10 Biggest Myths and Lies About Plasma TV!

Rumors and myths about Plasma TV ricochet off the truth like machine gun bullets; sometimes it’s hard to tell fact from fiction.

Lots of self proclaimed “experts” will tell you how Plasma TV screens give off deadly radiation, or will burn out in a year if they’re not refilled with fresh plasma.

It’s dangerous to take half-baked information as fact: you end up making decisions based on lies. Lets punch holes in the most common misconceptions:

(1) A Plasma TV will burn out in a year or two and needs to be replaced!
A top of the line Plasma TV like a Panasonic or Pioneer has a life expectancy of 60,000 hours. So does a Sony LCD. If you watch a Plasma TV eight hours a day, it would take about twenty years for the unit to burn out.

(2) “Plasmas blast radiation at you, it’s dangerous to sit closer than ten feet from the screen!”
This is one of the wilder myths about Plasma TV! A tiny amount of UV radiation comes out of a Plasma display (you can measure it up to one inch from the screen).
The tube television you put your nose on while you watched cartoons in the seventies form an image by shooting radiation at the screen! Radiation from a tube TV floods more than one foot into the room! You probably have several of these TVs in your house right now!

(3) “I can’t afford to own a Plasma TV, they’re too expensive!”

The price of both Plasma and LCD TVs has dropped dramatically in the last few years, and continues to drop. You can find 42” Plasma TVs for under $1000, and 50” screens for under $2000.

(4) “My Plasma display will look great right out of the box!”
A Plasma TV is often shipped with the picture, contrast or brightness controls set too “hot”; turned up so they’ll look great in a brightly lit TV showroom. Your living room is probably nowhere near this bright; you should adjust these controls to a level more pleasing to you. This also extends the life of your Plasma display.

(5) Plasma TVs have better pictures than LCD TVs (and vice versa)!
THE TRUTH: Either type of TV will give you a sparkling, razor sharp image on a giant flat screen television. Plasmas have better color, contrast and black level; LCDs can have a sharper image quality and won’t suffer from screen burn-in.

(6) “I heard the plasma in a Plasma TV screen needs to be refilled every few years!”
It’s impossible to refill the plasma inside a TV screen. I suspect that con men have told unsuspecting customers such tales so that they can sell extended warranties, but it’s not true.

(7) Plasma TVs are difficult to install!
Well . . . yes and no! With a few strong friends you can easily table mount your Plasma onto the included base stand. A flat or tilted wall mount is much more complicated and may require professional help.

(8) HD (High Definition) Plasma displays create a better image than ED (Enhanced Definition) displays!

Usually true, but there are exceptions. A top of the line ED converter may outperform a bargain brand HD converter. But ED is outdated and is being phased out: you shouldn’t buy one. All Plasma TVs should soon feature the much sharper HDTV.

(9) Plasma screens suffer from image burn-in!
Again . . . yes and no! Advances in technology have greatly reduced the problem of screen burn-in on Plasma TVs. It’s harder to do, but you can still experience burn-in with a Plasma TV. The culprit is static images like station logos, video game score boards, computer programs, and stock tickers. Consider buying a LCD or DLP TV; these have no screen burn-in.

(10) Handling a Plasma TV is just like handling any other TV!”
A Plasma screen has hundreds of thousands of image cells sandwiched between two thin sheets of glass. You can't lay a Plasma TV flat on it’s face or even rub hard on a Plasma screen, for fear of causing the screen to crack. Once your Plasma screen cracks, it cannot be repaired.
Take the time to learn the facts about Plasma TV before you consider making a purchase. Armed with the facts, you’ll have no problem picking a Big Screen TV that will thrill your family for years to come! Enjoy!

It’s as easy as 123!

About The Author

Ike Ridley is the avid videophile and self-confessed “Movie Nut” who created the 123 Guide To Plasma TV.com. To visit us, just paste this URL into your web browser:
http://www.123-guide-to-plasma-tv.com
Ike has moved to the Caribbean where he clicks away on his laptop under a palm tree.
For more information, click here for my tips on buying Plasma, LCD and DLP TVs in the 123 Guide To Plasma TV!

This is a 100% free article. You may distribute it freely, give away a copy from your own web site or bundle it as a free bonus with other products. You may distribute this article if it’s intact, with the copyright notice and author information intact.
The article contains no affiliate links. I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Copyright © 2007 Isaac Ridley Jr. Some rights reserved.
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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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Plasma TV Comparisons - How to Find the Best Plasma TV

Plasma TV Comparisons

If you love television, and you love modern technology, there's no way around it - you've got to have a plasma TV! Here's an overview of plasma TVs, plasma TV features, and where to go online for plasma TV comparisons to find the best TV at the best price.

What is a plasma TV?

A plasma TV is a video monitor that uses millions of tiny colored fluorescent lights to create an image. The tiny light cells are sandwiched between two plates of glass along with electrodes that trigger the cells to produce colors and patterns. This innovative way of creating images allows plasma TVs to be both flat and very large.

What are the features of a plasma TV?

* Plasma TVs provide high-resolution images. The image quality of plasma TVs is much sharper and clearer than tube TVs. Because of this, plasma TVs can accommodate high-definition HDTV signals, as well as DTV, and other formats.

* Plasma TVs are easy to view from any place in the room. And unlike projection TVs and LCD TVs, the picture on a plasma TV is clear from almost any angle.

* Plasma TVs are completely flat. Not only are they attractive and modern, but there is no distortion from curvature, which can be a problem with tube TV screens.

* Plasma TVs are slim and lightweight. The construction of plasma TVs lets them be hung on a wall and hug the wall. You can put a plasma TV almost anywhere, in comparison with the limits posed by the shape and size of traditional tube TVs and projection TVs.

* Plasma TVs accommodate a widescreen format. You get the full theater experience from plasma TVs because they use a widescreen aspect ratio. In addition to their high resolution, this allows plasma TVs to make the most of HDTV and DVD formats.

* Plasma TVs are lifelike. The picture you get from a plasma TV is the clearest picture around, and there is such a sense of depth, the image almost seems three-dimensional.

Where can I compare plasma TV prices?

All this modern technology comes at a price - plasma TVs aren't cheap. Most start at $2,000 and can cost up to $10,000, depending upon the size and model.

In order to get the best price on a plasma TV, I recommend going to your local electronics stores to compare the prices and features, then compare prices online before you buy one.

I found an excellent online service that compares prices and provides customer reviews on all models and brands of plasma TVs. Not only does this service provide well-researched price comparisons for the various makes and models of plasma TVs, but it also gives ratings plus detailed product information.

Reviews of plasma TVs are provided by customers who actually own one. It's like having a network of friends to give you first-hand, unbiased advice on your plasma TV purchase. You can click on the links below to go to this service and comparison shop for yourself.

Visit the http://TheSatelliteTVGuide.com to get more information, to compare prices, and to get consumer ratings for plasma TVs and LCD Tvs.

The author, Brian Stevens, is the senior editor for TheSatelliteTVGuide.com and has written extensively on plasma TV comparisons.

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Plasma TV Hook Up Tips

Before installing a plasma TV it is wise to plan where the TV set, its accessories and cables will be located before you make the purchase. It could be as simple as clearing the space needed for installation, to sitting down and drawing out in detail exactly where and how your plasma TV will be installed and hooked up.

Planning for placement of the plasma TV will include the decision of whether or not the Plasma TV screen should be mounted on a good supporting wall, or if the TV screen should be placed on a well-built stand.

Either you should pay a professional to install your plasma TV, or you can install it yourself. Regardless of who does the installation, many things will need attention for a proper hook up of a plasma TV. Taking time now to plan the installation and hook up of a plasma TV will save you time and cut down on problems and expense later.

One of the best tips for hooking up your plasma TV can be found in your owner's manual, take time to read it for helpful advice and instructions of a plasma TV hook up.

When considering cable connections use the highest quality that is within your TV budget.

Use a length of cable that is required for proper connection. Using a cable that is too long can cause problems with receiving a good signal and display while damaging your plasma TV system components.

Never stretch a short cable; this can cause problems with the audio and video interconnections. Instead, add 2 feet of excess cable for any necessary adjustments. This also prevents the possibility of accidentally pulling a cable loose or unnecessarily stretching the cable.

Since power cords can cause a considerable amount of interference to receiving a broadcast signal, it is best to keep signal cables away from power cables.

Always remember to situate any excess cable you may have into a pattern of a figure eight or in an S pattern. This will cut down on interference of electromagnetic energy.

Be sure to label ahead of time any cables extending from other TV components. This helps you make a quicker and easier hook up between your accessories.

As with any other high quality component, having superior surge protectors for your home entertainment unit, and their accessories is always a good invest of a plasma TV budget at work.

Electrical outlets should be close enough for use with out the use of extension cords, which can become a fire hazard. Be sure that there are enough electrical outlets close by to suit your plasma TV hook up needs.

Remember to register your plasma TV warranty and utilize any rebates or special money saving offers. In addition, be sure to keep all paper work, boxes and packing material in case a unit may needs to be sent in for repairs or replacement. Systems are much safer to ship in their original boxes.

David Tanguay is dedicated in providing research, reviews & helpful information to consumers and businesses. To research, review and purchase your next TV, please visit LCD Review at http://plasmatv-compare.com

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What's the Difference Between Plasma TVs and LCD TVs?

Plasma and LCD TVs are the latest trend in home entertainment. Both offer unrivalled picture quality and resolution, while doing away with the bulkiness of the older rear-projection technologies. But with all of the hype surrounding these two types of televisions, what is the difference between them? Although they look- and are virtually priced- the same, they are not.
There differences are found in the way in which they display their pictures. Plasma TV technology is made up of hundreds of thousands of little pixels, each capable of displaying red, green, and blue colors. A plasma monitor often consists of two panels, which are filled with an inert gas, such as xenon or neon. When the pixels are excited by pulses of electricity, the gas becomes liquid, thus generating light. This light in turn then illuminates the pixels, causing them to display the appropriate color to form a picture.

LCD panels function in a very similar manner. A panel of thin-film-transmitters, or TFT, sends electricity to cells filled with liquid crystal. When the cells are struck by the electricity, the liquid crystals allow light to filter through. Unlike the pixels found in plasma TVs, LCD monitors create color by blocking out the appropriate wavelengths from white light.

So which is better? The answer to this question depends upon what you plan to use TV for. Do you just want to use it to watch movies and television? If so, then a plasma TV might be best, because they are capable of a higher better color saturation and contrast than their LCD counterparts and for displaying moving images. If you plan in spending a lot of time showing digital photography or plan on using the monitor with your computer, then a LCD display might be better suited to these purposes.

Both plasma and LCD technologies each have their advantages and disadvantages and your decision should ultimately be based on your monitor's application.

Tom Ace is the founder of Plasma tv Resources a website providing information on plasma televisions.
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10 Bone-Headed Mistakes Plasma TV Shoppers Must Avoid

Shopping for a Big Screen TV means avoiding lots of people trying to dazzle you with new technology.

You have to side-step slick TV salesmen talking about DLP, EDTV or 1080i. You have to outsmart internet con artists selling gray market Plasmas. And you have to ignore bone-headed advice from Fred, the neighborhood know-it-all.

Mistake #1: Don’t Buy A “No-Name” Plasma TV!The most important decision you can make when buying a big screen TV is to decide not to buy a “No-Name”. A device as complex as a LCD, Plasma or DLP TV must be manufactured with the finest components by dozens of expert technicians working in multi-million dollar plants. “No-name” companies use none of those.

Mistake #2: Never Trust A “Seeing Eye” TV Salesman!If you walk into a TV showroom and don’t know EDTV from HDTV, some slick salesman will smile and eat you for lunch! Don’t let salesmen make choices for you, or you’ll end up with some outdated TV his boss wants to get rid of. Or you’ll end up with screen burn-in on your new Plasma when your son hooks up his Playstation 3; or suffer with a dim display in your brightly lit living room. Do a little research before you make a purchase; it’s not difficult.

(If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used above - DLP, EDTV, LCD - Google the "123 Guide To Plasma TV.com")

Mistake #3: Don’t Buy From A “No-Name” Retailer!It’s important to buy your Plasma TV from a reputable dealer selling brand name merchandise. The return of a faulty $2000 Plasma TV won’t bankrupt Wal-Mart or Sony; but could devastate a Mom and Pop electronics store. Try to make major purchases from a major retailer’s website; make sure they offer a good return policy and have brand name Plasmas at a discount price.

Mistake #4: Don’t Fall For Plasma Internet Scams!We’ve all seen what look like great deals on Plasma TVs online. But exactly what is a great deal? It means getting GREAT MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE. It’s not a great deal if you get CRAPPY MERCHANDISE at a GREAT PRICE! You don’t want your “new” Plasma to be a returned or refurbished item. Avoid “gray market” or “B stock” merchandise, and avoid sellers who aren’t authorized retailers.

Mistake #5: Don’t Play Video Games On A Plasma Television!The chance of screen burn-in on a Plasma TV has been greatly reduced by improved technology, but not eliminated. Computer programs, video games, stock tickers and station logos can burn permanently into the screen, ruining your expensive TV. LCD and DLP TV screens cannot suffer screen burn-in, ever.

Mistake #6: Don’t Let A Know-It-All Pick Your TV!Your neighbor Fred says he’s an expert on Big Screen TVs, and volunteers to help you buy one. Fred may be a good guy. . . he may even know the difference between DTV and DLP. But Fred may also be a Boob blowing smoke out the rear of his shorts. How can you tell? Rely on the only person you can trust to look out for your interests . . . you! Listen to Fred, but take him with a grain of salt . . . and do your own research!

Mistake #7: Don’t Try To Bring Home A Plasma TV By Yourself!There was a time you could go to Circuit City, buy a 19-inch color TV, throw it in the back seat and take it home . . . those days are over! Shipping a Plasma TV to your home is the only sensible way to get it there; it’s too big, expensive, heavy and delicate to be shoved in the trunk of a car. Your retailer will arrange shipping for you; make sure that insurance and order tracking are included in the deal. Don’t sign for delivery until you’ve inspected your TV for damage.

Mistake #8: Don’t Install A Plasma TV Without Help!A Plasma TV, although thin, is actually very heavy. A 50-inch Plasma TV can weigh over 160 pounds. Mounting a Plasma TV on it’s table stand is a three person job; call some strong friends over. The delivery people will put your TV on the curb, or in your living room, depending on what you paid for. They won’t install your TV on a wall mount, that service costs $200-$300.

Mistake #9: Don’t Fail To Connect A Dolby Sound System!You shouldn’t settle for the sound coming from your TV speakers. Attached to your TV, a Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound amplifier sends six separate channels of sound through speakers in front of, on both sides of and behind the viewer. Home Theater Systems start as low as $250 and go into the thousands; they include an amplifier, five speakers, wire and a sub woofer. Dolby 7.1 is even more advanced with eight sound channels.

Mistake #10: Don’t Forget To Budget For Peripherals!For full enjoyment of your new Plasma TV, you’ll need lots of other stuff: HDMI cables for each peripheral, surge protectors, a TV stand or wall mount, a HDTV DVD player and digital cable for High Def broadcasts. You’ll also need a Home Theater System with at least Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and a comfortable viewing area. I’m not trying to scare you . . . a modest system can cost less than $300, A good system between $800-$1000 and a Top-of-the-Line system $1500 and up.
Well, there you have it . . . the 10 Biggest Bone-Headed Mistakes you could make when shopping for the perfect Plasma TV! Avoid them like the plague!
Good luck . . . I hope you find the Plasma TV that will thrill your family for years to come!
It’s as easy as 123!

About The AuthorIke Ridley is the avid videophile and self-confessed “Movie Nut” who created the website the 123 Guide To http://www.123-guide-to-plasma-tv.com To visit us, click the links or paste this URL into your web browser:

Ike has moved to the Caribbean where he clicks away on his laptop under a palm tree.
This is a 100% free article. You may distribute it freely. You may distribute this article if it’s intact, with the author's links, copyright notice and author information included. The article contains no affiliate links. I hope you’ll enjoy it! Copyright © 2007 Isaac Ridley Jr. Some rights reserved.

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Plasma TV or LCD - Which Should You Choose?

When it comes to high quality flat screen TVs, there are a number of choices available these days and the technology is constantly improving. However, as each competing TV screen technology matures and improves, the differences between them become more difficult to detect. And so it is with the comparison between LCD and plasma TVs.

The big advantages of both kinds of TV monitors is that they are very thin, only a few inches thick. Because of that you can choose to either place them on a stand, as you have with televisions you have owned in the past, or mount them to the wall instead. They both also produce stunningly beautiful visual displays, especially when coupled with high definition television programming. But there are some subtle differences that you will want to be aware of though.

Plasma TVs have been in use for many years and they use inert gases that are illuminated to display colors on individual pixels on the screen. Their best feature is the high contrast image that they reproduce. The colors are extremely vivid and sharp and this is mostly due to the fact that plasma TVs are able to exhibit true saturated blacks, whereas other monitors, LCDs included, usually have some compromise in how much true black they display.

Plasma screens are also easily viewed from almost any angle and so if you have a wide room with seating that extends out at an angle from the front of the television set, you may want to consider this advantage, although recently many LCD TVs have been steadily improving in their accepted viewing angle.

One area that plasma TVs have historically had a disadvantage is in the amount of electricity needed to power them and how hot they run. It can cost more to run a plasma TV if you use it very regularly, and it can generate quite a bit of heat inside, enough to warrant most manufacturers making use of a fan to cool them down as they run. This is not a noticeable problem unless the fan makes noise that can be distracting. So be sure to actually view a plasma TV before buying that particular model and see if the fan noise is a problem.

Another quirk of plasma TVs is that they can be susceptible to screen burn-in, which happens when one image is left on the screen for a very long time and it then becomes "burned into" the screen so that you can still faintly see it even when another image is displayed. This can happen on some TV channels that display an image that stays in a certain part of the screen for a long time, and if you play video games, there may also be a possibility that some games can cause this problem. So ask yourself before buying how you intend to use the TV, and if you happen to view programming that may have static screen images a lot of the time, it may be wise to choose an LCD screen as it does not suffer from this problem.

LCD TVs may not produce deep contrasty images like plasma monitors do, but the colors are still very pleasing and they can also be a better choice for brightly lit rooms since their display is not as susceptible to ambient light influences. However, they can tend to get more pricey than plasma TVs once you go above the 40 inch screen size.

All in all though, either type of TV screen technology will do a great job for you. The best recommendation is before you buy, visit a local electronics retailer and view representatives from plasma screens and LCDs. Bring along your own movie that you are familiar with and look for the differences. Then choose the one that makes the most sense to you. There is no need to buy from the store as you can often save lots of money by making your purchase online instead, but by doing your homework you can make a more informed buying decision.

Jim Johnson is a successful author and publisher on consumer related matters. You can find out more about the best plasma tv and getting a plasma wall mount by visiting our HDTV website.

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