History of Plasma Television - Plasma TV

The technology behind Plasma TV has been around for several years but there were many difficulties perfecting it and cost was also a large problem.

However, with the evolution of plasma television history and advances in technology, costs have now come down to a more reasonable level which in turn makes new plasma televisions more affordable for the average consumer.

Plasma televisions are fundamentally different from their tube counterparts. While tube televisions are based off of a prism directing light, a plasma screen television is literally a moving painting. The electrons move through the liquid to create a picture which is a technique that painters have been using for centuries whereby they almost touch wet paint to nudge it in the direction that they want it to go.

Scientists have been seeking the key to using these techniques commercially for years but there were many other hurdles to jump along the way. Finally, in 1964 the technology had progressed enough to allow the first displays in university experiments. Like almost all great break throughs, this was the result of decades of theory and development in the field.

Today the technology has progressed to the point of producing stunning color on a large, flat screen. At the current time, plasma televisions and liquid crystal displays are fighting for dominance in the screen market with the major differences coming down to cost and lifespan.

As anyone who has worked at an electronics store can tell you, not all plasma televisions are as durable as their tri-tube large screen counterparts. For some reason, both color and clarity sometimes tend to fade. At three to five times the cost of a traditional large screen television, some question the value of plasma televisions.

Plasma televisions are also somewhat touchy to mount. If mounted incorrectly, a plasma television voids its warranty and may cease to function. Under normal circumstances, you would not have to worry about a large screen television not sitting correctly. Plasma televisions are also difficult to repair with cost some five to ten times the repair cost of a traditional large screen television.

Fortunately, there are two competitors on the field in the form of LCD and superscan. LCD screens you are probably familiar with. Superscan televisions work like regular televisions, but scan the picture much faster. This produces an image equivalent to HDTV for much less than LCD or plasma televisions and a mere 1.5 times the cost of a normal television. However, these screens are not as thin as LCD or plasma televisions, so they are less versatile when it comes to placement.

It remains to be seen which technology will win the race but if you are in the market for a new television, carefully weigh up cost, size, picture quality, durability and mounting costs when making your selection. For many people, a regular television will do just fine. Even after 40 years, a plasma screen can still warm the heart of a true technology junky.