A Picture you can't resist

The picture on a Plasma TV is sharp and bright. Its picture full of vivid and brilliant colors! Its slim and elegant design puts the Plasma TV almost on everyone's wish list. It is also an opportunity to upgrade your living room to an ultimate Home Theater. Plasma TVs came in to the consumer market about 7 years ago. There are many companies which manufacture these display units with more and more upgrades every year.

Let's give you some simple guidelines before you make your purchase. It is also very important at the same time that you read the manufacturer's specs on the unit and discuss more details with the sales people to find out if it will be suitable for your display application such as Business Presentation or Home Theater.

Some necessary Specs to look for

Things in the electronic world are changing or upgrading almost everyday but that doesn't mean the devices bought today will become obsolete tomorrow. If you plan and research properly you can find Plasma TVs which will provide sheer enjoyment for the entire family for many years to come.

One thing for sure is the word 'High Definition' which is on everyone's mind. February 17, 2009 is the deadline set by the United States Congress for Analog TV. A bill was signed recently by President George Bush resolving this issue. This means after this deadline all broadcasters will have to relay TV signals in digital. More and more stations are being upgraded to High Definition. It is likely that majority of TV stations in the next couple of years will be in Digital High Definition.

The standard for High Definition right now is 16:9 aspect ratio in native picture resolution of 1280x720 pixels or more commonly known as 720p. It is also true that some High Definition channels or programs are introduced in more Higher Definition resolution of 1920x1080 pixels or more commonly known as 1080p. High Definition DVD Discs are also recorded in 1920x1080 digital progressive resolutions which are very close to the Cinema resolution. Blue-ray™ disc players are already displaying the picture in 1080 progressive resolution through its HDMI™ output. Some new Play-stations also have the same resolution. So if your budget allows and if you wish then look for Plasma TVs with 1080p resolutions.

By the way, TVs with 720p resolution are more affordable and will go a long way. Many programs are available in 720 progressive resolutions. Satellite channels, Cable TV and your local TV stations are providing many Digital High Definition programs in 720 progressive resolution everyday. High Definition DVD players are also displaying the picture in 720 progressive vertical lines. So you have material, more than enough, to support your 720p Monitor.

Screen Size

If the space and budget allows then go for a bigger screen size. The games on bigger screens look more real. The movies which are in Cinemascope ratio and are wider than the High Definition picture can fit on bigger screens but with horizontal black bars. This process decreases the size of the picture. Now at least on the bigger screens these movies will not look small.

Normally High Definition Plasma TVs starts at 50" diagonal screen which can accommodate full 1280 Plasma Cells in 720 vertical lines. TV Screens smaller than 50" in diagonal size can not accommodate complete High Definition picture resolution. Normally these TVs with smaller screens have picture resolution of 1024x576 pixels. This resolution is also known as EDTV resolution. EDTV stands for Enhanced Definition Television. These EDTV Plasmas will accept High Definition resolutions in 720p and 1080i but the picture will be downscaled into the native pixel area of the TV.

Design

Almost all Plasma TV looks similar. Some TVs have silver border and some black. The Black Metal frame is more soothing to the eyes. It improves the appearance of the picture.

The Plasma TVs can be either a table top placement or be wall mounted. Wall mounted units provide wider and clear viewing angle. The matching wall mount unit and the wall stud where it will be mounted should be strong enough to hold the weight of the Plasma. We recommend professional installation to avoid any mishaps. This will also provide a picture at more suitable eye level.

New Plasma TVs are not as heavy as their old counterparts. If the Plasma TV has more weight then see if the manufacturer has provided strong carrying handles on the unit. This way two people can carry the Plasma unit easily.

See if the Plasma TV has anti-reflective screen so that it can cut any external or ambient light. Study the specs to find out if the three color Plasma Cells have their own 4 independent walls. Some older models had cells with open walls and the color could bleed into each other. See the picture from different angles and ask the sales guy if he can play some different sources such as HDTV, HD DVD or Blue-Ray Disc™.

Connections

As you know by now the TVs in the past were simple and easy. One RF connection will do the job. You will get the picture and the audio. The new display units need more bandwidth and higher picture quality. These new Plasma display monitors have plenty of input terminals on the back panel. Chances are you will never use all of them. In addition to Analog inputs most important are Digital HDMI connections. HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. These HDMI inputs are under the compliance of HDCP which stands for High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. This is a sort of software implemented in source and display devices to deter the Video Piracy. So make sure the HDMI port is HDCP otherwise there won't be any picture. Another benefit of HDMI is that it can carry uncompressed digital audio and video in one cable and thus saves you money on buying additional cables.

Audio

Some Plasma TVs can have an attachable or detachable speaker system. These speakers can provide mono, stereo or virtual surround sound but because of their size and area they can't give you complete 100% digital surround sound. If you are a movie buff then you would definitely like to go for digital surround sound. In that case look for a monitor without the speaker system.

Slow burns and Dead Pixels

Any machine can go wrong. So find ways to fix it. Plasmas are Phosphor based and can cause carbon like image on the surface known as slow burns if the numbers or some letters stays on the screen longer than intended. Most of the new Plasma units have orbiter type devices installed inside to clean the screen which can avoid the slow-burns. See if the unit has these features.

Another annoying thing could be a Dead Pixel. This is a one Plasma Cell which has stopped working and the light is simply passing through it. This dead Plasma cell is not soothing to the eyes and you don't want to live with it forever. Sometimes there can be more than one Dead Pixels on the screen. They can happen anytime. Find out what's the manufacturer's policy and warranty on the Dead Pixels. If they are ready to replace the unit with a new one if such a mishap occurs then the risk factor is reduced.

Life of the Plasma Cells

Plasma cells are like organic or the living beings. They can deteriorate. Normally the new Plasma TVs have Plasma Cells with a span of 60,000 hours half brightness which means they will last for this time frame and after that their brightness will be reduced by half. These Plasma TVs are good for at least 20 years.

Warranty

Manufacturer's warranty on parts and labor for the Plasma TV can be 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. See if you will need extended warranty at additional cost.

Final Decision

Final decision in making the purchase of the Plasma display monitor should be yours. It should suit your taste and needs. So if you are happy and satisfied go for it.