Plasma TV Buying Guide
Before buying a Plasma TV there are few factors you should consider:
What kind of TV will you watch on your Plasma?
The TV resolution best for you will vary depending on how you want to use your Plasma TV. Will you watch DVD's, sport, analog TV, Digital TV or will your use your plasma as a computer monitor?
- You can use your Plasma as a computer monitor, but go for the highest resolution you can get (1024x768 or better) as the greater definition is required when viewing the sharper images and intricate detail in web pages and software applications.
- If you will be primarily watching broadcast TV or sport, you can get away with a resolution less the 1024 horizontal pixels as the rapidly changing images tend to make the lack of image definition less noticeable. Keep in mind that the advantages of High Definition TV signal will be lost on a Standard Definition plasma.
Where are you going to put your Plasma TV?
Before buying have a good idea of where your new plasma display might best be located - in which room, and will it be wall mounted or free-standing? You can read more about installation and mounting options in our section Installing a Flat Panel TV.
Since the plasma display takes up little or zero floor space, you don't need a lot of room for it. Also, because your new plasma display is a highly valuable piece of merchandise, you'll want it in a position where it can't be disturbed by dogs, kids, or excited sports fans.
How much ambient light is in the room?
As mentioned earlier, a Plasma Display performs better than TV's or monitors in bright rooms, so feel free to position it in a well-lit room. However, for best viewing, you should avoid placing it so that it faces a large window, or where sunlight will shine directly onto the screen.
Is a Plasma TV Right for Me?
So, is a Plasma TV the right choice or should I consider another type of TV? To assist, we have put together a list of common scenarios to guide your purchasing decision.
Scenarios where a plasma display will work well include:
- Any application that will require a diagonal screen of greater than 106 cm (42").
- Installations that require the monitor/television to be built into a wall or cabinetry.
- Rooms that are too small for a front projection system.
- Rooms that have a great deal of ambient light.
Scenarios where another technology might be more effective include:
- Any application that requires a small screen — less than 106 cm (42") diagonally. Generally plasma displays aren't manufactured at sizes smaller than this.
- Applications where ambient light is controlled and the audience is 3.8 m (150") or more from the screen. With these larger rooms, a front projector may be less expensive for the image size required.
- Tight budgets. Plasma displays larger than 42" diagonal are expensive in comparison to new micro-display powered rear projection televisions (e.g. DLP).
- You want to use your TV as a computer monitor. The higher resolutions offered by an LCD TV may be easier to work with.