Plasma vs LCD

At first glance, plasma TVs and LCD TVs look the same. Both are thin and stylish. They have totally flat screens and both offer amazing clear pictures. Most have cutting edge widescreen technology. However, there are some key differences between LCD and plasma TVs that might influence your decision about which type to buy.

But first, what are at the advantages of LCD and plasma TVs over traditional televisions:

Advantages of LCD and plasma TVs
Crisp and clear
LCD and plasma screens have more pixels per square inch than a CRT (or "normal") TV, meaning you get a sharper image (it's worth remembering that, as with all TVs, some screens have better clarity than others)

They look good - even when turned off
Okay, so this might not be your first concern. But LCD and plasma TVs are sleek and slim, easily mounted on a wall or fitted snug against the side of your living room.

Wide viewing angle
Because LCD and plasma TVs are totally flat you can watch them from a wide angle

Save space, look sharp
LCD and plasma TVs are so compact that a 15" flat panel screen gives you the same amount of viewable screen as a traditional 17" CRT display.

Films, as they were meant to be seen
Plasma and LCD screens often come with a widescreen aspect ratio. Put simply, this means that you can watch movies and DVDs the way they were intended, and not "boxed" in to fit a CRT screen - perfect for a home cinema set-up.

No scan lines
Look closely at your traditional CRT television and you can see thin lines. LCD and plasma TVs do not have these.

The differences between LCD and plasma TVs
Although both offer similar advantages over traditional TVs, there are some key differences between LCD and plasma screens:

How does an LCD TV work?
LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. A network of hundreds of thousands of tiny LCD pixels sits behind the TV screen. Behind these pixels is a fluorescent white backlight. When the light hits the pixels, an electric current determines what colour appears on the screen, and the millions of tiny light variations make up the image that you see on your TV.

How does a plasma TV work?
Plasma screens are made of two sheets of glass, between which plasma (xenon and neon gas) fills thousands of tiny chambers. Behind each chamber are a series of red, blue and green phosphors. When electricity hits the plasma chambers, they emit invisible UV light, which then hits one of the coloured phosphors. This creates a visible image on the screen.

LCD vs. Plasma: which TV is right for you?
Take a look at our table to find out how plasma and LCD TVs compare when measured up against each other in different categories. Remember - technology changes all the time, with both plasma and LCD TVs improving in quality

Plasma vs. LCD...
Now that you have read about the main differences between plasma and LCD TVs you may have decided which one is right for you. They both have stunning, clear pictures and most models offer amazing widescreen viewing - so you can't go far wrong with either! However, it's worth considering where you are going to watch your TV and for what main purpose you will use it. If you are looking for a smaller screen to put in a TV, bedroom or small living room - LCD is probably your best bet. If you're looking for a home cinema screen, then a larger plasma model may be the one for you.

read some more: http://www.projectorpeople.com/resources/lcd-plasma-projector.asp
http://www.1staudiovisual.co.uk/catalog/lcd-vs-plasma-a-32.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_display
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_crystal_display_television

now why not install a projector and get yourself a very big screen at half the price.. :-)