How Plasma TV's Work and their Pro's and Con's

How a Plasma Display Works

Plasma Televisions are made up of plasma gas which is Xenon and Neon Gas. These gases are placed in tiny cells or pixels across the screen. The interior of the pixels and sub-pixels are coated with phosphor. Each pixel has three sub-pixel representing a primary color (red, green and blue). These cells (pixels) are contained between two pieces of glass. Connected to each plate is an electrode, these electrodes extend the whole length of the plates of glass forming a grid on both plates of glass. These electrodes are also connected to a computer in the display. To create an image the computer sends a current on the electrode and the corresponding position on the grid to charge the gases in the pixels which causes the gases to become ionized which in turn depending on the length of time the current in on causes the gases to give off an ultraviolet ray. This ultraviolet ray then causes the phosphor coating of the pixels to light up the appropriate color. With all of these cells or pixels lighting up at the same time they create a smooth image.

Advantages of a Plasma Display

The advantages of this technology is that since the whole screen can be lit up at the same time and every pixel can be used and "on" we get very smooth images. Also since each pixel in the screen is lit independently the images are very bright and can be seen from wide angles. Finally the biggest advantage of Plasma Televisions is they can be made very large and extremely thin with most displays these days measuring no more than 4 cm in depth. The most common display size these days is the 42" with 50" - 60" at the high end, this is not up to Projection TV's yet but the quality in image that is gained and the fact that the screens are very thin makes them my choice for best display at this time. The largest Plasma screen in the world was just shown at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. It measured 103" and was made by Matsua Electrical Industries (Panasonic). Samsung is currently in second place with their 102" inch Plasma Panel. For the consumer the largest panel you can buy is made by Samsung measuring 80" and costing a whopping 0,000. Imagine what the wife would say if you brought that bad boy home.

The only major con's with Plasma displays would be their price compared to a Projection screens. Compared to LCD's Plasma's are much cheaper per inch. There is a myth going around that plasma displays do not last long and will need to be replaced quite often. Although they do eventually loose their brightness and the colors will fade when the half-life of the gases are reached, most displays these days are rated at half lives of 50,000 hours. With normal viewing of 4 hours a day this would not be reached for 35 years and at 8 hours a day right around 15 years the set will last. So unless you watch television 24 hours a day expect these displays to last you many years.

PRO'S:

large screen sizes

price per inch is reasonable

superb color reproduction

CON'S:

price compared to projections is high

power consumption

some models make a buzzing noise (especially when display whites or light grays)

Bill Ransom provides the latest information on Flat Screen Televisiion Technology and reviews of the latest Plasma, LCD and Rear Projection Televisions at http://www.flatscreenbuyers.com/

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