Home | Site Map

Buying a Plasma or LCD TV FAQs

This article focuses on frequently asked questions by buyers of plasma and LCD televisions.

Q: Does the "plasma" in plasma televisions need to be recharged or replaced over time?

A: No. The plasma gases are sealed in individual cells when they are manufactured. There is no way to recharge or replace the gases. However, plasma TVs, when used normally, will last you many, many years (up to 20 years) so you don't have to worry about the screen burning out for a long time.

Q: Are plasma and LCD TVs difficult to install?

A: While you may want to hire a professional electrician to help you with wiring if you are installing your plasma or LCD television on a wall, you can also easily place the television on a stand yourself and place it anywhere you like.

Q: Do plasma and LCD TVs give off radiation?

A: All electronic devices, including televisions, must comply with FDA guidelines (in the United States) and CSA guidelines (in Canada) on radiation emission before being permitted to be sold to the public. While there is radiation emission in the form of ultraviolet light, the amount is negligible and you are unlikely to be affected by it watching the television from normal distances.

Q: What are anamorphic widescreen DVD movies?

A: There are two common ways of recording wide format movies on a DVD: letterbox and anamorphic. Letterbox refers to a video played with horizontal black bars on the top and bottom of the picture. Anamorphic recordings are also commonly labeled "Enhanced for 16:9 TVs". Anamorphic recordings have over 30% more vertical resolution than letterbox format and elimates or significantly reduces the black bars found in letterbox pictures in order to fit to the screen size of 16:9 televisions.

Q: Do LCD's have a burn-in problem?

A: No. Unlike CRT and plasma TVs, liquid crystal displays do not use phosphor and thus have no problems with a still image becoming permanently stored on the screen. Instead, LCD TVs use a backlight on a colored, transluscent liquid crystal screen.

Q: Can I use a game console such as Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo Game Cube or Microsoft XBOX with my LCD TV?

A: Yes. If you intend to use a game console and/or watch standard TV broadcasts over cable, satellite or antenna, an LCD TV is a superior choice over plasma televisions. The repetitive image from games and unused black-filled borders will damage a plasma TV by burning a permanent image into the phosphor.

Q: Will leaving my LCD TV on cause the image to degrade?

A: No. Unlike plasma TV's, this LCD TV does not exhibit aging over time. The brightness of the image remains the same because LCD televisions use a florescent backlight.

Q: Can I mount my LCD TV straight into drywall or plaster?

A: No, drywall or plaster alone will not offer enough support. A structural beam or stud must be used as the anchor for the wall mount.

Philip Liu is a freelance author and publisher currently based in New York City. Philip publishes regularly on his websites dealing with cell phone reviews and news and plasma, LCD TV reviews and news.

MORE RESOURCES:

hardware - Yahoo! News Search Results
hardware - Yahoo! News Search Results

• New Petworth hardware store adds jobs to local economy
The U.S. economy added 243,000 jobs in January ? and 11 of those were at Annie?s Ace Hardware, a new store slated to open in Petworth on Tuesday. The 6,500-square-foot store near Upshur Street and Georgia Avenue NW has long been a dream of owner Anne Stom, a home repair aficionado and former Labor Department project director who went all in to launch her new business, including investing about ...
• The Hardware Winners of a Cloud-Computing Boom
Top dogs and fast movers in a growing sector.
• Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corporation and Benjamin Moore & Co. Announce ...
Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corporation , a specialty retailer focused on the consumer segment of the home improvement market, announced that it has entered into a multi-year distribution agreement with Benjamin Moore & Co., a leading premium quality national paint manufacturer.
• Research and Markets: 2012 Worldwide Hardware Stores Industry - Industry & Ma...
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "2012 Worldwide Hardware Stores Industry -Industry
• Hardware World Selects iService to Power Online Support
Hardware World, and online retailer of hardware products, is powering their online service function with the iService email response management solution.Champaign, IL (PRWEB) January 30, 2012 Customer service is an important differentiator for retail companies. But for retailers that do a significant amount of business online, it's crucial. Hardware World recognized the importance of online ...

RELATED ARTICLES

Computer Cooling Hardware
PC cooling systems are one of the hottest - and coolest - computer hardware accessories avaliable. Most computers, however, still do not come with a cooling system more advanced than the typical heat sink and cpu fan.

Wireless Networking, Part 2: Setup and Security
The first installment in this two-part series of Tech Tips provided an introduction to the basic capabilities and hardware involved in wireless networking. In the final installment of this two-part series, we will look at some of the basic setup and security considerations that should be addressed.

TiVo: An Introduction for the Few Who Dont Know Yet
TiVo will change your life..

3 Easy Step To Locate A Real Bargain On Laptop Batteries
Looking for a real bargain on laptop batteries? How do I know the batteries are running good as advertised? Which merchants are offering quality rechargeable cells? Where can I get the bargain? Where to buy?Many of you have some of these questions? Certainly!!. We surely want to saving our hard to earn $$ and only buy quality cells.

Getting The Proper Laptop Screen Size
Are you sick of viewing everything on that small screen that your current notebook comes with? Do you want your next laptop to have screen size that you are more comfortable with? Well read on.In this article we will take a look at all the common screen sizes found on the many various laptops currently in existence, as well as which ones may be best for you and why.

A Review of Refurbished HP Laptops
HP refurbished laptops can be found on their website hpshopping.com.

Dell Inspiron 600m Notebook Computer
After twelve years of owning desktop computers, I finally opted for a laptop so I would no longer be chained to my desk. After months of research and weighing various makes and models, I settled on the Dell Inspiron 600m Notebook Computer.

Digital Cameras, Media, and Card Readers
With the dropping prices on digital cameras and digital media in the past few years there is really a need for a quick reliable transfer method for your pictures to your personal computer.Using the USB cable directly to your camera works to transfer pictures, but it's a waste of your battery and is often quite slow.

RAM - What is It & Why You Need Plenty
This is the first article in the Understanding Your Computer series from aworldofhelp.com.

Printer Cartridges - Step Back in History
You are working and trying to print out important documents when you discover that you are out of ink. This would have been a big drawback in the past.

Unclogging Epson Print Heads
Tools needed:1 - 10cc Injector1 - 4" - 5" of fish tank air line tubing (Wal*Mart fish department) Windex (No Drip works best)We are going to flush the print head out with the Windex cleaner. Some people from outside the US may not know about Windex.

Coping with a Serious Data Loss from your Computer Hard Drive
Data loss is an expensive reality. It's a hard fact that it happens more often then users like to admit.

Printers
Do you feel overwhelmed when buying a computer or a new printer?You are not alone. With so many products to choose from I know exactly how you feel.

Hard Drive Selection
Perhaps the biggest mistake people make when building their computer(s) is to underestimate the importance of the hard disk drive (HDD). In our modern society, bigger is synonymous with better, so when you go to buy a hard drive you look at how "big" it is, its data capacity.

Review: Implementing the Google Search Appliance in an Intranet environment
Our corporate intranet is a non-framed environment with both Lotus Domino and IIS (.Net and classic ASP) applications and content.

A Review of Brother Laser Toners
Brother is right up there with HP and Samsung as one of the most sought-after brands of laser toner. The Japan-based Brother Industries was first famous for its sewing machines.

Portable MP3 Player Based Education
A revolution in learning technology has taken place. Actually, it took place a few years ago, and I'm only just now catching up.

Video Cards: Is AGP Dead?
If you've been looking to upgrade your computer video card you've probably heard a great deal about PCI Express and SLI. Don't run out and buy a new computer just yet and take that AGP motherboard you just threw away out of the trash.

Laptop Security -Where'd My Laptop Go?
Laptops are lovely. They are convenient, mobile, powerful and prestigious.

DVD ROMs
DVD CD ROMs have become predominantly the most used CD drive for desktop and notebook computers. They are very reliable and now come as a standard in most computers.