The television has gone through something of a revolution over the past few years with the arrival of LCD and Plasma screens - at the moment the leading television technology being the plasma display.  For lovers of TV and home theatre enthusiasts this is the Holy Grail.

The technology for the plasma screen affords a greater precision, range of color, contrast and viewing angle than most other types of sets on the market.

Advantages of Plasma

Wide viewing angle - These days the viewing angle of a television is a very important consideration - we want a large screen but also want the same quality of picture to be seen from anywhere in the room. With plasma screens the viewing angle is around 160 degrees - with a rear projector TV it would only be around 45 degrees!.

Anti glare - Unlike CRT TVs the screen of the plasma set is also flat, which not only adds to the viewing angle but makes glare a thing of the past.

Light levels - Another factor is ambient room light. With a rear projection TV the room has to be fairly dark to enjoy the picture. The plasma set on the other hand maintains its quality even in relatively well lit rooms, just like a CRT TV.

Size & weight - It is not uncommon for the entire depth of a plasma screen television to be about four inches and they are very much lighter than even smaller CRT designs - plasma screens can therefore be mounted on a wall, much like a picture.

Magnetic interferrence - Another reason why plasma is better is that the screen is not affected by magnetic fields. With the advent of home theatre we now have speakers all over the room. While most speakers are now magnetically shielded, an unshielded speaker will distort and harm a regular normal TV set.

Flicker free - The way an older CRT TV works can result in picture flicker but Plasma screens use something called progressive scan. The whole picture is assembled in memory and sent to the screen in one go. This provides a clear, flicker free picture and since the screen is flat there is no distortion at the edges of the screen.

Cool operation - Ever notice how old TVs get warm? This heat comes from all the energy the set requires. Plasma screens requires a lot less power and always remain cool. This translates to more than just a cooler running TV. It means less electricity is required and parts will last longer - a typical plasma set will last over ten years with little or no problems.

Of course, all of the features we have come to expect on a television screen are present with the plasma screen - picture in picture, Home Theatre connection, PC connection.

The prices of plasma screens are also dropping as more consumers demand them. They also typically have at least two modes, the regular 4:3 aspect ratio and the enhanced 16:9 used with DVDs and many digital cable and satellite sources. So for compact size, clarity of picture and compatibility with all your video sources the plasma screen is the way to go, if you can afford it!