LCD, Plasma, and DLP's explained

The three main high definition television types are LCD, Plasma, and DLP. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. The average consumer is concerned about price, quality, size, and lifespan. This post will hopefully answer some basic questions about which type is best for what situation.

LCD
Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) are commonly found as laptop and computer flat screens. In recent years the technology has changed to allow them to be manufactured much larger. The advantages of a LCD TV are that they are very thin, usually around 4 inches or less for a 40”. They are lighter than a Plasma TV and produce less heat than both Plasmas and DLPs. The life time of these units is very long, you don’t get burn in or picture fading over time. The picture quality is also top of the line, they are able to display any formats available today, including the new 1080 progressive (double high definition). Some disadvantages of LCDs are that the price is higher than other types and there maximum size is currently less than 60”, and the price for the larger displays are usually double what the price of the next size down is, however the price is defiantly on the way down.

Plasma
Plasma TV’s are the televisions that got everyone interested in having a flat TV hanging on their wall. But now with the size of LCD TVs increasing and the price decreasing, Plasma TVs are becoming more extinct. The problems with them is that they produce more heat and weigh more than LCDs. They also have a half life of 60,000 hours; this means that the more it is used, the more the picture fades. They are also more likely to get burn it, this is that when the same picture is displayed, when it is changed you can still see the outline of it. The best reason to purchase a Plasma TV now is that you can get a very large screen for a very good price!

DLP
DLPs are a much different technology. They can rarely be hung on a wall because they usually larger than 8 inches deep, commonly around 14 inches. However, DLPs are a great choice if you do not intend to hang your TV on the wall. The picture quality if amazing, like the LCD, they are able to display any formats available today, including the new 1080 progressive (double high definition). They do produce some heat, but it is usually not more than a Plasma TV. DLP’s are usually the cheapest price for a very large size TV that you can get that still has phenomenal quality! The main drawback to a DLP, other than the depth, is that it has a user replaceable bulb that depending on the model lasts between eight to fifteen thousand hours. The bulbs cost anywhere from $200-$600 depending on the brand.