & Satellites are one of the UK's largest TV Aerial & Satellite TV Installation Companies, providing a rapid and professional service, seven days of the week. Please visit our website for further information.

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