The two most popular types of HDTVs are plasma and LCD. Both have advantages and disadvantages which must be carefully considered in order to choose the TV that's right for you.
.Picture
When it comes to picture quality, plasma has the overall advantage. Plasma TV's offer deeper black levels, which translates into a richer and more lifelike picture. Plasma TVs also tend to have better edge-to-edge picture uniformity than LCD TVs.
Viewing Angle
Those sitting far off to either side of the screen will enjoy a better picture when viewing a plasma versus and LCD TV. Therefore, if having the widest overall viewing angle is a primary concern, you should choose a plasma TV.
Screen Size
If you intend to purchase a screen size smaller than 42 inches, then the choice has been made for you. Televisions smaller than 42 inches are typically only available as LCD displays. In sizes larger than 42 inches, you will have a choice between LCD and plasma.
Burn-In
If you intend to use your TV as a computer monitor or perhaps to display still images (such as pictures) for an extended period of time, purchase an LCD TV. Plasma TVs can suffer from "burn-in" when displaying still images for excessive periods of time. When burn-in occurs, the still image is literally permanently "burned-in" to the screen.
Price
AS of 2009, plasma TVs are cheaper overall than LCD TVs of equal size. Therefore, price-conscious shoppers may wish to purchase a plasma TV if choosing between two identical screen sizes.
Lifetime
Most plasma and LCD TVs have a lifespan of approximately 60,000 hours under normal conditions. However, the lifespan of certain LCD displays can be extended by replacing the internal backlight. This is not an option on plasma TVs.
There are two contending technologies in the flat-panel HDTV market. LCD and plasma televisions offer superior HD viewing while saving space. An educated comparison with each technology will help in choosing your next TV.
.LCD
LCD televisions have affixed crystals on a screen and are illuminated using CCFL or LED backlighting. LCD televisions are lighter than plasma TVs and consume less power.
Plasma
Each pixel in a plasma display contains gas and phosphors. When stimulated with an electrical current, each pixel is illuminated and colors are displayed. Because each pixel works independently from the rest of the screen the color gamut, contrast ratios and depth of field are much better than LCD.
LCD Problems
LCD televisions suffer from "judder," an effect of mismatched frame rate and screen refresh rate. Newer LCD televisions offer 120Hz and 240Hz to smooth out judder but are more expensive than other plasma and LCD TVs.
Plasma Problems
On top of increased power consumption over LCD, plasmas have suffered from an effect known as "image retention" or "burn-in." This occurs when a static image is left on the screen for an extended period. While newer plasma technology makes it very difficult to burn an image into the screen, it is still a possibility.
Conclusion
For the best picture quality possible, plasma televisions are the way to go. They are also cheaper than LCD televisions. If you are using a television as a computer monitor, plan on having static images consistently, need a lighter TV or want to save on electricity, LCD is the right choice.
There are very big differences when comparing LCD and plasma high-definition TVs. Plasma HDTVs outperform LCD HDTVs in many areas that affect the picture quality as well as the price.
.Gray Scaling
Gray scaling is basically the ability to produce high quality midrange colors; these are colors that are not extremely bright or extremely bright, which are the colors that you will mostly be watching on your HDTV. The plasma outperforms the LCD TV in gray scaling, but not at a very large scale.
Contrast Ratio
Contrast ratio is the amount of levels of brightness and darkness that a TV screen can produce; the more, the better. Plasma HDTVs outperform LCD HDTVs in this area as well.
Viewing Angle
This stands for the maximum angle at which you can look at the HDTV and see a good picture. Plasma HDTVs have perfect 180-degree viewing angles, whereas the best LCD HDTVs have 120-degree viewing angles.
Response Time
Response time describes the speed at which the HDTV can switch different colors on the display. Plasma HDTVs have faster response times than LCD HDTVs.
Price
The cost of producing a plasma HDTV is lower than that for an LCD HDTV, especially with the HDTVs that have large screens.