Plasma TV. A TV made with plasma. The word alone evokes a geek happy dance, and the first viewing of the physical product has been known to make audio/visual enthusiasts weep with joy.
As of this moment, plasma TVs arguably offer the best picture quality that money can buy - and we're talking a lot of money in some cases. But do you really need to refinance the house to own a TV any James Bond bad guy would be proud of? Usually not. Dodging the hard sell on unnecessary size and added picture resolution technology that only robots can detect may shave a significant amount off the final price.
On that note, when you shop for a plasma TV these days, you are by association shopping for a High Definition TV (HDTV). For more insight into the rapidly emerging world of HDTVs, see our shopping guide on the subject.
Key Features
Built-in HD Tuner.With the speed at which HDTV is taking hold, it would behoove you seek out a plasma TV with built-in ATSC and/or QAM tuners (for over-air broadcasts and cable/satellite HD).
Sound.Bear in mind that some plasma TVs do not have built-in speakers, which is critical information for people who don't already have an external audio/speaker system at home. Some plasma models come with simulated surround sound, a close approximation of true surround sound, which is a nice touch. Then again, if you have an external audio/speaker system, built-in speaker features become irrelevant.
Picture-in-picture.The PIP heyday, when you couldn't buy a TV without it, seems to have passed. Less than half of plasmas sold have this feature. When present, the features are the same as always: PIP resizing, window placement adjustment and "picture-outside-picture" (screen divided in half). For true, live PIP (watching two TV channels at once), you'll either need an internal HDTV receiver or a cable box with two-tuner PIP. Without this, PIP is limited to viewing one live TV channel and one other component (e.g., DVD).
Inputs.The more inputs you have the more potential you have for current and future audio/visual expansion. Well-endowed plasmas should have many, if not all, of the following: composite video (DVD, games, cable/satellite boxes), S-video (VCRs, DVD, games, cable/satellite), interlaced, progressive and broadband components (DVD, HDTV), RGB (computers, some HDTV, video processors), Fire Wire (HDTV, D-VHS VCRs), DVI-D with HDCP and HDMI (HDTV receivers, DVD players).
How to Choose
The gap of overall picture superiority between plasma TVs and their cousins, LCD TVs, has dramatically narrowed recently. Though purists will claim plasma is king without hesitation, the debate nevertheless rages on, and you're likely to hear about it during your TV-shopping due diligence. The short story is that plasmas continue to offer the best home-theater image quality due to their best-of-show contrast ratio (depicting the blackest blacks and the whitest whites) and performance in fast-moving video playback. The only exception is in brightly lit rooms, when LCD's immunity to glare changes everything. Plasma has a slightly wider viewing angle range than LCD, though this advantage is steadily diminishing with recent LCD technology improvements. On the downside, plasma's lower native picture resolution and improved, but lingering image burn-in shortcoming makes it less attractive for use as a computer monitor and video gaming.
Both plasma and LCD screens enjoy roughly the same longevity (about 60,000 hours of constant viewing), assuming you buy from a respected manufacturer. People concerned about power consumption should be aware that plasmas consume about one-third more power than LCDs.
The world of HDTV is ruled by a few crucial alphanumeric tags - 1080p, 1080i and 720p - that indicate the TV's picture resolution. TVs with 1080p (1,080 progressively scanned lines of resolution) are the technical leaders, while 1080i (1080 interlaced lines of resolution) and 720p (720 progressively scanned lines of resolution) effectively deliver the same quality picture. While 1080p is hypothetically 360 lines sharper than 720p, this only holds true under very precise circumstances. The technical advantages of a 1080p screen are only discernable when viewing Blu-ray DVDs and select video gaming systems. Since High Definition TV (both satellite and cable) broadcasts at 720p - and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future - all 1080p advantages are lost. This is also true when viewing HD DVDs, standard DVDs and non-HD input, like a VCR. Finally, prevailing expert opinion is that, short of professional conditions, the difference between 1080p and 720p picture quality when viewing Blu-ray DVDs, where 1080p should stand out, is negligible. Unless you're working in a state-of-the-art video editing suite or have a custom designed home theater space, consider sticking with 720p resolution. The money you'll save will pay for your first six months of HD cable service.
Further potential savings can be had with screen size. The urge to buy the biggest TV in your budget should be resisted and calculated based on the size of the viewing space. Bigger is not always better with plasma screens, as sitting too close to a plasma TV can degrade the viewing experience. Rough screen-size viewing distance ideals are as follows:
20 to 27-inch displays = 2.5 to 5 feet of viewing distance
32 to 37-inch displays = 6 to 8 feet of viewing distance
42 to 46-inch displays = 10 to 14 feet of viewing distance
50-inch displays = 12 to 16 feet of viewing distance
60 to 65 inch displays = more than 15 feet
On a final note, strangely enough, altitude factors in with plasma TV performance. Due to the nature of plasma technology, an overly-distracting buzzing sound becomes audible at high altitude - greatly so at 6,500 feet and higher. You'll want to opt for an LCD TV if you live at high altitudes (or are shopping for a TV for your private jet).
