Flat Panel Televisions: Plasma Or LCD? by Alex Bradbury

Through the years, the number of flat panel televisions are filling the shelves and occupying the spaces once occupied by CRT's. What is even better is the fact that the prices have gone down and this is expected to go even further as new and bigger models will soon be introduced into the market.

If you are in the market for a flat panel television, you should know what to look for when you get to the store. Apart from how much you plan to spend, you also need to consider the features and benefits of one product from the rest.

Flat panel televisions are divided into 2 types namely LCD and plasma. The first one namely LCD stands for liquid-crystal display. It functions due to light that passes through the pixels in order for an image to form.

In the case of plasma televisions, gases like neon and xenon powered by electricity generates ultraviolet light thus forming pictures.

Which one is better to use? Well that depends on you. The nice thing about the LCD television is that you can use it as a computer monitor, it is lightweight, slim and cheaper than plasma televisions. The disadvantage of LCD's is that the biggest you will find is 40 inches and its viewing angle is limited.

The plasma television on the other hand is also slim but the screens are much bigger, you get better contrast and clearer images when things are moving at a fast paced. This sounds good but this will burn a hole in your electricity bill as it consumes a lot of power and it is also susceptible to image burn.

Before you buy a flat panel television, make sure that this will fit in your home and the best way is to measure it diagonally. Take note that the bigger the screen, the farther away you have to sit so you don't hurt your eyes.

Most flat panel televisions come with a bracket so you can mount it there without any problems. If you don't want to use the bracket, put it on the wall. Never put this directly over the fireplace because the heat could damage the unit.

To get the most of your flat panel television, make sure that it is already an HDTV. This will enable you to watch shows in this format especially when a lot of networks are using this to air their shows. For this to work, your television must be at least 720 pixels high. This shouldn't be a problem when there are various models including the 1080p.

There are a lot of flat panel televisions in the market so it won't be that hard to find one that is well within your budget. While you are at the store, buy the accessories you need so you can view stuff in high definition and if this is not available from the store, get it from your cable or satellite provider.

Just remember to compare the features and benefits of each one as well as look at the price because for a few dollars more, you could get something that will last for a long time before this is ever replaced with a new one as flat screen televisions can be used for 30,000 hours or even more.

About the Author

Flat Screen TV is a consumer electronics website which stocks the latest plasma and LCD widescreen televisions from the major manufacturers. We have plenty of information and advice for buyers on what to look for when buying Flat Panel Televisions.