Plasma televisions are fundamentally different

Although plasma technology has been around for several years, there were many difficulties perfecting it and cost was a large problem. With the evolution of plasma television history, the technologies have emerged to drive down the cost in order to make the new plasma televisions affordable for the average consumer.

Plasma televisions are fundamentally different than tube televisions. While tube televisions are based off of a prism directing light, a plasma television is literally a moving painting. The electrons move through the liquid to create a picture. Painters have been using a form of this for centuries when they almost touch wet paint to nudge it in the direction that they wish it to go. Scientists have been seeking the key to using this commercially since the mid-1800's. Unfortunately, there were many other steps along the way. Finally, in 1964 the technology had progressed enough to allow the first displays in university experiments. Like almost all great break-throughs, this was the result of decades of theory and development in the field. Within five years university scientists were able to produce geometric shapes. Today the technology has progressed to the point of producing stunning color on a large, flat screen.

At the current time, plasma televisions and liquid crystal displays are dueling over dominance in the screen market. The major difference is cost and longevity. As anyone who has worked at an electronics store can tell you, not all plasma televisions are as durable as their tri-tube large screen counterparts. For some reason, their color and clarity sometimes tends to fade. At three to five times the cost of a traditional large screen television, some question the value of plasma televisions.

Also, plasma televisions are very, very touchy to mount. If mounted incorrectly, a plasma television voids its warranty and may cease to function. One normally does not have to worry about a large screen television not sitting correctly. Also, plasma televisions are very hard to repair. The cost of repair may be five to ten times the repair cost of a traditional large screen television.

Fortunately, there are two competitors on the field: LCD and superscan. LCD screens you are probably familiar with. Superscan televisions work like regular televisions, but scan the picture much, much faster. This produces an image equivalent to HDTV for much less than LCD or plasma televisions, a mere 1.5 times the cost of a normal television. However, these screens are not as thin as LCD's or plasma televisions, so they are less versatile in placement. It remains to be seen which technology will win the race. If you are in the market for a new television, carefully weigh cost, size, picture, durability and mounting costs when making your selection. For many people, a regular television will do just fine.

Even after 40 years, a plasma screen can still warm the heart of a true technology junky. Unless you are applying for a job at E-3, you might want to consider weighing all your options when buying a television. A plasma television may or may not be the right television for you.

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