The technology of televisions can be daunting for most of us when we are looking to buy a new set. We can no longer go to the electronics store and purchase the biggest and most attractive set we can afford. There are now many other things we must consider. We ask ourselves if we should we get plasma, or LCD, or LED? What do these terms mean? What is the difference between them?
It’s important to do your research before you attempt to purchase. Before you go to the electronics store to purchase your set, there are some things you should know. Understanding what these terms mean is just the first step. Decide if you want a clear and bright picture, with colors well-defined, or if viewing angle is more important to you. Do you want a set that consumes the least amount of electricity?
Plasma Display
A plasma display uses hundreds of thousands of tiny cells filled with gasses sandwiched between two glass plates. These glass plates assure that a plasma television is much heavier than an LCD or LED television of comparable size. A plasma TV has a wider viewing angle, with virtually no picture distortion when viewed from any angle. With a plasma display, there is virtually no blurring caused by fast moving objects, such as when watching sports. That makes a plasma set a good choice for sports bars where there are large screens displaying the games for sports enthusiasts.
A disadvantage to plasma is that it uses much more power than either LCD or LED televisions. In poor lighting conditions, a plasma set will lose much of its brightness. You will notice in the displays in electronics stores that a plasma screen appears to have a darker picture. It is also highly susceptible to damage. A hard hit against the screen could damage the tiny cells behind the screen, resulting in black pixels.
LCD Display
LCD, or liquid crystal display, uses a cold cathode florescent lamp to send light through liquid crystal molecules and create a picture. The picture quality is sharp and clear, but the ability to achieve a true black is diminished. The LCD television weighs much less than plasma sets, and uses less power to operate. The LCD screen is resistant to the “burn in” effect due to static images.
A disadvantage to LCD is that black spots can occur on the screen as the individual pixels on the screen burn out. Also, over time and usage, the florescent lamp will begin to fail. Think of a florescent light bulb when it begins to flicker and fade. The picture will begin to darken, losing its color definition.
LED Display
LED, or light emitting diode, uses the same technology as LCD, except with LED backlighting instead of florescent lamps. LED backlit screens are generally brighter, with sharply defined pictures, and strong color contrast, with the ability to create the true black to make dark scenes more realistic. Motion blurring is greatly improved over a standard LCD set. LED screens are very thin, and most have a mounting feature. They can be mounted directly on the wall, which will save a lot of space. LED sets are generally known as the most reliable and longest lasting high definition sets on the market.
There are several different ways that the LED backlighting is achieved. One way is edge-lighting, where white led lights are placed all around the screen illuminating the liquid crystals. A disadvantage of this it that the screen will appear brighter around the edges and a true, deep black is not achieved. Another method is led lights arrayed all along the back of the screen, with local dimming. This allows certain lights to turn off, or dim, to allow for better picture clarification. This local dimming makes it possible to have a larger contrast between colors, with a truer black being produced.
A disadvantage to LED is the price. They are the most expensive of these three types of televisions.
Sources:
http://www.lcdtvdealsguide.com/difference-between-plasma-led-and-lcd-tv/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Know-the-Difference-Between-LCD,-Plasma,-HDTV,-LED,-and-OLED&id=3594849
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-plasma-tv.htm