Home audio & video forum: Plasma or LED

Hi,

The difference between LED and Plasma (in terms of Picture Quality) is not that much anymore, as long as you get a good LED TV. The main things you'd be after in an LED that you won't get in a Plasma is energy efficiency, as well as good viewing in a bright environment. If it is a well-lit environment, you will benefit from the LED screen, as the panel in a plasma is glass, which reflects light quite well. If it is dark, a plasma generally performs better than an LED TV, though LED's are also great in the dark.

In terms of refresh rate, plasma TV's generally have a much better refresh rate, which result in good viewing of fast-moving objects, like sports. Most higher-end LED's have around 200hz refresh rate (which is excellent), though most high end plasma's have around 600hz or more. Of course, whether you can tell the difference between something being refreshed 200 times per second and 600 times per second is something that may come into play. In short, plasma is better for refresh rate, though the higher-end LED's are more than enough, especially for general TV-show viewing.

In terms of "white" whites and "black" blacks (ie, contrast ratio), both will perform well. The older-style LCD TV's had a problem with giving white whites and black blacks, but that was fixed in the LED tvs. Plasmas, on the other hand, are excellent with their contrast ratio.

You'll find as well, that most Plasma's will run a fair bit warmer than an LED tv (as they consume more electricity, and as well as the way the Plasma's actually output the colour) as compared to the LED (which uses LED's inside, hence the name).

Most importantly, when setting it up (slightly unrelated), the optimal viewing distance from the TV is about 3x the screen size. So, if the screen is 55", try to sit around 165" from the TV. This is, of course, a guideline, but it is best for eyesight and visual tracking of everything on the screen.

In short:
LED: Plasma
> Good for energy use > Not-so-good for energy use
> Great contrast ratio > Excellent contrast ratio
> Great refresh rate > Excellent refresh rate
> Great in light or dark rooms > Great in dark rooms

So, for what you're after, an LED would probably be better, but, read over this and make your own decision. No-one knows what you want better than you do!

Have fun!

If I may add a few things:

While plasmas do use more power than LCDs, it might end up a little less that one might think. Plasmas use less power during dark scenes. LCDs usually do not. (LCDs with dynamic contrast ratio may use a little less). Also, it's recommended to have your plasma TV calibrated after installation. This will likely lower your power consumption as well. Often, the default settings are a little "hot" to make the picture "pop".

I'm surprised no one mentioned burn-in. Like an old tube TV, a static image can permanently burn into a plasma display, not a problem for an LCD. I understand that this is much less of an issue than it used to be. If you're not playing video games or using it as a computer monitor, then it's even less of an issue, but I have heard of bugs (network logos in the corner of the screen) burning into a display.

Plasmas are heavier. Not necessarily a problem, but something to consider when you mount it.

Not sure of this, but If you're looking for 3D on the cheap, I think that passive 3D with cheap glasses might only be available on LCD/LED sets.

Plasma TVs have a better viewing angle. Much, much better. If your room layout requires off-axis viewing for your audience, you may want to consider this or at least look closely in the showroom before you buy.

I don't have a plasma TV, but have been very happy with Panasonic products in the past. As was already mentioned, great performance for a great price, a lot of bang for the buck. I think, in general, plasma TVs are a little less expensive than LCDs, especially as the size goes up.

I last bought an LCD TV several years ago. For me, it was a toss-up between Sony and Samsung. I got the Sony.

Why? http://duckduckgo.com/?q=plasma+screen+cracked+by+itself

I hear this issue too often. While the LCD is not immune to this, Plasma displays seem to really take the lead here.

-> My thought on this is that folk must not OVER INVEST in such things. Even warning them about the current designs are rarely made to last about 5 years doesn't seem to dissuade some.
Bob

Choosing plasma vs. LED will be a function of what you really want to do with the TV - whether it is mostly for movie watching, or sports, or just an occasional gaming bout. With significant technological advances over the last years, many of the erstwhile very clear differences between the two have been reduced. For example, modern LED TVs provide a very good contrast ratio, excellent black levels and very good response times. Also, some TV brands like LG Smart TV boast IPS LCD panels that offer excellent viewing angles.