Biggest Myths and Lies About Plasma TV

Rumors and myths about Plasma TV ricochet off the truth like machine gun bullets; sometimes it’s hard to tell fact from fiction. Lots of self proclaimed “experts” will tell you how Plasma TV screens give off deadly radiation, or will burn out in a year if they’re not refilled with fresh plasma.

It’s dangerous to take half-baked information as fact: you end up making decisions based on lies. Lets punch holes in the most common misconceptions:

(1) A Plasma TV will burn out in a year or two and needs to be replaced!

A top of the line Plasma TV like a Panasonic or Pioneer has a life expectancy of 60,000 hours. So does a Sony LCD. If you watch a Plasma TV eight hours a day, it would take about twenty years for the unit to burn out.

(2) “Plasmas blast radiation at you, it’s dangerous to sit closer than ten feet from the screen!”

This is one of the wilder myths about Plasma TV! A tiny a mount of UV radiation comes out of a Plasma display (you can measure it up to one inch from the screen). The tube television you put your nose on while you watched cartoons in the seventies form an image by shooting radiation at the screen! Radiation from a tube TV floods more than one foot into the room! You probably have several of these TVs in your house right now!

(3) “I can’t afford to own a Plasma TV, they’re too expensive!”

The price of both Plasma and LCD TVs has dropped dramatically in the last few years, and continues to drop. You can find 42” Plasma TVs for under $1000, and 50” screens for under $2000.

(4) “My Plasma display will look great right out of the box!”

A Plasma TV is often shipped with the picture, contrast or brightness controls set too “hot”; turned up so they’ll look great in a brightly lit TV showroom. Your living room is probably nowhere near this bright; you should adjust these controls to a level more pl easing to you. This also extends the life of your Plasma di! splay.

(5) Plasma TVs have better pictures than LCD TVs (and vice versa)!

THE TRUTH: Either type of TV will give you a sparkling, razor sharp image on a giant flat screen television. Plasmas have better color, contrast and black level; LCDs can have a sharper image quality and won’t suffer from screen burn-in.

(6) “I heard the plasma in a Plasma TV screen needs to be refilled every few years!”

It’s impossible to refill the plasma inside a TV screen. I suspect that con men have told unsuspecting customers such tales so that they can sell extended warranties, but it’s not true.

(7) Plasma TVs are difficult to install!

Well . . . yes and no! With a few strong friends you can easily table mount your Plasma onto the included base stand. A flat or tilted wall mount is much more complicated and may require professional help.

(8) HD (High Definition) Plasma displays create a better image than ED (Enhanced Definition) displays!

U sually true, but there are exceptions. A top of the line ED converter may outperform a bargain brand HD converter. But ED is outdated and is being phased out: you shouldn’t buy one. All Plasma TVs should soon feature the much sharper HDTV.

(9) Plasma screens suffer from image burn-in!

Again . . . yes and no! Advances in technology have greatly reduced the problem of screen burn-in on Plasma TVs. It’s harder to do, but you can still experience burn-in with a Plasma TV. The culprit is static images like station logos, video game score boards, computer programs, and stock tickers. Consider buying a LCD or DLP TV; these have no screen burn-in.

(10) Handling a Plasma TV is just like handling any other TV!”

A Plasma screen has hundreds of thousands of image cells sandwiched between two thin sheets of glass. You can't lay a Plasma TV flat on it’s face or even rub hard on a Plasma screen, for fear of causing the screen to crack. Once your Pla sma screen cracks, it cannot be repaired.

Take the ti! me to le arn the facts about Plasma TV before you consider making a purchase. Armed with the facts, you’ll have no problem picking a Big Screen TV that will thrill your family for years to come! Enjoy!

It’s as easy as 123!

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About The Author
Ike Ridley is an avid videophile and self-confessed “Movie Nut” who created the 123 Guide To Plasma TV.com as well as Afrique Online.com.
Ike has moved to the Caribbean where he clicks away on his laptop under a palm tree.
For more information, click here for my tips on buying Plasma, LCD and DLP TVs in the 123 Guide To Plasma TV!
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