LCD and plasma televisions are the two main types of TVs on the market right now.  While they are different in many aspects, they also have some major similarities.  So, before we move onto the pros and cons of the two types of televisions, it might help to go over how they are the same.

First of all, they are both flat screens and both play in HD.  They’re bigger in size than most standard definition televisions.  These televisions are generally meant to be mounted on walls or other surfaces.  And, generally they cost about the same price, especially if the LCD television is larger than 42 inches.

So, these are the similarities between the two televisions.  Now, let’s go over some of the differences between the two machines.

The first major difference is, of course, of what they’re made.  A LCD television uses liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology to make color images.  A plasma television uses a mixture of noble gases that are electrically changed into plasma.  The plasma then animates phosphors, and these phosphors will then emit light.

Now, here are the major pros and cons of each type of television.  Generally speaking, LCDs come in more sizes than plasma TVs.  The smallest plasma television that you can buy is generally around 37 or 42 inches while LCD televisions can come as small as 10 inches.  This means that you can put in more places.  In fact, you can put it anywhere from the bathroom to the fridge to the den.

LCDS are generally cheaper than plasma televisions if they’re smaller than 42 inches.  The larger sizes can be just as pricey as plasma televisions.

Plasma tends to have a crisper picture than LCD televisions in rooms with normal lighting.  They also have a wider viewing angle, meaning that you can sit off center and still have a good picture.  LCD screens have to be in the center of the viewing field, which means that picture quality will be reduced the farther away from optimal viewing center you go.  But, LCD televisions do better in brighter rooms.  Its picture tends to be brighter, and it comes with a coating that’s meant to diminish the reflections from extra lighting.

LCDs are better if you’re a movie fan since its video response time is so much slower than plasma televisions.  LCDs also used to have the problem of ghosting.  This is where the shadow of an image that had been on the screen for a while would remain.  But, most experts believe that tweaking the factory settings will stop this if the problem still remains.  Most experts also believe that this problem has been taken care of.  LCDs can also be used for video games since generally the images are more static than sports events.

Speaking of sporting or other fast-paced events, you would probably do best with a plasma television for these because of its higher response time.  Plasma televisions also have better picture quality than LCDs because of their deeper blacks, good contrast ratio and wonderful, vibrant colors.  Just like LCDs have their issues, so do plasma.

Plasmas used to have the problem of burn-in, where an image would stay on the screen.  This could still be an issue so you should be aware of it in case you need to bring the unit back to where you bought it.  But, as far as life expectancy, plasmas tend to last longer than LCDs.  Most of the top brands can handle 60,000 hours of viewing or 16 years of viewing television for 10 hours per day.

The main thing that you need to think about when deciding between the two types of televisions is where the television is going to be hung.  If you’re looking to put in on a well-lit patio that gets a lot of sun every day, you should probably go with the LCD.  Same thing goes for if you’re planning on putting it in a room with not a lot of space.  If you plan on watching your favorite sporting event in a room that gets normal lighting and has a lot of wall space, then the plasma television would probably be the better choice for you.