Television manufacturers are looking for the newest and best technology to create the top TVs on the market. As of 2009, LCD and plasma screens are the two best-selling types of flat screen TVs, presenting an upgrade over older CRT models.
LCD
LCD is short for liquid crystal display, in which the screen is comprised of hundreds of thousands of pixels between two polarizing filters. The subpixels within those provide color and create the picture by their reaction to light passed through them.
Plasma
In plasma screens, a mixture of gases between glass panels forms the plasma, which excites phosphors to emit light and create the picture. The technology needed for this limits plasmas to larger screen sizes of 40 inches or more.
CRT
CRT TVs are an older technology, featuring a cathode ray tube with electrons and a fluorescent light, with three separate color components that are converged to give the picture its proper color. Manufactures have moved beyond CRTs in favor of LCD, plasma and, in newer rear-projection TVs, digital light processing.
Size
With plasmas only available in larger sizes (40- to 65-inch being most popular), LCD has an edge for people looking for a smaller HDTV, with models available as small as 15 inches. Before LCD and plasma, CRT was available in a wide variety of sizes.
Picture Quality
LCD and plasma provide sharper, more dynamic video than CRT, with brighter colors and a wider viewing angle. Between the newer types, plasma offers deeper blacks, greater contrast and react better to fast-moving images, while LCD can be seen better in brightly lit rooms.
Price
In stores, with CRT no longer an option, plasma screens are generally a bit lower priced than LCD in comparable-sized models, though with LCDs available in smaller sizes, it means many models are available at lower prices than can be found with plasma.
Tags: plasma screens, create picture, models available
