You’ve made the decision to purchase a new TV but you’re unsure whether to choose a Plasma or LCD. Here’s some information to help you choose the right TV to meet your needs.

Outward appearances are definitely confusing when it comes to LCD and Plasma televisions. Although both types of television are slim line and flat, they employ different technology in an attempt to deliver similar results.

Plasma TVs

The screens on plasma TVs are perfectly flat. They produce natural, vibrant colours while also maintaining a high level of detail. This is because the pixels on a plasma screen are ‘lit’ at once, unlike normal TVs, where the image is scanned across the screen. The image is therefore sharper and brighter.

This is great for regular room lighting and can be watched from most distances and angles without affecting your viewing experience. Even as you get closer to the screen, you will not be affected by changes in picture or colour quality. They are only a few inches thin which provides a lot of options when it comes to installation.

In addition to stand mounting, they can be hung on a wall or from a ceiling. All plasma TVs are designed in widescreen.

Plasma displays do not use electron beams, unlike conventional TV displays. They are therefore immune to the effects of magnetic fields. This allows for speakers to be placed quite close and will not compromise your home cinema set up.

Circumstance	Plasma
Screen Size	Plasma screens tend to be larger, with screen sizes up to around 71".
Weight	Heavier than LCDs, plasma screens often need to be wall-mounted by professionals, incurring an additional expense as well as the extra delivery cost.
Picture Quality	Plasmas tend to have deeper blacks and better contrast
Screen Refresh Rates	Better motion tracking
Burn-in or Stuck Pixels	Plasma TVs are more susceptible to burn-in of static images, however new technology has significantly reduced the effects.
Energy Usage	Plasma uses slightly more power than LCD screens.
Performance at High Altitude	High altitudes can affect the performance of plasma displays

LCD TVs

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. This means that the screen is made up of millions of tiny liquid crystal molecules, called pixels. These function like a camera shutter, allowing light to either pass through or be blocked as voltage is individually applied so they change state to create an 'image'. The colour is added to the LCD display through three filters (red, green, and blue) that are applied to each pixel. LCD TV screens always maintain sharp, clear pictures without reflection from artificial lights or bright sunlight through windows.

LCD technology is extremely lightweight therefore products are both highly portable and versatile. With screen sizes ranging from 13" (4:3) to 46"+ widescreen, this means you can watch an LCD TV wherever you want

Flicker-free images offer a more comfortable viewing experience with less eyestrain, even when viewed close-up. Also, since no static electricity is generated on a LCD screen it remains virtually dust free and clean for perfect viewing all the time.

Circumstance	LCD
Screen Size	Generally up to 46", though there have been larger screens made, these are not yet readily available or affordable.
Weight	LCDs weigh less meaning they are cheaper to ship and easier to wall mount.
Picture Quality	Lower contrast ratio, not as good rendering deep blacks. LCD TVs reflect very little light, allowing them to maintain levels in well-lit rooms.
Screen Refresh Rates	LCD refresh rates have improved greatly so there is only a slight edge to plasma technology these days.
Burn-in or Stuck Pixels	This is not a problem with LCD screens, but they can suffer from dead pixels.
Energy Usage	Slightly less than plasma screens.
Performance at High Altitude	LCDs are not affected by high altitude.