Very often from people choosing a new TV, one can hear the question of how the LCD differs from the “plasma”. Many people confuse these concepts and do not see the difference between them. In this article we will understand how the LCD differs from the "plasma", what are the advantages and disadvantages of both technologies.
Plasma televisions have long been top sellers. They feature a slim body and wide screen. However, to date, plasma TVs are successfully competing with LCD technology. A few years ago, LCD matrices were used only in the production of computer monitors. Modern LCD monitors have grown significantly in size, they even by some parameters were able to bypass the plasma panels. Today, LCD and plasma TVs are very widely represented in household appliances stores. The buyer has plenty to choose from; 20 years ago it was hard to imagine such a huge assortment, distinguished by design, size and characteristics.
Now let's look at the parameters of both technologies in order to understand how LCD differs from “plasma”. The first indicator that substantially separates these devices is the amount of electricity consumed. A working plasma TV consumes three times more energy than an LCD device of the same size. This is due to the technology of creating an image on the “plasma” screen, in which one cell consumes from 200 to 300 volts. In contrast, one cell of an LCD TV consumes only 5-12 volts. The scatter in the consumption of electric current in plasma devices is explained by the brightness of the pixel luminescence at the moment. If the picture is light, then the power consumption is maximum, and if in dark colors, then the consumption is minimal. In LCD monitors, the current consumption is independent of the image transmitted on the screen. The power of pixels is not even taken into account in the calculation. The main energy consumption in such a TV is spent on backlight, which are located behind the LCD panel.
For many people, low electric current consumption is a priority, therefore, having started reading about how an LCD TV differs from a “plasma”, and learning about the first such parameter, they can immediately make a choice. We continue to consider the differences between the two technologies.
So, the second parameter is the need to cool the plasma device (often they have built-in fans). The sound of working coolers is very annoying when operating the "plasma" at home. LCD TVs do not need cooling.
The third important parameter in our comparison is the resolution of the monitor. Plasma technology is characterized by a large distance between pixels. For LCD TVs, this distance is much less, so the image is much sharper. So, plasma screens with a diagonal of 42 inches have a resolution of 860x420 pixels. An LCD TV with a diagonal of only 40 inches has 1280x768 pixels.
The fourth parameter for comparing these technologies is image contrast. Here at this stage, plasma TVs significantly outperformed their competitors. So, for LCD monitors the contrast ratio is on average 500: 1, and for “plasma” - 4000: 1 and even more.
The next important characteristic is the viewing angle, and here the plasma technology is also ahead. The LCD TV has a maximum angle of 170 degrees, but the contrast is already significantly reduced. For plasma monitors, the viewing angle is practically unlimited.
LCD technology is also considered a weak spot in black - it is not as saturated as a plasma TV.
The last parameter on our list will be screen aging. In plasma monitors, this process is more noticeable. In addition, they are very moody in relation to operating conditions. LCD technology is more stable and lasts longer.
So we examined how the LCD differs from the "plasma", but you have to choose it yourself.