There is a lot of confusion and misleading information available on Plasma TVs, LCD TVs and DLP TVs. Everyone and anybody you talk to claims to have the answer and they are always bias depending on what the store wants to move or what their factory makes. The truth is that each has advantages and disadvantage depending on your use. Please note: in this we discuss name brand and no name. Please don't be fooled by the fact it may come from a well-known computer maker. It will still be considered "no name". We consider name brand plasma screens as NEC, Pioneer, Hitachi, LG/Zenith, Panasonic, Samsung and secondary name brands (based on name brand chassis) such as JVC, Sony, Philips, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, Sharp, Studio Experience. "No names" include but are not limited to Norcent, Sampo, Gateway, Monovision, SVA and a pile more that you have never heard of and are usually Chinese based.

NOTE: LCD TV refers to a LCD flat panel, DLP TV also includes DILA and LCD video projector based rear projection TVs. LCD TV disadvantages:

• One problem with LCD TV screens is that they have an inherent delay problem. This is something that cannot be overcome. " It is the nature of the beast.” When a fast moving object moves across a LCD screen the delay of LCD technology causes "artifacting." Basically there are trails or ghosts of the image since the screen cannot keep up. There are newer LCD panels that have lower m/s (millisecond) times but there still is a delay. The good news is that with a good name brand LCD TV, the artifacting is minimal and really won’t be noticeable until you get a screen over 30 or 35 inches. At that point the delays will be noticeable and in some cases extremely annoying. Expect severe artifacting on "no name" units to the point of making the TV basically unwatchable.

• Black levels: A LCD display has a backlight, which shines through the LCD panels. The panels allow or block light depending on what is required to produce an image or a color. Most, if not all, LCD TVs tend to have difficulty going fully "black". Blacks tend to have a very dark gray. This is especially true on no name units.

• Field Of Vision: Even the best LCD TV has field of vision problems. When you look straight on, the picture looks great, as you move to either side; the picture quality diminishes and eventually disappears. Some LCD TV makers claim up to 170o field of view. This is a complete lie. To quote one major manufacturer " well it doesn't mean you have a great picture for 170 degrees, but you do have a picture.” Realistically a good LCD TV will have a 90° (45° each side) usable picture.

• Single Usage: There are many LCD screens on the market but very few have good video processing. If a LCD screen is made as a computer monitor, it is usually very poor as a video display. If you are planning to use the unit as a TV, do not buy a computer monitor with a tuner upgrade. Stick to a unit designed for video. For dual purpose, buy a LCD TV with a computer input, not a computer screen with a tuner

• Unbelievable amounts of no name junk units on market. Stick to name brands with proper warranties

• Cheaper no name LCD TV's have very poor picture quality and generally poor video performance

• Pixel failure: This can be a problem with no name LCD screens. All the major brands have pixel policies, which may allow one or two dead pixels. These are not noticeable unless you are right in front of the screen. A 20-inch LCD screen has over 300,000 pixels. So one or two dead could not be seen. No name LCD screens have extremely poor policies, which can allow higher then 10%. This would make the unit unwatchable.

• Digital looking picture: Many LCD screens tend to have a "digital look " to the image and therefore don't seem to reproduce colors naturally.

LCD TV Advantages:

• Good for still images such as computer display, Fairly reasonable pricing below 35 inches.

• Quality units have good brightness levels

• No real estate: A LCD TV screen is able to hang on a wall and takes as little space as a picture.

• Long Life. Expect 30,000 to 50,000 hours bulb life according to Sharp (Please note that the picture can fade over time on a LCD TV. I would expect prime performance to last closer to 30,000 hours maximum (13 years at 6 hours per day). Expect substantially less on a no name.

Plasma TV Screen Disadvantages:

• Image retention: Plasma screens can suffer image retention (burn in) if a still image is left on the display for an extended period of time. For example, you would not want to use a plasma screen for a computer display constantly. If you were to use a Plasma TV for Video Display and occasionally use it for computer, burn in would not be a factor. Also if you were to leave the plasma TV screen on a station such as CNBC, which has constant ticker tape across the bottom, for 24 hours a day, there would be noticeable burn in when you switched to a different channel. If by error you were to burn your screen, proper name brand plasma screens do have a "white flash" utility, which eliminates the burn, however it will shorten the life of the plasma. If your primary use of the plasma screen is for TV viewing and DVD, image retention will not be a factor.

• Size: Plasma screens are not available below 37 inches. There were some 32-inch units available but have been discontinued. Also 60 inch and above can be very pricey but prices are coming down. For example a Zenith 60” is below $7500 now.

• Many no name junk units on market. Stick to name brands.

• Pixel failure: This can be a problem with no name plasma screens. All the major brands have pixel policies, which may allow one or two dead pixels. These are not noticeable unless you are right in front of the screen. A 50-inch screen has over 983,000 pixels. So one or two dead could not be seen. No name plasma screens have extremely poor policies, which can allow higher then 10%. This would make the unit unwatchable. If the plasma screen has an orbiter function, this will greatly reduce the chance of pixel failure.

• Early models had poor contrast. The first generation plasma TV screens had poor contrast and brightness. Do not buy a used plasma screen from an online auction such as E-bay. The units that have been out for the last two years outperform the older units by miles.

• By all means, DO NOT tilt a Plasma TV more than 45° forward or backward! This will ruin the gas inside the TV! Plasma TV Screen

Plasma TV Advantages:

• Long life: the average name brand plasma TV will last 30,000 to 50,000 hours. This is around 17 years at 6 hours per day. Expect substantially less on a no name.

• Field of vision: A plasma screen TV has a field of vision of almost 180 degrees without loss of picture quality. From any angle you will have a great picture.

• Brightness: Plasma screens are very bright. 4 to 5 times brighter then an average TV.

• Great contrast: The last two generations (two years or so) of name brand Plasma screens have great contrast ratios. Look for a rating of 1000 to 1 or more. Please note: certain manufacturers claim levels of 3 or 4000 to 1. That is a false rating and is achieved by using non-standard measurement methods.

• Low operating cost: name brand plasma is cheap to operate due to long life with virtually no maintenance (No you cannot recharge a plasma, and they don't leak gas). The cost of a nice EDTV 42 inch is well below 3 k and a 50 inch is around 5 k. 60 inch plus are still highly priced per inch. This is substantially less then a LCD TV. 42-inch plasma TV screens cost almost half of a 40 inch LCD.

• Instantaneous picture response: There is virtually no delay in any name brand plasma and therefore no artifacting that is experienced on LCD screens. (This is true using a HDTV signal)

• Natural looking picture: A plasma screen reproduces a picture in a similar manner to a standard TV. Name brand plasma TV colors tend to be natural looking and more accurate. No names can tend to be weak or soft on colors.

• No real estate: A plasma screen hangs on a wall and takes as little space as a picture.

• Wide screen: All but one or two plasma TV screens are 16:9 wide screen format.

DLP rear projection TV disadvantages:

• High operational costs: The DLP TV is simply a DLP video projector in a box. The projectors use a replaceable bulb, which can cost anywhere from $200 to $400. The life on the bulb varies, but generally expect around 6,000 to 8,000 hours. However some will last substantially less. Realistically you can expect to be buying a bulb every 5 years and possibly sooner if you watch a lot of TV. Add the acquisition cost of the unit and a DLP TV can actually cost twice as much as plasma over 5 or 6 years of normal use. In the expected life of a unit it can cost 3 to 4 times as much as plasma. Consider a DLP TV like a computer bubble jet printer. Cheaper to acquire, way more expensive on ink

• Large footprint: Even though a DLP TV is substantially thinner then an old style rear projection TV, they are still a minimum of 12 to 13 inches deep .

• Not wall mountable: units cannot be hung on wall

• Field of vision: Although greatly improving, DLP TVs still do not have as good of a field of vision as a plasma TV.

• Picture quality: Although improving, the picture quality varies on DLP TVs. Some have very poor to medium quality, none have spectacular. Many people still complain about artifacting and blockiness in some units.

• Diminishing bulb brightness: When a bulb gets older in a DLP TV, the brightness level reduces. When the bulb is replaced, the TV becomes bright again.

• Early bulb failure: The bulb in a DLP can fail instantly well before its scheduled replacement. Availability of replacement bulbs very with manufacturer. If you do purchase a DLP TV, I would suggest getting a spare bulb right away. It’s Murphy's Law that the bulb will fail 3 minutes before the Superbowl kick off! DLP rear projection TV advantages:

• Initially low acquisition cost. Generally offset by high operating costs. Still cheaper than a plasma or LCD in the very large size. 42” to 50” are not much cheaper than a plasma screen and definitely not cheaper over the long term.

• Same advantages as an LCD Screen