by Kaitlyn Hamilton

Created on: August 21, 2008   Last Updated: December 11, 2009

Plasma, LCD, and DLP televisions:

If you're in the market for a new television, then there are certain things you should consider before running out and buying the first television you see.

First, if you're wanting a very large television, such as 56" or larger, then you will most likely want to consider a DLP or Digital Light Projection television. These televisions are a lot less expensive than a Plasma or LCD of the same size. Most 65" LCD televisions are in the $4000 and up price range, but you can get a 65" DLP for about $2500. The DLP television is a projection style television that uses a lamp (or multiple lamps) and mirrors to reflect light, which makes the picture appear brighter than what you will see with a traditional projection style television.

The down side of a DLP television is that it takes up more space than a Plasma or flat panel LCD television. You also can't hang a DLP television on the wall like you can a flat panel LCD or Plasma. The final down side of a DLP is the reduced viewing angle. Although the newer models are much improved over the older DLP televisions, you will still lose some or all of the picture if you are viewing the television from a harsh angle. DLP televisions also require that the bulb or lamp be changed from time to time. A lamp might last 6 months or it might last 8 years. You just never know. However, once the lamp is changed, it is almost like getting a brand new television all over again because it will burn almost as brightly as the day you first purchased it. An average lamp will cost anywhere from $200 to $400 depending on the model.

As for a Plasma television, they do have a glass panel screen which tends to reflect light more easily than a DLP or LCD, which means that you could be dealing with unpleasant glare on your television if you are unable to control the amount of light that will be hitting your screen. A Plasma also is more sensitive to burn-in or image memory retention. In other words, if you leave the same picture on the plasma screen for long periods of time (such as with video games or leaving a movie on pause for a very long time) then the image will burn into the screen.

Many of the newer models have a pixel shift feature or burn-in erasing technology that will help remove burn-in. Although light glare and burn-in are things to be considered when making your final decision, you should also know the benefits of a plasma over an LCD or DLP.

I personally prefer a plasma over a DLP or LCD because

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