Anyone who has shopped for a new TV has heard of plasma and LCD screens. If you've researched ratings for flat screens or browsed new television reviews, you've been inundated with information. So, what is the difference between the different types available? What are the advantages and drawbacks for plasmas and LCDs?

The underlying concept is the same. Both create the picture by flashing hundreds of different colored pixels between twenty to thirty times each second to give the impression that the pictures are moving. It is how this process is conducted that varies between plasma and LCD TV's.

With Plasma TVs the picture is created when gas particles are heated with electricity. These Plasma pixels actively throw the light particles off, which means that they tend to be much brighter than LCD screens, making them a better option for watching TV during the day. Also, since the pixels are able to shut completely off, the blacks that they produce are much deeper, making the contrast a good deal greater as well.

There are differences between plasma and LCD TVs. In LCD screens, light passes through pixels made up of red, green and blue crystals. As electricity flows through the pixels, they can become opaque. Because light shines through the pixels and they don't light up themselves, they are less likely to burn in, which may happen in plasma screens when the exact same picture is shown on the screen for extended periods of time. However, in modern plasma screens this will takes weeks to months of the same image on the screen for the picture to be burned in.

There is no difference in potential resolution between plasma vs LCD TVs, meaning the picture can be just as detailed on either one of them as the other, and both are available in all the high definition resolutions the market has to offer. And prices tend to overlap between the two TV technologies, but for very large and very small screens LCDs are the more cost effective option.

Choosing one over the other is a matter of compromise. If you plan on using the TV partly as a computer screen, it's better to go with an LCD. If you want the brightest picture available for use in a well-lit area, you need a plasma TV. For the biggest screen possible, get the LCD as they can be used to create rear projection TVs with huge screens. For professional video work, either can do the job well.

If you're in the market for a new television, you've undoubtedly researched flat screen TVs. You've surely came across the comparison of plasma vs LCD TV. However, have you looked into the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as the flat screen TV ratings? Read the new television reviews, and you will discover it becomes a matter of compromise when you choose one or the other. If are looking to use the television as a computer monitor your best bet is the LCD. If you are looking for the brightest screen for an area brightly lit the plasma television is best.