They are the present and the future of the HDTV market: LCD and plasma televisions share some features which are all focused on providing the best images ever and letting people experience with a sort of “real life” environment while they’re at home sitting on the couch watching television. Any difference between LCD and plasma is not that huge, since both provide the best resolutions and best image adaptation depending on the light and other factors.

Plasma display technology is based on pixels, which rely on gas substances to perform their duties and images on LCD displays become visible thanks to electricity which is spread through the liquid crystals. Making a choice between them can be even harder since pros and cons arise mainly from the little details and precautions each LCD and plasma requires, and these details may or may not determine the customer’s purchase of one HDTV type rather than the other. No matter how much the customer spends on their purchase, paying attention to the features of the television is very important.

Despite recent models which are less subjected to the “burn-in” phenomena or ghosting, plasma televisions are at a disadvantage in this case. This is especially true if their usage is connected to the immobility of certain images, which usually is peculiar to video game consoles. LCD displays can suffer from stuck or dead pixels; it is advisable to check the LCD for this problem within the store’s return period or be sure to review the manufacturer warranty policy.

The Plasma television has a unique advantage when it comes to contrast ratios and back levels and for energy savings and an absence of radiation the advantage goes to LCD. Generally LCD TVs are thinner when compared to Plasma and Plasma TVs have better viewing angles.

When it comes to the ease of installation, plasma televisions are quite heavy and a professional is often called for its installation. LCD in this case is lighter and their installation is a lot easier. The consumer may be able to take care of everything alone, without having to use a professional for the installation. There is not a huge difference of the product life span between the two television technologies. This is because both should be up to 60,000 hours, and as always, it also depends on the usage and from the care of the user.

The choice between plasma and LCD is not that easy. When going through the purchase, a good piece of advice is to compare several different models before making a choice.