In the advent of HDTV and the programming that comes along with it, has provided new challenges to the consumer. Out of the many different choices that are available in the HDTV realm it really comes down to what gives the best bang for my buck and which is better suited for my needs. Today we’re going to look at two competing technologies in this area: DLP (Digital Light Processing) vs. Plasma HDTV.
PICTURE QUALITY:
No doubt about it, you will notice a difference in picture contrast in the quality, contrast and lighting of your pictures on both screens. While DLP has very good quality and goes all the way up to the 1080dpi which is the highest definition available on the market at the moment, Plasma on the other hand does carry a little edge over it in terms of brightness and contrast. While the difference is not all that great one will be able to tell the difference if both screens are placed side by side. It is important to note that depending on lighting a DLP might be a better buy over a Plasma screen. The reason is the screen of Plasma HDTV’s reflects light like a mirror which can pose a problem in well lit rooms such as living rooms. On the other hand DLP televisions do not. This said the best choice for a Plasma is in a den (given that the natural light is low) or preferably in a home theater.
Another thing to note is that most Plasma screens suffer from image burn. Image burn is what happens when an image has sat on the screen for an extended period of time and after the screen is turned off or the image is changed, a “ghost” of the previous image can be still be seen in the background. This has been fixed in many newer systems and now only affects some systems in its first 100 hours of use.
LIFESPAN:
This is probably going to be your biggest factor in making a decision between both technologies. Plasma screens use a type of technology that utilizes electric pulses for each pixel to be shown. These pulses excite certain gases which basically give off the image, unfortunately after a time these gases fade or ‘disappear’. The estimated lifespan of a Plasma screen is 60,000 hours. On the other hand a DLP will only need to have its bulb changed every 10,000 hours. The cost for the bulb can be well under $200. Unfortunately for the Plasma screens, their gases cannot be replaced and there is no way of restoring the original picture quality without buying a new screen.
OPERATIONAL ALTITUDE:
While DLP Televisions do not suffer from this, Plasma screens have been noted to have shorter lifespan above 6,000-7,000 feet than below that. This goes back to the same issue with the different gasses that make up the display and how the high altitude affects them.
CONCLUSION:
There are other factors to consider but when it comes down it, Plasma screens have the advantage, they might be a little more expensive than the DLP but they offer a better picture and their lifespan is pretty good. The only question is, are either technology worth the current price? Well that is up to you, as it currently stands prices are dropping rapidly but right now is a good time to get either as they have been on the market for years now and the technology is out of experimental stage.
