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Plasma TV up to 32" - Plasma TV 32-42" - Plasma TV 50"+ - Plasma TV Accessories - LCD - Projectors
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Why choose a Plasma TV?
Among the many benefits of investing in a Plasma TV screen the, perhaps, primary
attraction is that due to the innovative lightweight and slim design the TV can
be hung from the walls or placed on a tabletop, cancelling the need for an extra
display unit and enabling large audio visual displays in places where a
conventional TV would use too much space, or a projector would be impractical.
The higher resolution and wide depth of color is another major advancement made
in Plasma TVs.
Screen size
Most plasma tv screens are in the 42-inch category, but a greater variety of screen
sizes are emerging, including 32, 37, 40, 50 and 61 inches.
These screen sizes are a measure of the diagonal dimension of the screen, so a small variation in this vital statistic can make a big difference to the actual screen area, as the diagram below shows us.
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Aspect ratio
This is the ratio of the screen width against the screen height. The majority of
screens have 16:9 aspect ratio, which is the normal ratio for widescreen TV.
Manufacturers are now adding more 4:3 ratio screens to their ranges, which is
the normal ratio used by PC monitors and standard televisions.
If you are connecting a plasma screen to a PC, you can still use the widescreen format. Your PC can often be set to use the 16:9 ratio instead of 4:3, or the image can be stretched to use the whole screen.
If you're connecting to a video source, a 16:9 plasma screen is ideal for widescreen films and can still display signals from sources that use a 4:3 ratio by stretching the image or by displaying the image at its natural size using a portion of the screen.
Resolution
Simply put, this is the number of pixels available on the plasma tv screen. The higher the
resolution the greater the definition and sharpness of the image when projecting
from a computer. This is more important with larger plasma tv screens where the pixel size
is more noticeable, and less important when displaying images from a video
source because rapidly changing images make the pixellation less noticeable.
When choosing the correct resolution for you, take into consideration your most frequently used application for your plasma tv.
SVGA (800 x 600) is okay for most video and large text presentations, but doesn't have fine sharpness and is less suitable for small text and intricate graphics.
XGA (1024 x 768) is the most popular choice for presentations and high quality video.
Resolutions higher than XGA are aimed more at specialist applications or high definition TV.
If you're using a PC with your screen then it's best to check that the screen is compatible with the resolution you use on your PC. The resolutions that the screen supports should be stated in the screen's brochure.
Contrast ratio
The contrast ratio is the measure of the brightest luminance the screen can
achieve against the darkest luminance. The darkest luminance is important to the
image because blacks will be truer to their real colour, rather than appearing
grey and washed out.
You can use the contrast ratio as an approximate measure of how the image will appear in different lighting conditions. The higher it is, the better the contrast, although the measurement process is open to some different interpretations by different manufacturers.
Brightness
Measured in candelas per square metre (cd/m2). This is not quoted by all
manufacturers, but is a selling point for others, so it's difficult to compare
screens based on brightness alone.
Depth
Thinner plasma tv screens, while looking smarter, are more suited to environments
where space is an issue, such as exhibition stands.
Display area
This is the measurement of the screen area itself not including the bevel.
Picture-in-picture / split screen functions
A feature on some plasma tv screens that allows you to view images from two
different sources simultaneously. For example, you could show a video seamlessly
within your PC presentation.
Speakers
A few plasma tv screens come with built-in speakers, but most sell them separately.
The speakers provided by the manufacturer are generally the best looking speaker
option available, as they're designed to match the screen itself. You'll usually
get the option to control the audio volume using the remote control as well,
whereas if you were using speakers directly from your source you may not have
this option. Unlike conventional televisions, Plasma screens are not affected by
magnetic fields.
TV receiver
A plasma tv screen isn't quite like a TV - it doesn't include an aerial lead to
plug into the wall and start receiving TV pictures. If you want to use the
plasma screen for television, you'll need to either pass a TV signal through a
video recorder, or purchase a separate TV receiver unit.
Plasma TV up to 32" - Plasma TV 32-42" -
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Plasma TV Accessories - LCD - Projectors
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