What Kind of Flatscreen Is Right For You?

Here are the differences between the two alternate thin-screen TV technologies.

It's been portrayed as one of the biggest technology clashes in consumer electronics, but choosing between either a plasma or LCD TV is not as confusing or daunting a prospect as it might first appear to be.

Of course, for some it might even come as a surprise that there are two different technologies used to build flatscreen TVs. After all, most look the same, with similar picture-frame styles and brand names. But beneath the surface gloss, quite different technologies are being used to deliver those high-resolution images: LCD and plasma. So how do they compare, what should you buy - and should you even care?

LCD technology is best suited for smallscreen displays. LCD panels boast a bright and colorful image but can sugger from motion-blur.

The vast majority of flatscreen TVs sold are Liquid Crystal Display types. This becuase the majority of sales are on screens 32" and smaller, which is the exclusive province of LCD panels. These screens, which employ an always-on backlight, are ideal for small- screen volume production and there's no shortage of suppliers, so prices are very competitive. They tend to be bright and colourful, which makes them great for both PC and smaller-screen TV use.

In larger screen sizes, there is more choice, however, with both plasma, and increasingly LCD, models vying for your attention. It's when you begin to examine the characteristics of these screens, at image sizes typically 42in and above, that clear differences become apparent.

Large backlit LCDs appear super-bright and are initially eye-catching. However, with a slower picture refresh rate than plasma, fast-moving images can appear to blur. When Zinedine Zidane goes for his infamous headbutt, his noggin may become indistinct as motion blur obscures detail. And if you dim the lights to watch a movie (as one does), the always-on backlight of the LCD screen becomes more apparent. Blacks take on a grey-ish tinge, and the image can seem washed out. Obviously these effects vary from brand to brand, but generally speaking a lack of contrast and motion blur remain defining attributes of bigscreen LCD.

Plasma power

A true HD (high-definition) experience requires a largescreen panel and it is here that Plasma really comes into its own.

Large-screen plasmas tend to look duller than LCD screens in store. Their glass panels are more reflective as well, which can obscure the picture in a brightly-lit room. Response times are much better though, and motion blur is not an issue. When Zidane's headbutt makes contact, you'll be able to see both his grimace and the startled reaction of his victim. And when you dim ambient light to watch that big movie, blacks become more apparent and the image seems more contrasty. This is because plasma is a self-illuminating technology and does not use a backlight.

Masaaki Fujita, Senior Vice President of Panasonic's AVC Networks Company and director of its PDP TV business unit, explains: 'When we talk about high picture quality, the number of pixels in a screen is not the only issue. There are other factors which determine image quality: the picture resolution of moving images, colour reproduction and contrast.

"Picture resolution, onlarge screensin particular, means that you should be able to see every detail in an image. With moving pictures, only plasma shows every detail in true high-definition quality. Plasma displays are also more vibrant than LCD, particularly when it comes to displaying blue. And superior contrast means that night scenes on a plasma screen really are pitch black."

Scott Ramirez, VP of marketing for the Toshiba TV group in the US, naturally has a different view: "LCD has many advantages which are being recognised by retailers" he says. "One is brightness - the sets are easier to see on the sales floor. Bright shop lights don't kill colour saturation, as they do with plasma"

Both plasma and LCD are gaining from advances in technology which improve the performance of both systems. Many of the problems associated with LCD can be overcome with In Plane Switching technology and related technologies. Matsushita (parent of Panasonic), Toshiba and Hitachi have formed a joint-venture company called APS Alpha to develop IPS LCD screens. These employ picture-processing to reduce motion blur and improve the quality of LCD images when they are viewed from the side. Basic LCDs completely lose detail and image when viewed from an acute angle - try it when you next visit a TV store.

The first IPS LCD screens from Panasonic, in 26 and 32in screen sizes, are on sale now.