Anyone who has shopped for a new TV has heard of plasma and LCD screens. If you've researched ratings for flat screens or browsed new television reviews, you've been inundated with information. So, what is the difference between the different types available? What are the advantages and drawbacks for plasmas and LCDs?

The concept is the same. Photos are converted to thousands of little dots known as pixels, which are then flashed many times per second, creating the motion effect. Plasma TVs and LCD TVs primarily differ in the method they use to create their images.

The plasma television works when small amounts of gas are superheated with electricity to create a picture. The plasma pixels can show brighter than LCDs because they actively throw off light and in turn are better for seeing the screen during daytime hours. The contrast in the image ends up being greater because the pixels shut off completely causing the blacks to be blacker.

In LCD TVs light is passed through a grid of red, blue, and green color crystals (one each per pixel) which become selectively opaque when electrical current passes through them. As compared to Plasma TVs which are susceptible to burn over a period of time LCDs do not burn since the pixels do not emit their own light. In plasma TVs one can observe a permanent image on the screen if the same image has been on screen for a longer time. However in modern plasma TVs this takes considerable period of time.

The resolutions of plasma and LCD TVs are the same on average, so their displays will look quite similar. Additionally, both types of TV carry the latest in high definition technology. Another similarity is in the price category. LCD and plasma TVs tend to cost about the same, though very small and very large LCDs tend to be a better bargain.

Choosing a format for a TV screen is a matter of personal choice. Usage, picture brightness and the location of the screen are important factors to consider when selecting either a plasma or LCD. If it is to be used occasionally for a computer screen or you are looking for the largest screen available, then LCD is preferred. A plasma TV is the consensus choice to view the brightest picture in well-lit areas. For professional video work both types will perform equally well.

disadvantages of each, as well as the difference between a plasma vs LCD TV?"e"eThe concept behind plasma and LCD TVs are identical. An image is divided up into many smaller pieces called pixels. In a single second, the pixels are flashed on the screen twenty to thirty times a second creating the illusion of motion.