Okay, you're considering your Flat-Panel options. And you have no idea where to start. Don't worry… we're here to help.

Although many Tube TVs now boast a "flat screen," these are actually flat-faced picture tube TVs. There's no question that these are an improvement over traditional tube televisions, but the technology is basically the same, and these TVs are just as heavy and bulky as the non-flat variety. For a truly cutting-edge Flat-Panel screen experience, your choices are Plasma and LCD.

What are the overall advantages of Flat-Panel versus traditional Tube or Projection television? Well, Flat-Panel TVs boast higher resolution than most conventional TV sets, and take better advantage of HDTV and DTV signals. The completely flat screens cause less distortion, and make viewing at a wide angle much more pleasant, than with a traditional tube television. Both can offer you the "big-screen" experience. And being only a few inches in depth, both Plasma and LCD offer great placement flexibility. You can mount the displays on your wall, or even your ceiling with optional hardware.

But those are the similarities - and we haven't helped you one bit, have we? Now you want to know: What are the differences between Plasma and LCD? Well, although they both fall into the Flat-Panel category, Plasma and LCD utilize radically different technologies.

Plasma Technology
Plasma displays utilize millions of miniscule, glass, plasma-filled cells, sandwiched between two glass panes. Behind each cell are three separate phosphores, which discharge red, blue or green illumination. When an electric current charges and energizes the plasma, it gives off ultraviolet light, which strikes the phosphores, and allows them to display colors. The colors then combine to create images on the screen.

LCD Technology
LCD displays employ a material called liquid crystals. This material is neither a liquid nor solid - it actually possesses qualities of both. An LCD display is created by sandwiching a layer of liquid crystals between two panels of polarized glass, and placing a color filter on one of these glass panels. A powerful fluorescent light source is placed behind the display. Voltage is applied, and this voltage causes the liquid crystals to work somewhat like the shutter of a camera, which then control the amount of light that is blocked out or allowed to pass through to the color filter. This is how colors and images are created.

So, which Flat-Panel technology is better? Well, it depends. Both have advantages - and drawbacks - to keep in mind when making your choice. Read on. We're going to try to make this as easy as possible.

Why Plasma?

• In terms of contrast and color saturation, Plasma technology has the edge over LCD. It has the ability to produce the richest and most striking colors of any type of display available.
• Although LCD has made great strides toward improving viewing angles, Plasma has always offered a 160-degree viewing angle. This provides the best image reproduction from any location in the viewing space. Translation: sit anywhere, and enjoy the show.
• Plasma screens produce a much brighter picture than LCD because they are self-lit (while LCD illumination is provided by back-lighting). This makes Plasma the better choice if you tend to watch TV at night or in a darkened environment (but also makes it vulnerable to screen burn-in).
• Plasma panels are not affected by magnetic fields. Even if your home speakers aren't magnetically shielded, you can still place them right next to your Plasma… no need to worry about distorting the picture.

Why LCD?

• LCD displays offer higher resolution, which lends itself more naturally to the world of high-definition.
• Efficient use of fluorescent back-lighting means much lower power consumption, which in turn means lower utility costs. Back-lighting also gives LCD the advantage for daytime viewing.
• Since LCD displays are not self-lit, screen burn-in does not occur.
• LCD displays are versatile - they tend to offer a generous number of input options, and can double as your computer display.
• They boast over twice the life span of Plasma… you'll enjoy up to 75,000 hours of viewing with your LCD, while Plasma offers up to 30,000 hours.
• LCD TVs weigh 10 to 15 percent less than Plasmas of comparable size.
• LCD TVs are not affected by magnetic fields. Even if your home speakers aren't magnetically shielded, you can still place them right next to your LCD TV… no need to worry about distorting the picture.

The Bottom Line
Evaluate your needs. Will you be using your TV mainly for nighttime viewing? Would you like to place non-magnetically-shielded speakers beside it? Then Plasma might be the right choice for you. Are you a high-definition or computer enthusiast, or concerned about keeping your utility costs down? Consider LCD. Both Plasma and LCD are fantastic. Regardless of your choice, be prepared to enjoy a whole new dimension in television viewing.