F.A.Q
What shall i get Plasma, LCD TV

This is a complicated topic: when choosing between LCD and plasma TVs, you're actually selecting between two competing technologies, both of which achieve similar features (i.e., bright, crystal-clear images, super color saturated pictures) and come in similar packages (i.e., 3.5 to 5 inch depth flat screen casing). To complicate the decision-making process further, price and size are two previous considerations that are rapidly becoming non-issues as LCDs are now being made in larger sizes and at competing prices with plasma TVs.
Despite all these similarities, these technologies differ in how they process and display incoming video/computer signals.
Plasma flat screen technology consists of hundreds of thousands of individual pixel cells, which allow electric pulses (stemming from electrodes) to excite rare natural gases-usually xenon and neon-causing them to glow and produce light. This light illuminates the proper balance of red, green, or blue phosphors contained in each cell to display the proper color sequence from the light. Each pixel cell is essentially an individual microscopic florescent light bulb, receiving instruction from software contained on the rear electrostatic silicon board. Look very closely at a plasma TV and you can actually see the individual pixel cell coloration of red, green, and blue bars. You can also see the black ribs which separate each.
Whether spread across a flat-panel screen or placed in the heart of a projector, all LCD displays come from the same technological background. A matrix of thin-film transistors (TFTs) supplies voltage to liquid-crystal-filled cells sandwiched between two sheets of glass. When hit with an electrical charge, the crystals untwist to an exact degree to filter white light generated by a lamp behind the screen (for flat-panel TVs) or one projecting through a small LCD chip (for projection TVs). LCD monitors reproduce colors through a process of subtraction: They block out particular color wavelengths from the spectrum of white light until they're left with just the right color. And, it's the intensity of light permitted to pass through this liquid-crystal matrix that enables LCD televisions to display images chock-full of colors-or gradations of them. LED TVs are a new form of LCD Television,

Picture Quality

As the advantages show, plasma technology has the better picture quality in normal to low room lighting conditions and are better in 4 out of 5 picture quality categories. Plasma technology will almost without exception triumph during night time viewing. LCD televisions are great for sunroom/breakfast room type environments. Also, LCD monitors are generally better for public display such as airport signage and retail store signage due to the bright room light environment.
 ADVANTAGE: Plasma 42"-65"

Functional Considerations
COMPUTER USE

"LCD monitors display static images from computer sources extremely well, with full color detail and no screen burn-in."

LCD monitors display static images from computer or VGA sources extremely well, with full color detail, no flicker, and no screen burn-in. Moreover, the number of pixels per square inch on an LCD display is typically higher than other display technologies, so LCD monitors are especially good at displaying large amounts of data - like you would find on an Excel spreadsheet for example - with exceptional clarity and precision. LCDs are also available in many more sizes, especially the smaller sizes most often used for a computer display.
Plasma technology has increased anti burn in tactics as well as computer and static signal handling. There are still issues with each depending very much on the model and manufacturer. For example, 720p plasma televisions do not handle a computer input well and product a very jaggy image on plasma's larger sizes.
ADVANTAGE: LCD 15"-52"

FAST-MOVING VIDEO PLAYBACK

"Plasma displays have excellent performance with fast-moving images"

Plasma displays get the nod here because of their excellent performance with fast-moving images and high contrast levels. There are still some 2nd tier manufacturers whose plasma product displays some phosphor lag, a dragging from brights to darks.
While the "response time" of LCD TVs has markedly improved in the last couple of years, especially with the advent of 120/240Hz displays they still suffer from a motion blur effect, where the individual pixels are just slightly out of step with the image on the screen. The high refrash rate LCD televisions can also have some undesireable effects on the picture. During fast moving sports scenes, the most discerning eyes can detect this slight motion response lag.

Can i Have my plasma above the fireplace?

I get asked a lot about the possibility (or even plausibility) of placing a Plasma television or plasma monitor above a fireplace.

We all know that the real focus of your living room is the television

Living room configurations often put the fireplace as the central focal point. Since we all know that the real focus of your living room is the television, we hit upon the question of integration -- how to merge the logical focal point of a living room (the fireplace) with the actual one (the TV). The introduction of plasma displays has made such integrative gestures real possibilities. Mounting a plasma display above the fireplace is a great space saver, not to mention an attractive way to display the panel. This is a very common application for plasma TVs today.


Will the heat from the fireplace harm the plasma TV?

If the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then the area is receiving too much heat

There are a few precautions to take before hanging a plasma screen TV over your fireplace. First, take a thermometer and tape it to the wall above the mantel, in the place where the plasma TV will reside. Then build a fire, and let it roar awhile. Now, check the thermometer. If the temperature is above 90 degrees F (32° C), then the area is receiving too much heat -- either escaping from the front of the fireplace and rising up the face, or radiating through the chimney to warm the outside wall -- for a plasma TV to hang there without receiving some modicum of residual damage. It would not be advisable to run the plasma for a long period of time while its environment is this hot. Though the Plasma TV has its own cooling system, the surrounding heat will force the Plasma display to work harder to cool itself, thus shortening the overall lifespan of the unit over time. A Plasma TV may still be run for short periods of time without harming the unit (even with the environment heat at 90 degrees F or above).
If the plasma display is not turned on while a fire burn in the fireplace, then the unit will not be harmed at all even though the temperature surrounding the unit may be warm. Of course, this might not be an option for people living in places where winter lasts seemingly forever, and fires are an everyday fact of life. In such cases, you should be advised to monitor the amount of heat your plasma display is exposed to while it is running.

Can the Plasma TV be mounted onto a brick fireplace?
Yes, cement anchors may be used with the wall mount to secure this application. Again, the amount of heat to which your plasma is exposed should be a concern here, as some brick fireplaces can radiate quite a bit of heat.
Will the Plasma Display TV be too high? Can I tilt it?
Even though plasma TVs typically have a 160-degree viewing angle, tilt wall mounts may be purchased if the mantel is high. A tilt wall mount application will allow the user to tilt the unit from up to 15 to 25% vertically (in this case, downward). With this mounting installation the user will have the choice between a flat or tilted affect while adding only 1.75 inches depth to the plasma TV. A flat wall mount can add as little as 1.25 inches to the depth. So, the difference is only half an inch.
Can I just place the plasma on the mantel?
A typical table stand for a Plasma TV is between 4 and 6 inches in depth. If your mantel can accommodate such a plasma TV stand, you have it made.

How far away should i be?
Pixel distortion or motion artifacts can occur on early generation plasma monitors when displaying an incoming signal with poor resolution (some cable channels - a signal of around 250 interlaced is generally poor). However, this "pixelating" effect is lessened by increasing viewing distance from the plasma display. With early generation models I generally viewed the proper distances as 8 to 12ft. on a 42" plasma tv and 12 to 16ft. or more on a 50" plasma. Now, with the many improvements that have been made to the units, the latest 50" models can be viewed comfortably from 9ft. So it really becomes a matter of preference.
What are the options for sound with my plasma/LCD?

Most Plasma TVs have speakers included in the bezel frame. These plasma TVs are Class B consumer grade displays. Some of these included speakers are detachable and some are non-detachable. Normally with this type of plasma TV the user may turn this built in speaker off if he/she chooses to uses a seperate home theater system for audio purposes. Plasma TVs with built in speakers are called consumer plasma or consumer LCD models.
There is also a class of plasma or LCD TVs which are used for commercial use. These display panels are Class A merchandise. Many times commercial grade plasma or LCDs do not include the speakers built in the display because they are used for display purpose or video signage and therefore need no audio output. There are however, opional speakers available. A good example of this is the ever popular Panasonic TH-PH10UK Plasma TV. Commercial grade plasma TVs may be used for home use as well.
The best way it to have a surround sound system added to the installation, this way you will get the best result in the audio and visual departments and a great experience.

What about Plasma burning in?

Besides questions about the average lifespan of plasma TVs, the question I get most from people has to do with plasma TV screen burn-in. Which raises the question: What is plasma display burn-in, and how does one know what to expect and is it still a problem?
All phosphor based display systems (CRT direct and rear view and plasma) are susceptible to image retention also known as "ghosting, image shadowing, image burn in." This is due to physical properties of phosphor and how it reacts to light and electric impulse.
The good news is that for the past couple of years quality manufacturers have been steadily working on improving plasma technology resistance to "burn in" with great success. One technique used is motion adaptive anti burn in technology, which focuses on moving the on-screen image ever so slightly. The goal is to avoid detection by the human eye, but still move the image enough to cause color changes in the pixels. A second improvement by some manufacturers is improvement in the phosphor gas itself in order to make it more resistant. The green phosphor is the most important in this process. This is also a key element in increasing phosphor and screen lifespan to CRT levels.
As a result of these advancements, a couple of prominent manufacturers now claim that plasma TVs have the same burn in resistance and susceptibility as CRT TVs. When was the last time you heard someone say that they were concerned about image burn in on their tube TV? Never?

But to digress, burn in, simply put, is a damaged pixel, whose phosphors have been prematurely aged and therefore glow less intensely than those of surrounding pixels on the plasma TV screen. The damaged or "burned in" pixel has developed a "memory" of the color information that was repeatedly fed to it in a static manner over a period of time. And that phosphor color information has actually become seared or etched into the plasma TV glass. Hence the term, "burn-in." Once these phosphors are damaged, they cannot give the same output as the other phosphors around them do. But pixels do not suffer burn-in singly. Burn-in occurs in the shape of a static image that persists on TV screens -- things like network logos, computer icons, Internet browser frames, or an entire image that has been displayed in a static manner etc. Network logos were a problem initially but they have now become sensitive to the problem and have also adapted a motion logo technology which prevents burn in.
So, how do you prevent burn-in on your brand-new plasma TV screen?
(1) Some obvious advice: Do not leave static images on your plasma TV screen for more than an hour. Turn off your unit when you are not watching it. Do not pause DVDs for more than 20 minutes at a time.
(2) Know that plasma screens are more prone to burn-in during their first 200 hours of use. When phosphors are fresh, they burn more intensely as they are ignited. This means that relatively new plasma display TVs are prone to "ghosting", which occurs when on-screen images appear to stay on the screen belatedly. This is a function of the high intensity with which new phosphors "pop," and this phenomenon usually "washes out" on its own, as the screen displays subsequent images. Displaying a bright, or moving snow image (as with a DVD or VCR with no input) will "wash" a ghost image from the screen in most cases. Many plasma manufacturers have installed anti-burn settings, which are monotone gray or snow screen settings which recalibrate pixel intensity levels uniformly - thus eliminating any image retention (ghosting). It is a good idea to run this type of program after the first 100 hours or so.
(3) Adjust the CONTRAST setting at or below 50% on your new plasma TV. These days most plasma TVs are preset to either peak or very high contrast (also called picture setting on many TVs). This forces phosphors to glow more intensely, which decreases the length of time necessary for burn-in to occur. Our advice is to reduce the contrast setting to 50% or less for the first 200 hours of use. And, be sure to avail yourself of your plasma's anti-burn-in features.
(4) Some plasma televisions burn-in more easily than others. In my experience, AliS type panels -- the ones utilized by Hitachi and Fujistu -- seem more readily given over to problems with burn-in. As well, be more wary of the 2nd and 3rd tier brands as their technology is usually not as up to date as some of the better 1st tier brands.
(5) When displaying video games and other content which have static images, use your burn-in protection features like power management settings, full-time picture shift (both vertical and horizontal), and automatic screen-saver functions. Check your Owner's Manual for further information.

(6) Realize that quality matters with burn-in as with everything else. Purchase a plasma display that has really good scaling, so that you can watch 4:3 TV programs in widescreen comfortably. It is better not to display black bars on your TV screen for prolonged periods of time (especially in the first 200 hours), so you are probably better off watching most everything in "full screen" mode. This should not be much of a problem todays selection of widescreen HDTV and DVDT content.
Also, higher quality TVs tend to be more resistant to burn-in -- though not entirely immune to it. Of the plasma displays I've owned and/or tested extensively, Samsung, Pioneer, and Panasonic seemed least prone to burn-in once the plasma screen was properly broken in.
Note: There are some applications which are simply not well suited to plasma display technology. The static flight schedule signage at airports, for example. It amazes me to walk into an airport and see a ruined plasma display monitor hanging from the ceiling with what is obviously an extreme case of permanent burn- in. As LCD monitors have decreased in price, they are being used to replace plasma displays in this types of setting.

THE BOTTOM LINE ON BURN-IN

Plasma TV burn-in is not an issue that should cause undue concern in the average user. With a modicum of caution, most plasma TVs will probably never have a problem with image retention. A viewer may experience temporary ghosting, but this is not cause for alarm.

How long do plasmas last?

The second question that I get from friends or family when discussing plasma TVs is, "Plasmas don't last as long right, they burn out faster (than other television technologies)? The short answer to this question among top tier brands is, "No, plasma is the equivalent of LCD in longevity as a technology, though there is variation among brands and models".
FYI: The first question is, invariably, "Which is better, LCD or Plasma (TV technology).
Plasma TV life span expectancy has long been a hot topic and rightly so. Most early plasma monitor models from 1999 and early 2000 have already been delivered to the electronics graveyard. Manufacturers were doing well to deliver a plasma product that fired up. An early adaptor could purchase a plasma TV that was 6" in depth, was hot enough to fry an egg on, and had fans that sounded like it was going to take off and fly through the roof - all for a modest £7,000.
However, improvements in the longevity of plasma TVs and displays have been rapidly effective. The green phosphors are claimed by some manufacturers as the reason behind the incredible increase. Lower power usage and motion adaptive anti burn-in technology are also contributors.
In fact, many plasma manufacturers boast a life span of 60,000 hours to half life! This is a longer life than a tube based television. The specification is somewhat suspect since the process of determining longevity of the product is based on deductive mathematical calculation of phosphor dissipation, and does not take into account the electronic components and the myriad of problems that can occur. Panasonic was the first to claim the 60,000 hour life span, up from a previous 30,000 just a year prior.
Within months after Panasonic announced this new life span, other manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon announcing that their plasma television is now rated to 60,000.
So how long will a plasma last? The long and short of it is that it depends upon your daily hourly usage as well as how you use the monitor. 12 to 55 years is my new short answer.
One practical example I will cite here is the Panasonic Tau units being used by video rental company, In Motion Pictures at major airports around the country. Most of the earlier Tau models have now been replaced by a newer model, but these plasma displays were used for 5 years and were the first generation of plasma displays to go a considerable distance. In Motion displays images on them from 6AM until 10PM daily (16 hours). By my estimates, these early plasma displays by Panasonic were in use by In Motion for around 30,000 hours or more. They never fail to catch my eye as I pass by in one airport or another to see if they are still in use. If they have lost some of their brightness level its hard to tell. This use equates to 18 years for a home owner that watches 3 hours television per day.
And this is the old model!
Manufacturer figures for longevity are closely guarded but I have added some here for your review:
Panasonic: States in new specifications that new plasma TVs and monitors are good to 60,000 to half life.
Sony:Now out of the plasma market. Does not list a figure for LCD lineup.
Samsung: Lists 60,000 hours for plasma lineup.
Pioneer: States 60,000 hours of use in their 2008 models.
Sharp LCD panels: States 60,000 hour life.
For consumer use these numbers should be comforting. Plasma Displays are now about equivalent in longevity to LCDs, which typically state 60,000 hours. Consider that these figures are a great amount more than old CRTs, which regularly post life span to half brightness at 25,000 hours. Let's put these hours in perspective. The average UK. household watches 4 to 6 hours of television per day. Staggering. Taking a mean time manufacturer stated longevity of 50,000 hours of usage, times our average 5 hours per day, calculates to over 27 years of usage. Now, there are varying degrees of phosphor ignition along the way (the same way a CRT fades). Dissipation begins the moment you turn the set on. After 1000 hours of usage a plasma monitor should measure around 96% of its original brightness, which is barely noticeable to the naked eye. At 15,000 to 20,000 hours the monitor should measure around 80% brightness, or to state is technically, 80% of the original phosphors (gases) are being ignited.
There are steps you can take to ensure longer and better life from your plasma display panel:
1) Never leave static images on the unit. Plasma phosphors have become more resilient to burn in, but still its better to be safe. Do not leave a static image on the plasma screen for more than 7-10 minutes. This can cause a ghosting effect which will "wash" out by use. Watch the unit in full widescreen format as much as possible to avoid differentiation between the side bars of the unit. While this does not actually decrease the longevity of the phosphors it does cause an annoyance to have to play a gray static image to "erase" the temporary burn in.
2) Use Brightness and Contrast levels that are necessary for viewing - not excessive. In a brightly lit room you may need to view the plasma TV at a higher contrast and brightness, which will decrease the life of the unit. However, there are memory setting adjustments available on most recent plasma displays that allow the user to choose a memory setting to suit viewing needs. At night, or in a lower light room use lower contrast levels and extend the life. Do not use your plasma display on 100% contrast (often disguised as the picture option in the menu). In rooms with normal lighting you should not need to use the contrast setting on more than 60% of contrast.
NOTE: Plasma manufacturers routinely ship plasma TVs with the contrast (picture) setting tweaked to 80 to 100% of contrast. Therefore, you will need to make this necessary adjustment yourself.
3) Keep the monitor/TV in a well-ventilated area. The cooling system in the plasma will not have to work as hard.
4) Buy a good brand. First tier brands are typically better built and engineered and will last longer. My first question when someone tells me about a plasma that pooped out on them is, “What brand and model was it?” Most of the time, it’s an “off” brand.
5) Turn the plasma off when not in use.
6) Keep the unit out of reach of small children.
7) Do not mount the unit face down from the ceiling. (Philips are you listening?)
So how do the manufacturers know how to calculate the figures? The manufacturing facilities in Japan/Korea test plasma panels at 100% white image light and measure down from that point with meter readings. A series of mathematical deductions takes place. It takes months to find that 50% mark - between 40,000 and 60,000 hours. What a job that would be… to watch the white light…

Common misconceptions about plasma TV's

Despite a seemingly endless stream of consumer enthusiasm for those sleek, super-model-thin plasma television displays, some "rumors" stubbornly persist. Since the inception of plasma technology research is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year (yes, it has been around for forty years!), it's time to debunk some persisting myths. Hopefully, by giving you the hard facts about plasma displays and dispelling some of the more pernicious half-truths and flat-out untruths about them, I will be doing my part to help keep the plasma rumor mill in check.

MISCONCEPTION #1: PLASMA TVS NEED TO BE "SERVICED,"OR HAVE THEIR PLASMA CHANGED OUT, EVERY COUPLE YEARS OR SO.

Perhaps the only compelling thing about this idea is that it resonates with good auto maintenance know how. To many people, plasma displays are like cars: You know how to use them, but you don't know a whole lot about how they work. Which is surely how this Urban Legend gained its foothold in the popular imagination in the first place. It has certainly been utilized by any number of unscrupulous TV salespeople to push extended warranties on otherwise unknowing "marks" -- people who have already spent a few thousand dollars on a new TV and would have no compunction about shelling out another £250 more, provided it will help safeguard their investment. While purchasing some additional "insurance" against mechanical defects might be worthwhile, especially when you are buying something this expensive, using scare tactics to ring up extended-warranty sales is unethical. Not to mention bogus: The idea that the ionized gases inside plasma displays either (a) need to be replenished periodically or (b) can be refilled is patently untrue. You simply cannot change out these phosphors every 3,000 (viewing) miles. However, with a current rating of 100,000 hours to half life on some of the top tier plasma brands, it this really an issue any more? If you watch the plasma television for 4 hours a day on a medium contrast setting, that's over 68 years of use.

MISCONCEPTION #2: THE HIGHER THE RESOLUTION THE BETTER THE PICTURE ON A PLASMA TV

This misconception has been perpetrated by manufacturers, who want to move more expensive (i.e., higher-resolution) product, and by retailers, who are repeating whatever the manufacturer tells them. True, Super HD (1080p) plasma displays are more expensive than their HD counterparts. The reason is that increasing the resolution on a plasma screen means fitting more pixels in the plasma display element (glass). A simple eyeball test will tell you, though, that this is not necessarily money well spent. First and foremost, there is very little content available in 1080p resolution. Blu Ray DVDs and Blu Ray gaming technology are it right now. Secondly, a 1080p plasma or LCD does not look any better with an 1080i or 720p incoming signal than does a regular HD plasma due to the fact that the latter is capturing and displaying every line and pixel of resolution. In this case the 1080p plasma or LCD will have to upconvert the signal to its native resolution, thus increasing the odds of motion artifacts.

MISCONCEPTION #3: PLASMA TVS ARE LIKE SHOOTING STARS—BRILLIANT BUT SHORT-LIVED.

With a current rating of 100,000 hours to half life on some of the top tier plasma brands, it this really an issue any more? If you watch the plasma television for 4 hours a day on a medium contrast setting, that's over 68 years of use.
One important tip to remember when you first hook up your plasma TV is to turn the contrast down from that peak setting. The darker the average room light, the lower you can afford to set the contrast ratio setting (sometimes called the Picture settting).
Running your plasma television on the peak contrast setting will significantly reduce the life of the product as well as cause the plasma to dim much faster. This is not a huge concern with the current hours of longevity of the product, but my contention is that you will actually enjoy the viewing experience more when you reduce the contrast to a calibrated level.

MISCONCEPTION #4: OWNING A GOOD PLASMA TVIS COST-PROHIBITIVE

This is really two misconceptions rolled into one. The first has to do with the pricing structure of plasma displays. We all remember, some of us too well, the days in the mid-90s when plasma TVs started at £10,000 and had virtually no price ceiling. Well, things have changed. The growing demand for plasma displays, coupled with advancements in production efficiency ("yield rates"), have conspired to bring plasma TV prices back down to earth. You can get larger, better performing plasma TVs for a fraction of the price you might have just a couple years ago. (Nowadays, you can buy an 42" HDTV Plasma for less than £1000) This is partly because fully 9.8 sets in 10 come off the production line ready for sale, compared to just 5 in 10 in 1999 and fewer than 2 in 10 in the early 90s. Further suppressing prices is the fact that the defect rate of Japanese-made plasma TVs in the U.S. has fallen to less than 1% of the total product import.
Just because plasma TV prices have come down over the past few years, though, does not necessarily mean that this pricing freefall will continue well into the future. As we have all seen this spring, manufacturers are producing less of the standard HD plasma product in favor of the higher priced 1080p product.
In short, plasma display technology has never been more affordable -- not to mention reliable -- for the average consumer.

MISCONCEPTION #5: PLASMA TVS ARE ENGINEERED TO HAVETHE BEST POSSIBLE PICTURES RIGHT OUT OF THEIR BOXES.

Few people realize that some consumer electronics manufacturers ship their TVs "hot" -- that is, preset to compensate for higher-than-average ambient light levels, like the ones found in most electronics superstores. Most homes are nothing like these harshly-lit retail bazaars, so it is a good idea to take a look at the various PICTURE/CONTRAST settings already built in to your TV and identify the right one for your home, i.e., the one that looks best to you. Reduce contrast until the picture seems a little too dark, then give it some time to get used to it and you will be much happier with the image over time.
You might also try your hand at calibrating the picture yourself, using any one of a number of user-friendly video test discs.
A properly calibrated picture will yield more natural coloration and deeper black levels.

MISCONCEPTION #6: PLASMA TVS ARE DIFFICULT TO INSTALL.


The country's love affair with sexy-sleek TVs began with Philips's 2002 "It's Getting Better All the Time" ad campaign, which featured conspicuously wall-hung plasma TVs. Since then, Americans have had it in their minds that plasma displays need to be installed -- either by professionals or intrepid do-it yourselfers. Nothing could be further from the truth. While you can certainly mount your plasma on just about any wall in your house, it is equally as easy not to install your TV at all. No technician necessary. Simply attach your new display to a tabletop stand and place it wherever you want. Even mounting your plasma TV on the living-room wall has gotten easier, with a growing number of consumers opting to go it alone and hang their plasmas themselves. From our statistics gathering, we are finding that between 50 and 60% of plasma display owners choose to install a wall mounted applied plasma TV themselves.
MISCONCEPTION #7: PLASMA TVS GIVE OFF A LOT OF RADIATION.
This rumor just might be the most outlandish of the bunch, especially considering the fact that the monitor you're reading this on -- assuming it is a CRT -- gives off considerably more radiation than a plasma display ever could. While plasma monitors do generate a tiny amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, it is essentially negligible because this radiation extends no more than an inch outward from the screen. Because individual pixels are illuminated, the radiation is "contained" to the pixels themselves. This is not the case with tube-based TVs, which utilize an electron gun that shoots radiated light toward the screen in order to illuminate phosphors thereon. This projects small amounts of radiation sometimes more than 12" outward from the screen. Not to worry: Both plasmas and CRTs comply with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for TV radiation emissions, which have been in place since 1969.

MISCONCEPTION #8: PLASMA TVS ARE PLAGUED BY PROBLEMS WITH BURN-IN.

Burn-in, or image retention, is the result of a damaged pixel, whose phosphors have been prematurely aged and therefore glow less intensely than those of surrounding pixels. The reason is that the damaged pixel has developed a "memory" of the color information that was repeatedly fed to it, causing it to glow in a static manner for a sustained period of time. This phosphor color information can actually become seared or etched into the plasma-screen glass, and in some rare cases it can become permanent. Once these phosphors are damaged, they cannot produce the same levels of light output as the other phosphors around them do. But pixels do not suffer burn-in singly. Burn-in occurs in the shape of a static image that linger on TV screens -- things like network logos, computer icons, Internet browser frames, etc.
In like manner to advancements that created the 100,000 hour life span, there are similar improvements in burn-in prevention. One improvement is the green phosphors which last longer and are more resilient to burn in issues. Another more prevelant prevention method is the advanced image placements (also called Wobbling) systems which unnoticeably constantly moves the picture ever so slightly. In addtion to prevent phosphor image retention and burn in the following features of some plasma televisions also in inhibit uneven phosphor aging: White Scrolling Bars: White bars move across the screen from left to right at regular intervals Screen Reversal: Displays images with the black and white reversed. Good for text/computer displays. Side Panel Adjustment: Lightens the black bars on the sides of the screen when displaying images in the 4:3 format. Wobbling: Shifts the image's position by several pixels at fixed time intervals. Peak Limit Mode: Lowers the peak brightness level (image contrast) by 30%.
Someone would almost have to be trying to burn in a plasma TV (at least the best brands) to do so.
In the end, plasma TV burn-in is not an issue that should cause undue concern in the average user. With a modicum of caution, most plasma TVs will probably never have a problem with image retention. A viewer may experience temporary ghosting, but this is certainly not cause for alarm. In truth, carelessness -- i.e., not paying attention to what your TV is displaying and for how long -- is really the leading "cause" of permanent burn-in.
For more information on plasma screen burn-in and steps you can take to prevent permanent image retention on your display.

MISCONCEPTION #9: PLASMA TVS ARE EXCESSIVELY FRAGILE THINGS.

Fragile, yes - as two sheets of glass are compressed together to form the plasma display element. While they must be handled with care, the main consideration is keeping them upright. The plasma glass is weighty and can crack if a plasma television when laying face down is jarred or dropped. Aside from that there is nothing really to be concerned about that you would not ordinarily consider.