Plasma TV sounds more like a bizarre blood disease than it does a 3.5-inch thick screen that hangs on a wall and displays the nightly news.
Sports junkies and movie buffs can probably explain, in tech terms, the differences between a plasma-screen television and a traditional tube. But for the average consumer, the price tag–anywhere between $5,000 for a 32-inch screen and $15,000 for a 60-inch screen–generally speaks for itself. Plasma-screen TVs are the newest tech craze. Thin and flat, they can either sit on a stand or hang on the wall like a piece of framed art. The picture is crystal clear and crisp.
According to expert Fred Paschal, “If you’re looking for something for the future … you can’t find a TV to give you a better picture.”
Plasma TVs use thousands of sealed, low-pressure glass chambers filled with a mixture of neon and xenon. Behind these chambers are colored phosphors; one red, one blue and one green for each chamber. When energized, the chambers of plasma emit invisible ultraviolet light. The light strikes the red, green and blue phosphors on the back glass of the display making them produce visible light. In addition, they are built to receive high-definition frequency waves, which allow for a more lifelike TV image.
Most brands offer a one-year warranty, including parts and labor, on their plasma-screen models. The life expectancy for plasma screens are touted at 18 years, compared with the average television life span of eight to 10 years, Paschal said.
He said one plasma-screen buyer actually uses hers as a piece of art. She has it hooked up to a DVD player that flashes silent pictures on the TV to mesmerize and impress her house guests.
Paschal said that when he asked the customer why she does this, she answered, “Well, because I can afford to do it.” Unfortunately, for now, the average TV consumer cannot.
