Gizmodo
In this week's Giz Explains—if you haven't noticed, it's a weekly series that breaks down a sticky piece of tech into something more digestible for people whose bellies aren't quite made of nerd steel—we're looking at plasma TVs. Plasma. It just sounds sci-fi.
The basic explanation of how plasma sets work is that they've got a cocktail of noble gases (think back to high school chemistry) in tiny cells crammed between two glass panels. The cells are zapped with electricity, which makes them light up. Phosphors coating the cells make the color magic happen. (The gas is turned into a plasma during the process, hence the name.) Since individual pixels can just be turned off (more or less), plasma can inherently produce much better blacks than LCDs,
For instance, the way Pioneer's ultimate Kuro tech manages to pull out some disgustingly deep blacks is that its cells require less and less charge to fire, so they keep cutting down on the pre-charge that results in glowing grays that you see in lesser plasma sets.
Plasmas have actually come a long way in the past 10 years or so, since they started going mainstream. The old problem of "burn in," where a picture is seemingly permanently etched on the screen if a static image is left up too long, is mostly mythical now. They're not totally impervious—leaving the Wachowskis' upcoming hyper-lush Speed Racer on pause for a few weeks might lead to some ugly results. But because the time it takes to reduce the panel's brightness by half (the half-life) can be 60,000 hours or longer, at least the same life as an LCD's backlight, it's now a non-issue when debating LCD vs. plasma.
The so-called "Denver" altitude problem is less of one now than before as well. See, plasmas aren't too fond of high altitudes, because it affects the gas inside (think baseball players visiting Coors Field, or the need to modify Betty Crocker recipes). Plasmas in higher altitudes can make annoying buzzing sounds. But new sets are able to withstand higher and higher altitudes, and Denver falls within the newest comfort zone of 7,500 feet. Sherpas still might want NEC's special "high altitude" models that'll work all the way up to 9,180 feet. Still, as Plasma TV Buying Guide suggests, you might just wanna stop by a Best Buy that sits at your same altitude, and see how their TVs are faring.
The one thing plasmas are losing though is bulk, both size and heft. (Unless you count the pictured 103-inch or 150-inch monsters from Panasonic.) Current models run as fat as five inches thick and 100 pounds, making self-installation a real pain in the dick. But sets shipping later this year and next will slim down to around an inch and around 45 pounds—but you will have to pay mightily for the new lightness, and may never be able to afford Pioneer's anorexic-model-on-coke skinny concept plasma.
Something we missed, or you still wanna know? Send any questions about plasmas (or anything else) to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.
Comments
LTV FTW!
"Pain in the Dick"?
How the hell are you installing your wall mount?
I think you better refer to your instruction manual. Something is wrong here... very effen wrong...
Great "Cliff's Notes" version, Giz!
I'm still an LCD whore, but I won't actively SHUN plasma anymore.
Plasmas have come a long way.
But they still consume ALOT of power versus LED-based DLP and LCD.
I prefer the new Panny's and the 9th gen Pioneers (coming this summer).
Fruicci Splicer! Those guys are hard as shit to take down.
@nystreetfilms:
Hammering in the mounting screws with my penis, of course. Why, how should I be doing it?
Plasma will be the new "i" prefix of tomorrow. Plasma screens. Plasma torch. Plasma rifle. Heck, it's in our blood!
@Sean Harrington: I believe he's referring to hernia.
Can anyone help me out with how the altitude creates buzzing sounds? What does the type of screen have to do with the audio?
@ripfire4: oops. I meant that reply to @nystreetfilms: regarding "pain in the dick"
@DeCerbo:
No thats right.
Just should be no pain if you are striking the nails at the proper angle. thats all.
Bunch of knewbies round here... geez!
Also, if you stick your finger in the plasma, you may just be lucky enough to see jesus.
@GadgetPlay: Googled it for you from PlasaTVBuyingGuide
"Altitude has long been a factor affecting the performance of plasma TV. The display elements of plasma units actually consist of rare natural gases (like xenon, neon, and argon), which have been compressed inside hundred of thousands of tiny glass envelopes. Ideally, the pressure these gases are under should match the pressure of the gases (N2 and O2, mostly) outside the walls of those glass envelopes. At sea level or thereabout, these two pressures are more or less equivalent, for this is the atmospheric pressure level at which most plasma televisions have been calibrated. The thinner air at higher elevations causes an air-pressure differential-an imbalance between inner and outer air pressures-and the pressure of the gases inside the plasma display panel (PDP) increases as the outside air pressure decreases. Hence, most Plasma TVs (at least those not specifically designed for use at or above 5500 feet) emit a slight buzzing noise under such conditions. This noise is the result of the PDP's increased power consumption and the corresponding increase in its cooling needs and, hence, its fan usage."
Oh, man, if only I could get to YouTube here at the office. World's best "male organ/hammering" exchange can be found in the movie Real Genius:
[Chris Knight is trying to hit on Susan, a beautiful woman he finds in Professor Hathaway's house]
Chris Knight: So, if there's anything I can do for you, or, more to the point, to you, you just let me know.
Susan: Can you hammer a six-inch spike through a board with your penis?
Chris Knight: Not right now.
Susan: A girl's gotta have her standards.
[She walks out]
So Plasma still sucks, is over priced and not worth it. Just what I thought thank you for confirming my thought GIZ.
LCD FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!
So IR is a non issue now. I am in the market for a 50" plasma under 2k. 720p is a non issue as I'll be 10+ feet away. What does Giz think, the Panny PX80U, the Sammy A450 or the LG PG20???
@OLEDRevolution:
Great... Now we need a warning label for that too. "Warning: Sticking your finger or any other appendage into the plasma will not let you see Jesus or any other spirit or deity. Results may be fatal."
I think the most important question was left out:
Exactly when is it worth buying a Plasma TV instead of a regular LCD one?
I have a general idea... Plasmas are cheaper, and somewhere between 42" is a good deal to buy one.
Burn in is history, ok. But they are still heavier, bulkier and more power consuming. They have deeper blacks... what about resolution? And colors? Brightness? Contrast?
Meh, I'm not planning on buying a Plasma soon... just giving Matt a hard time.
@ps61318:
Good thing I didn't post that just now. How about this then:
"This? This is ice. It's what happens to water when it gets too cold. This is Kent. This is what happens to people when they become too sexually frustrated."
@G_Money: It is a non issue on newer models maybe it is still an issue on the TV's you mention because of the date in which they were produced.
@potohead1: "maybe it is still an issue on the TV's you mention because of the date in which they were produced"
Ummm, the TV's I mentioned are all 08 models released in the past 30/60 days
Can the plasma in these TVs be harnessed into an phased energy based weapon, say, in the 40-Watt range?
Matt I'll be your teacher, as such here's my criticsm, picture was great very funny made me laugh, the article is good and i know you are trying to make it idiot proof but some us would like some more info on the subject as I showed your work to some of my colleagues the point this out:what about resolution? And colors? Brightness? Contrast? also how new are the models that include of the technical advancements that you speak of? is it worth to get 720p or is it better to go straight for the 1080p?.
I will give you a C+ for this article pending further review thank you you are excused.
@nystreetfilms: Giz doesn't mess around when erecting a giant TV
how about a Plasma rifle as in HALO!
@Seiven:
Nice! Well played man, well played!
I just hope they use surge protection...
I love my plasma, but i find that the whites seem to be off. off white that is. is that my screen getting old or is that what plasmas do.
@WordMan: "Can the plasma in these TVs be harnessed into an phased energy based weapon, say, in the 40-Watt range?"
Yes, but it's not much of a weapon: Continued overexposure to television may cause one to gain weight and lose IQ.
The long awaited follow-up to Saving Silverman...Fragging Frucci.
Seriously though, I would like to know what is better in the 50-57" range. LCD or Plasma? I don't really care about energy consumption, but I want a great 1080p picture with which to watch sports, reality TV and movies on. Price is important and would like to be the 2-2.5K range.
@potohead1: The best TV on earth is a plasma. Does that answer your question?
@Mayor McRib: Plasma will give you a better picture in that size range.
Burn-in is a thing of the past? How recent was burn-in eradicated from Plasma? We bought 2 50" plasmas at work a year ago that were supposedly burn-in proof. They were designed to be used for display purposes (like a storefront). Barely two months later they both had burn-in. Now two LCD screens sit in their place, burn-in free.
@SigmundTheSeaMonster: Technically, they all (LCD land included) consume ridiculous amounts of power once you pass about 22" in size. While a 17" LCD panel generally consumes much less power than a 17" CRT monitor, a 32" CRT monitor generally consumes much less power than a 32" LCD. And, yes, Plasma is even worse. It is our need for huge TV's that ultimately is our power downfall.
Now, excuse me while I go charge up the 100" set in the living room.
@matt buchanan:
talk more about blenders. less about this useless tv.
@SigmundTheSeaMonster: Thanks. The relative pressure part was obvious, but you're saying it's not the actually the audio, but just the cooling fan? Turn the volume up some!
I have a LG 42" plasma, and the burn ins get EXTREMELY annoying. That, plus the PS2 lag makes me with I had gone LCD. The color is excellent, though. That's the only good thing about it.
from what i hear as long as you buy a plasma that is under 45" the cost is pritty much the same but any bigger then that and the price of electriscity almost doubles compared to LCD's. speaking of which i need to upgrade from my 1080I proview 20" LCD, but i think im going to go with another LCD not a plasma.
I use to be a LCD whore, now I won't even touch them. I'm all Plasma now. The PQ when properly calibrated beats the pants off LCD. Sony LCDs are nice, very very nice.
But black levels bring that missing something to a picture. oh, and motion blur which every LCD i see, even the 120Hz versions have. Size, sometimes price, pixels, in the end, I'm watching my TV, not carrying. Picture Quality is #1, and Plasmas have that down pat.
my house is 7212 ASL.
Monument, CO (the best freakin state in the freakin union, bitches!)
I'm afraid after having worked in submarines, the idea of getting that close to any kind of depth limit just isn't my cup o' tea.
Besides, my 52" Sharp 120kHz fscking rules.. and even thou the prices are all about to drop, i got to watch the Avalanche get destroyed by the fscking biggest wankers in hockey in brilliant 1080i glory. (Red Wings SUCK!)
@fsusmithc2:
twenty points higher than me? Thinks a guy like that can wear his clothes?
my buddy and i bought the same panny 50" plasma last fall. we are happy with the picture and sound.
however, he invited me over for a "rock band" beer and we both noticed the burn-in effect after about an hour. it went away, but we both immediately wondered about our purchase.
my advice is if you're a gamer, go LCD. if you watch movies or regular tv, go plasma. and try to minimize gaming or using black bars on 4:3 pictures. populate as much of the screen real estate as possible.
my parents just bought a 52" sony 120Hz. it is nice, but for picture quality, i really like my plasma set.
to each his own.
cavey.
I've got a current-gen LCD from Samsung - 50,000:1 contrast, 4ms refresh, 120hz, 52", $2500
Lets see any plasma match that.
@theotherstevejobs: I was just remembering the immortal words of Socrates, who said "I drank what?"
"Burn in a thing of the past" That's just mkt. PR, as I sadly found out. My July '07 Panny 47" begs to differ!
Maybe if you only watched movies, but with regular TV every channel now has their stupid logo plastered full time on either the right or left bottom corners. Also all sports events (and all news stations) have a crawler at the top AND bottom of the screen full time. My Panny consequently has noticeable burn-in "smudges" in these areas.
If it's true that pixels lose 50% brightness in 60K hours (actually I think that is more PR BS), then the eye must be sensitive to burn-in at levels less than 1%!
I just replaced it with one of the last available Sony SXRD 60" units. Sweet.
Don't confuse Burn-In with After-Image.
Plasmas will retain After-Images very easily, even Tivo menus or anything really bright will remain ghosted on the screen but it eventually goes away.
Burn-In never goes away. In real burn-in the actual glass is etched in and nothing will get rid of it.
I've had plenty of after-images (I use my plasma as a Mac display, Wii display, PS3 display and Satellite display). I have sometimes left the Mac desktop on for several hours and the menu bar has not burned in.
The reason I went plasma is because it is much more vivid and the blacks dont look hazy.
What altitude does a plasma need to be for it to explode? By explode I mean for the itsy bitsy cells to explode and release the plasma. I want to know what it smells like!
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