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?
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LCD technology is best suited for smallscreen displays. LCD panels boast a bright and colorful image but can sugger from motion-blur.
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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
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A true HD (high-definition) experience requires a largescreen panel and it is here that Plasma really comes into its own.
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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.
