What is more expensive: plasma or LCD? Which TV is better - LCD or plasma? Characteristics of the plasma panel
As you understand, this is a thematic article where we analyze the advantages and disadvantages modern TVs. This is a pressing question, and it is especially important if you decide to change your old TV and have no idea what to choose as a replacement. We have already figured out how plasma differs from LCD, and in this article we will talk about what is better: plasma or LED.
Characteristics of the plasma panel
The plasma panel is perhaps a memory of the past. Of course, the assortment includes plasma TVs, but black and white phones can also be found on the market.
First, plasma doesn't answer everyone's needs. modern characteristics, offering a dimmer picture. Yes, the viewing angles are excellent, but what is this plus worth? The plasma panel weighs more than LED TV, and the service life of such equipment is significantly shorter. Moreover, we must not forget that plasma loves electricity very much, reaching the level of a microwave oven in terms of energy consumption.
Today, plasma panels are used in stadiums, squares and large public stages. Perhaps this is the crowning place for such screens, where they have not yet lost their relevance. We approach the question of which is better: plasma or LED.
Characteristics of LED
If we conduct global discussions on television topics, then it is worth considering LED TVs. Most people today have made a choice in favor of this TV, but the question remains the same: “Why?”
So what are the benefits of LED?
- The main illumination is carried out directly from the matrix, which is especially noticeable in comparison with “plasma”, where the picture is formed on a model of individual lamps.
- The actual thickness of the LED TV panel is less, which adds aesthetic beauty to the contours of the room.
- Energy consumption, as well as the weight of the structure, is significantly less for LED TVs.
- At the moment, “plasma” wins in price, but in fact, the production of LED TVs is becoming cheaper, and this trend is visible in last years. In the next few years price policy will change dramatically.
By listening to different opinions about what is better: plasma or LED, we create problems for ourselves. Some people listen to the biased opinion of a store consultant, while others succumb to a misleading article in a daily publication. That is why we have once again drawn a clear line in this eternal issue.
In the debate “plasma, LCD, LED - which is better”, objective human opinion won. That is, you can choose your option based on your personal theory and your own truth. However, if we face the facts, LED TV is the clear winner in today's battle. This is a development that came at the right time to replace previous models television designs.
10 months ago
From time to time we buy household appliances and electronics, including a TV. After all, sometimes you need to update it. And if your old TV burns out, you don’t need to spend money on repairing it. It's better to buy a new one right away. But which one exactly? Which model should you prefer?
We must admit that choosing a TV for modern man can be difficult. In the sense that the store offers so much of everything. TVs different manufacturers. Their characteristics are different. And therefore the price can vary greatly. A variety of technologies are used for their manufacture.
However, it is very important for the buyer to decide right away which technology is better? LCD TV or plasma? Or maybe LED? To help the buyer with the choice of a TV, then we will go into some detail about what needs to be taken into account when buying a TV, which TV should you choose?
Plasma panel
What does a consumer value most in a plasma TV? Research has shown that what he values most is excellent picture quality. Consumers also like the depth of color rendering.
It is not difficult to explain how this quality is obtained. The fact is that it is inherent in plasma image technology that each cell has its own color. And it acts as an independent microscopic kinescope.
The basis of the TV is a pair of glass plates of high transparency. Between these plates there is a space in which special vessels are located. It is in them that electrically charged gases are concentrated. When exposed electric charge the gas begins to glow.
The surface of each vessel is coated with a fluorescent phosphor composition. Each pixel of a plasma TV consists of three vessels, which are filled with red, green and blue phosphor.
Please note that if you control the level of three colors, you can achieve reproduction of any color. In order to control the level of electrical charge acting on the vessel, a computer is needed.
Nowadays there are many ratings of plasma panels. Moreover, they are very contradictory. From the point of view of some, the technology has already outlived its usefulness. And as an argument, the fact is given that there are not so many manufacturers now who continue to produce plasma.
IMPORTANT! However, no matter what anyone says, such technology is always highest quality. And we must admit that such quality is not available to other technologies.
ADVANTAGES such models
In contrast and bright intense colors;
- in a clear image of high quality;
- 3D support;
- in a wide viewing angle;
- in a wide range large TVs, with a diagonal of up to 80 inches.
- large size screen;
- in a realistic image.
IMPORTANT! Each frame is smoothly replaced by another, there is no flickering or unpleasant color “waves”. On average, a plasma TV lasts about twenty years.
FLAWS
Surfaces are vulnerable to damage;
The surface is highly reflective, and therefore anti-reflective coating does not always cope;
You will have to pay a lot to buy a plasma TV. Anyone who cannot afford the extra costs will certainly not be able to buy such a TV.
Devices that operate using plasma technology can, in some cases, consume a lot of energy. In particular, the power consumption of a model with a diagonal of 42 inches can be about 350 W.
When a static picture remains on the screen for a long time, individual pixels fail. They may stop burning altogether. Or they can burn constantly. Neither one nor the other will bring pleasure to the viewer.
There are also models of plasma TVs that are heavy. Sometimes it is 90 kg. You cannot do without a powerful bracket if you are going to securely mount the TV on the wall.
LCD TV (LCD technology)
Why to the ordinary consumer Is it difficult to choose between LCD or plasma? This is because technologies have a lot in common. The design of an LCD TV is a structure that has many layers.
Electrodes and TFT thin-film transistors are deposited onto parallel glass plates by sputtering. The space between them is filled with liquid crystals, which form a thin layer. Thanks to them, an array of many pixels is formed.
An RGB stencil is placed in front of each pixel. Polarizing filters are applied to the plates, the axes of which are perpendicular to each other. Fluorescent CCFL lamps are required for backlighting.
When voltage is applied, the shape of the crystals changes and they polarize the light. In order to control the light transmission of the crystals, it is necessary to change the voltage on the electrodes. With the help of transistors, one of the three cells on the RGB stencil is opened. To form a color image, you need to combine the basic colors: green, red, blue.
IMPORTANT! Please note that if you purchase digital set-top box to the TV, the picture quality will improve.
It's hard to choose between LCD or plasma TVs. However, many LCDs still have POSITIVE DIFFERENCES:
Compact design;
- There is no flickering;
- Energy consumption is low;
- There is no static voltage at the screen;
- The price is inexpensive;
- Low noise level;
- Long term operation. It can be twice as long as plasma (75 thousand hours versus 30 thousand hours).
FLAWS
Contrast is lower;
Black depth is low. Black color is not saturated enough. It is perceived not as black, but dark blue. This can be explained by the specific technology of manufacturing liquid crystal screens. However, you won't notice this when you watch TV in a room where there is good lighting;
If the viewing angle is increased, the brightness and hue of the image deteriorates;
Compared to plasma LCD TVs, there are no problems due to static images. They consume less energy. Prices are low. At the same time, image quality suffers.
IMPORTANT! So, which is better, plasma or LCD TV? For an avid film fan who values clarity and dynamics of the picture, we can recommend plasma. Accordingly, the LCD can be recommended to those who often watch news and other broadcast programs. After all, there is no point in spending a lot of money on this.
LED panels
There is only one difference, and it is the replacement of fluorescent LED backlight arrays. These arrays include both white and multi-colored RGB LEDs. It is these innovations that consumers value. They see many positive changes in this.
Types of LED backlight:
Edge, quite simple and inexpensive. It has LEDs located around the perimeter of the screen. To ensure that the backlight is distributed evenly, a special film is used for dispersion. She is behind the screen. The main advantage is that it is possible to produce very thin panels. Up to 1 cm!
Direct, in which the LEDs are distributed evenly throughout the entire volume.
ADVANTAGES technologies:
Perfectly conveys contrast, brightness and colors;
- Realistic display and three-dimensional image;
- It is possible to adjust the brightness in different areas.
FLAWS technologies:
Worst viewing angle. That's why it's difficult to choose which is better - LCD or LED TV;
Brightness is sometimes distributed unevenly across the screen;
Colors occasionally appear unnatural and incorrect;
Great cost. Perhaps this is the only reason why LED TVs have not yet replaced LCD and plasma on the market.
There are few models with a diagonal of less than 40 inches. If you want to buy a small TV, then you need to choose from plasma or LCD TVs.
IMPORTANT! The characteristics of these TVs are such that, as a result, they are a cross between plasma and LCD. The image quality is much higher than the first ones. You need less energy than the second one. However, the prices of LED TVs are high. Not everyone can afford to buy such a TV.
How should you choose a TV for your home?
First of all, the buyer must clearly understand for what purpose he is making such a purchase? That is, what the TV will be used for. For example, someone needs it in order to watch news and television programs on the air. But some people need it to enjoy concerts and action films. And you need to determine where it will be?
1. SCREEN TYPE
It’s not hard to guess that the kitchen and living room require completely different screens.
The living room usually contains a wide variety of household appliances. Here they install, for example, Acustic systems, DVD and Blu-Ray players and more. Therefore, experts believe that full-scale plasma would be appropriate here.
The role of TV in the kitchen is different. Here, according to tradition, he serves as a background. Therefore, a compact LCD TV can fit well in the kitchen.
In the bedroom, as a rule, it is customary to watch cable TV and Internet content. IN in this case This a good option not only for plasma, but also LCD or LED, which correspond to the size of the room and how the format equipment is located.
SIZE 2
If you choose a TV, you must immediately determine where there is a place for it in the house. Before you choose an LCD or LED TV, you need to know in which room it will be located? In a brightly lit room? In a darkened room?
IMPORTANT! Please note that the distance to the place from which the viewing will take place is also important. Let's say from a chair. It is generally accepted that the best value is 2.5-3 meters.
3. PERMISSION
This characteristic is directly related to the diagonal of the device. A couple of these parameters have a very strong impact on how the image is perceived.
If the screen resolution is high, then the ability to see the smallest details and effects more clearly becomes greater.
Every time the resolution gets lower, you have to accept that there are small errors in the image, and they are very noticeable if you look at it from a close distance.
What are the results?
So which is better: plasma, or LCD, or LED?
Image quality. In first place are LED and plasma. LCD TVs are significantly inferior because the level of clarity and contrast is not high enough.
Economical. And here the leaders are again models with LED technology. In second place are LCD TVs. The most “gluttonous” participant is considered to be a plasma device.
Price. LCD TVs are the cheapest to buy. In second place is plasma. In third place are LED TVs, which are inaccessible to many.
Durability. For this characteristic, no one can compare with LCD. In second place are plasma and LED TVs.
IMPORTANT! This means that if someone needs a device that can be used for almost decades and the image quality is not very important, then we recommend buying an LCD TV. Aesthetes and film buffs who have low incomes can recommend a plasma model.
For those who like to watch movies and have money for expensive purchases, we can recommend an LED TV. And not a simple one, but one that has a 3D image effect.
The technologies for producing plasma, LCD (CCFL LCD) and LED (LED LCD) TVs are well developed today, so they all produce a fairly high-quality picture. And yet, what plasma is better or LCD? Both plasma panels and their brothers LCD and LED TVs have their pros and cons.
Why brothers? Because they are produced using the same technology and differ only in the lighting method.
Plasma panelsgive a fairly high-quality picture: true black color and generally realistic color rendition, high contrast, wide viewing angles and little time response.
Disadvantages: the brightness is not high enough and watching TV in a sunny room will not be so comfortable, high energy consumption, large dimensions.
"Screen burnout" is the process of phosphorus burning in the cell. As a result, a frequently displayed image, such as a logo, may be remembered on the screen. This problem exists with plasma, but even the first models had a service life of 30,000 hours (about 10 years). And today manufacturers claim the service life of panels is comparable to LCD TVs.
Another disadvantage is that it is impossible to create plasma with a diagonal size smaller than 32 inches. But the price of a large diagonal plasma is lower than that of the same diagonal LCD or LED.
U LCD (CCFL LCD) TVs Brightness is better than plasma, power consumption is lower. Response time and viewing angles are inferior to plasma, but they are sufficient for comfortable viewing. Color rendering and contrast are at the same level, and differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Although it should be noted that the black color is not truly black, but rather dark gray. This is due to the features of the technology.
LED (LED LCD) TVs, Also being LCD TVs, they are thinner than CCFL LCD due to the fact that LEDs are used instead of fluorescent lamps to backlight the liquid crystal panel. This improves color rendering. The downside is the price. According to this indicator, they are inferior to LCD (CCFL LCD) TVs and plasma. Besidesthese TVs have nSome illumination unevenness. These are the features of LCD technology. But today this is the most modern technology for mass production of televisions.
Knowing the pros and cons of all technologies, you can decide whether a plasma or LCD TV is better for you.
P.S. The first CCFL LCD TVs have already left the TV market. Plasma production ceased in 2014. LED LCD still occupies the main TV market. But it's already being replaced new technology - OLED. The stated prices for Oled TVs are still very high. But they are already on sale. About models that are entering the market
If you have an intention to buy a TV, then you need, no, you even have to keep up with the times. Currently, high image accuracy is relevant. Only the latest modern technology can satisfy the most demanding consumers. A huge advantage of modern times is widespread access to the Internet, which can help with choice. In it you can consider many models, descriptions, as well as reviews of them. This will push you to an option that is more suitable for you: in design, price and other parameters. The best option modernity is quality TV And digital television. This combination will make watching movies and programs as comfortable as possible. There are approximately 130 companies in the world that produce televisions, including domestic manufacturers. And they are all concerned about improving the quality of their products in order to earn the trust of consumers. Are you choosing a TV? Which is better? Let's consider the possible options.
Which TV is better - LCD or plasma?
So, you need to understand the screen parameters. The following types are available for sale:
Projection;
LED, also known as LED TVs;
Plasma;
Liquid crystal (LCD).
LCD TV
What is it? This is a matrix consisting of dots. These elements (dots) are called pixels. A pixel is subpixels of red, green and blue colors. Inside the elements are elements that change their position under the influence of an electric field. Behind the matrix there are backlight lamps. As they move, the crystals either block or transmit light from these lamps. The more powerful the lamps, the better the color, but the energy consumption is correspondingly higher. Such TVs attract buyers affordable price. Their disadvantages include a narrow viewing angle. But there are also advantages: brightness and contrast indicators are different and depend on the TV model. You need to pay close attention to these points when purchasing an LCD. A significant advantage is the lightness of such TVs. Due to this, they can be hung on the wall. But in order to finally decide which TV is better, LCD or plasma, let’s consider a plasma TV.
"Plasma"
A plasma screen is a matrix, but it is made geometrically and filled with xenon or neon. At the moment when they are exposed, the gas turns into plasma and emits ultraviolet light. A special composition is applied to the wall of the cell, and when the rays hit, depending on the composition of the layer, we get the desired color. If the voltage is higher, the cell glows brighter. When mixing primary colors, a variety of shades are obtained. The image on such a screen is formed using a voltage-controlled electronic module. The main advantage is that “plasma” is three times brighter than LED and LCD. This is an ideal solution for a large room. So it's time to decide which TV is better, LCD or plasma, for you, which suits you best. It should be noted that small plasma TVs began to be produced relatively recently. There are laudatory reviews about the products of Samsung, LG, Panasonic.
What parameters should you consider when choosing a TV?
Diagonal (should be three times less than the distance at which you are from the TV while watching);
- (the higher the resolution, the clearer and brighter the image);
HDTV - standard, determines the quality of broadcasting;
The response of the matrix matters if you are asking the question: “Which TV is better, LCD or plasma, or maybe LED?”;
Screen contrast;
Screen brightness;
Viewing angle;
Acoustics;
Additional functions.
Which TV is better - plasma or LCD? Of course, there is no clear answer to this question. Otherwise, why release something that is obviously worse? And since both goods are sold, it means that both have their advantages, and perhaps also disadvantages. First you need to understand what plasma is and what LC is.
Plasma Popularly called a plasma panel - a gas-discharge screen. LCD- This is an LCD TV, that is, with a screen created on the basis of liquid crystals.
The debate over which is better has died down a bit in recent years. Both technologies are evolving, but each type of TV has its pros and cons. Let's try to figure out what is preferable - plasma or LCD specifically for your conditions.
When purchasing, first of all, you should pay attention to right size. The technological features of the production of plasma panels do not allow the production of plasma smaller than 32 inches in size. So if you need small screen, then it is better to pay attention to the LCD TV. These models do not heat up as much as plasma models and are absolutely silent.
If you need a TV with a screen size of at least 42 inches, buy a plasma, as an LCD screen of this size will cost an order of magnitude more. In addition, the larger the LCD screen, the greater the likelihood of having dead pixels, that is, points on the screen that are always painted the same color, regardless of what color the broadcast picture is.
Which is better, plasma or LCD, in terms of color rendering and contrast? Plasma panels operate on the principle of direct radiation, so the picture is clearer. The contrast of plasma panels is higher than that of LCD panels. However, the clarity and contrast of the picture is not an advantage for everyone. Many people like a “softer” image that does not strain the eyes and therefore does not tire the viewer as much. In this case, you should pay attention to the LCD. There is no noticeable difference in color saturation between LCD and plasma.
The viewing angle of plasma is usually greater than that of LCD. However, plasma also has its disadvantages. It gets hot, which makes it impossible to install it in niches. Cheaper plasma models are noisy due to the fan required to cool the panel. The plasma service life declared by manufacturers is almost two times lower than the same indicator for LCD TVs.
Which is better, plasma or LCD, depends on what kind of lighting you are used to watch TV. If you watch TV most of the time in a darkened room, then it is better to buy a plasma. If you will be watching programs in a well-lit room, it is better to purchase an LCD.
If you are going connect TV to computer, then it is better to take an LCD, since viewing static pictures can lead to pixel burnout. Although modern technologies prevent burnout of the plasma screen. The next indicator by which the advantages of LCD are noticeable is lower energy consumption.
If you compare two TVs standing next to each other, the following is visually determined: it is better to watch on an LCD panoramic shots nature, individual parts look sharper. The image on an LCD panel resembles a photograph, while on a plasma panel, images look more realistic.
Answering the question posed, in conclusion we can say: it is difficult to come to a consensus on what is better - plasma or LCD. Here everyone chooses the appropriate option for themselves. There is no answer to the question “Is it worse or better?”, but there is an answer to the question “Why do you need a TV and in what conditions will you use it?”