Plasma Televisions 
“When pigs can fly!” Years ago, that’s what us know-it-all electronics experts thought when we were asked about one of those “TV sets that you can hang on a wall.” Of course, the state-of-the-art at the time was 36-inch tube TV that was nearly 30-inches deep and took two able-bodied guys to lift. “A TV so thin that you can hang on the wall?“ Pure science fiction! 

Flat-panel televisions become a reality   
We should have known better, because science fiction has an uncanny ability to turn into science fact. Little did we know that teams of very talented and determined engineers from around the world were hard at work perfecting a revolutionary television technology called plasma. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. When the buying public finally had the opportunity to own that “hang on the wall” flat-panel dream TV, they jumped at the chance.

A look inside a plasma television
To understand how a plasma television works, it helps to first understand what a pixel is. Basically, a pixel is an electronic “dot.” Just like a newspaper photograph is comprised of tiny little dots of ink, a television image is made up of little dots, or rather, pixels. But in a plasma television each pixel is in reality a miniature light bulb (actually three light bulbs, one for each primary color: red, green, and blue).

The “plasma” in plasma TV is the material inside each bulb (or pixel) that glows brightly when a small electrical charge is applied to it. Now, line up thousands of these little pixels up and down across the screen, control them to turn on and off using sophisticated computer processing, and voila! You’ve got a plasma TV! The next time you stop by an Ovation store, bring a small magnifying glass. We’ll help you discover how those thousands of tiny pixels are able to work together to produce amazing video images.

What’s so great about a plasma?  
Lots! First, the obvious: they’re thin. Most plasma televisions are well under 3-inches deep, which makes for an elegant wall hanging television that looks great both on and off. But how good is the picture? Well, I have a vivid memory of the first time I saw a plasma TV picture. Unlike early LCD televisions, the plasma’s picture was bright, color-rich, and quite detailed, even when viewed from the side. And over the years they just keep getting better. Today, plasma still has two big advantages over competing thin-panel television technologies such as LCD and LED: a better contrast ratio and absolutely no blurriness when fast action is viewed on screen. More on this in the next section.

So which is better LCD, LED, or plasma? 
At Ovation, we carry a wide range of the top brands representing all the major thin-panel technologies. And because of the renowned expertise of our sales staff, we even offer special high-end models and brands not available anywhere else. So, before making any concrete recommendation, we like to get to know you, your home, and how you plan on using the TV. That’s what our Free In-Home Consultation accomplishes for you.

That being said, there are a few generalization we make about thin-panel TV technologies. LCDs come in a wider variety of screen sizes, roughly 19 to 65-inches, while plasmas start at 42-inches and go up from there. If you’re looking for a small set for the kitchen, you might as well eliminate plasmas from your consideration. As far as the image differences go, LCDs and LEDs are generally brighter, so if your room has a lot of illumination, they’re a good choice. LCDs and LEDs are also more energy efficient than plasma, and there‘s nothing wrong with thinking green, right?

Plasma has the decided edge in picture contrast: one of the most important specs, if not THE most important. Contrast is simply the television’s ability to reproduce deep blacks and brilliant natural whites. A great contrast ratio lets you enjoy vivid, rich images with deep emotional appeal. Also the blurred fast motion problems that many LCD and LED televisions exhibit are completely a non-issue with plasmas. If you’re really into sports (except perhaps Olympic curling) plasma may be a better choice.

Want more help?
Of course there are other factors to address when choosing a TV, and that’s were Ovation comes in. Arrange your Free In-Home Consultation right now and have one of our experts guide you towards the perfect set for your room, taste, and budget. And remember that Ovation will deliver and professionally install your dream TV, a service we have been proudly offering for over 20 years.