High Definition TV

Many people are excited about plasma TV HDTV technology and what it can do for their home entertainment set-up, claiming that it is the most advanced form of technology since color TV was introduced. But is plasma TV HDTV technology really all it's cracked up to be or is there more to it than the average consumer realizes? Most importantly, is plasma TV HDTV really worth your hard-earned money or are there better ways to experience entertainment?

Plasma vs. LCD TV

The first thing you should realize is that there is no such thing as plasma LCD TV. Plasma and LCD are two separate technologies that do somewhat similar things but carry very significant differences. Both are flat HDTV flat screen TV technologies, but they carry some differences that many consumers may not be aware of.

Plasma TV HDTV uses what is known as a matrix of tiny gas plasma cells that are charged by electrical currents to create the picture you see on your HDTV flat screen TV. LCD screens, known as liquid crystal display, uses liquid crystals that are pushed into the space between two panes of glass. Electrical current is supplied and the liquid crystals manipulate themselves to achieve the picture you see on your screen.

It is interesting to note that despite the fact that both LCD TV and plasma screens perform quite well, many technology experts still agree that the picture quality on old CRT sets is superior. CRT stands for cathode ray tube, and is the type of television that has been in widespread use for many years. Nonetheless, both plasma and LCD screens perform respectably.

Despite this, the industry seems geared towards moving in the direction of plasma and LCD televisions. The plasma TV HDTV does have some benefits over LCD sets, but conversely the LCD sets do have some advantages over the plasma sets. How do you decide which television set is right for you? That seems to be the question that most technology junkies are struggling with at the moment, while other people are content to watch the whole scene play out from the comfort of their old-fashioned CRT sets.

Plasma TV HDTV tends to have the following benefits over LCD televisions:

• Better overall contrast, allowing for better viewing of deeper blacks and grays
  
• More viewing angles than LCD
  
• Brighter colors
  
• Price - most plasma televisions are cheaper than most LCD televisions

LCD televisions tend to have the following benefits over plasma TV HDTV televisions:

• Higher resolution, meaning more pixels on the screen
  
• Less power consumption than plasma television sets
  
• Lighter overall unit, making LCD televisions easier to move
  
• Longer product lifespan

Ultimately, the decision of whether to purchase an LCD television or a plasma TV HDTV television is yours. You can compare the products back and forth endlessly, but until you view both types of television, you will never know for sure what works best for you. Read some TV HDTV reviews, and then visit a local home electronics or department store. View the LCD and plasma TV HDTV units side by side and base your purchasing decision on your feelings about each set.