Plasma TV

Plasma televisions are television systems using a plasma display: a flat panel monitor which operates by means of electrically charged gases trapped between two panels. Such televisions are extremely light, with excellent image quality and viewing angles, and can display in wide dimensions without loss of resolution. Plasma display technology has existed since the mid 60s, but for much of its history was used exclusively for monitors in high-end computer systems. In 1997, the first plasma televisions were released on the open market, where they found an enthusiastic response. In recent years, sales of plasma TVs have slackened some.

Inner Working of Plasma Televisions

Plasma displays contain two panes of glass between which an inert gaseous substance of neon and xenon is placed. This gas is then stimulated by electrodes, a reaction which creates plasma, the term for gases charged by electromagnetic forces. Such charged gases in turn act upon natural phosphors in the television set which then glow red, green, or blue under their own light. Different combinations of charged phosphors will result in different images on the screen.

Advantages of Plasma Displays

A plasma system possesses numerous advantages over other television technologies. Because no long cathode ray tube is required, a plasma TV can be extremely thin. In addition, because each pixel within the display is individually charged by the reaction of gas to phosphor, plasma images are extremely bright and do not lose quality from oblong viewing angles, as is often the case with liquid crystal displays (LCD televisions). Plasma TVs are also extremely long-lasting, with recent generations offering longevities of up to 60,000 hours, a lifespan of decades for even the most ardent television enthusiast.

Plasma Cons and Concerns

On the negative side, plasma televisions are reasonably pricy (perhaps $1,500 for a 42-inch screen), though not notably more expensive than similar flat panel technologies. The picture quality of plasma TVs, while quite satisfactory, is not up to the standards of more advanced liquid crystal displays, which are expected to overtake plasma units in sales in the next few years as the kinks in their designs (such as limited viewing angles) are increasingly worked out.

One commonly reported issue involving plasma sets is that, due to the effects of high altitudes on gas pressures, such sets may experience difficulties at elevations of over 2,500 feet. Another frequent concern is that the gases in plasma televisions may leak. This is rarely an issue due to the structure of the pixels, which are each separately sealed and thus can only leak gas individually, killing the pixel but not damaging the set as a whole. Yet another common worry is heat emission. Though plasma sets do tend to become somewhat warm as the result of the reactions between the electrodes and the gases contained within, this will almost never be to a sufficient degree to cause a hazard, particularly if the set is wall-mounted and thus placed away from potentially flammable objects.

By Matthew Ingalls