Is a plasma TV a good investment?

Question

I am interested in buying a 42" tv but I do not know if i should go for plasma or LCD. Please Advise.

Answer 1

no it's not a good investment, the picture depreciates over time. that's not just not gaining which is equivalent to losing over time it's loosing over time which is even worse.



advice: wait a year or two until they perfect the technology then buy one

Answer 2

I heard it from a salesman at a consumer electronics store that a Plasma Screen looses its charge and fades to half of its brightness after 10 years and cannot be recharged. However, you can see a perfect picture from a very wide viewing area--something like 75 degrees off either side from sitting dead center of the TV.

LCD may not be as bright as a plasma TV at least from the start, but maintains its brightness for a lifetime, and if it fades at all, it can be easily recharged. However, its viewing area is very limited--around 35 degrees and then the picture begins to degrade fast after that. Which means you have to sit right in front of it for the best picture.

So there you have it, now you can make an informed decision on the subject. If it were me, I would still talk to a salesmen, and get more pluses and minuses.

Answer 3

Plasma vs LCD



The ADVANTAGES of Plasma over LCD are:



1. Larger screen size availability.



2. Better contrast ratio and ability to render deeper blacks.



3. Better color accuracy and saturation.



4. Better motion tracking (little or no motion lag in fast moving images).



The DISADVANTAGES of Plasma vs LCD include:



1. Plasma TVs are more susceptible to burn-in of static images.



2. Plasma TVs generate more heat than LCDs, due to the need to light of phosphors to create the images.



3. Does not perform as well at higher altitudes.



4. Shorter display life span (about 30,000 hours or 8 hrs of viewing a day for 9 years) than LCD. This can vary according to other environmental and use factors.



LCD television ADVANTAGES over Plasma include:



1. No burn-in of static images.



2. Cooler running temperature.



3. No high altitude use issues.



4. Increased image brightness over Plasma.



5. Longer display life (about 60,000 hours - at which time all you may need to do is replace the light source, not the entire set). This can vary according other environmental and use factors.



DISADVANTAGES of LCD vs Plasma televisions include:



1. Lower contrast ratio, not as good rendering deep blacks.



2. Not as good at tracking motion (fast moving objects may exhibit lag artifacts).



3. Not as available in large screen sizes above 37-inches



4. Although LCD televisions do not suffer from burn-in susceptibility, it is possible that individual pixels on an LCD televisions can burn out, causing small, visible, black or white dots to appear on the screen. Individual pixels cannot be repaired, the whole screen would need to be replaced at that point, if the individual pixel burnout becomes annoying to you.



5. LCD televisions are typically more expensive than equivalent-sized Plasma televisions, especially when comparing EDTV Plasmas to HDTV-LCD Televisions.

Answer 4

I think it is a good investment. They're very stylish. It's a flat screen, saves space and the picture quality is better than the projection TVs