The Dwindling use of Plasma

When flat screen TVs first emerged on to the market, plasma was the device of choice. Initially available in larger sizes than LCDs, plasma also had better contrast and color definition, providing a far better picture quality.

Over time, however, LCDs began to get larger, soon matching the demand for larger sized TVs that once only plasmas could meet. Over the last few years, LCDS have not only matched the largest of plasma sizes but also surpassed it, with the major manufacturers announcing larger and larger sizes nearly every week.

With higher resolution and a falling price tag, LCD TVs finally usurped plasma TVs in the home market in 2007 and some major TV manufacturers have stopped producing plasma completely, concentrating solely on LCD technology.

Plasma TVs also fell out of favor with the burgeoning digital signage market. Most commercial grade out of home screens are now LCD with installers put off by early disadvantages of plasma such as screen burn-in and high power usage, and while plasma manufacturers have addressed these issues, there seems little enthusiasm for digital signage installers to use the technology.

But plasma isn’t dead yet and it does have several advantages over LCDs that make it better suited to some applications.

Firstly, when it comes to larger sizes of screen, plasma still provides better value than LCD models. While LCDs can match a 42” plasma price-for-price, screens over 50” tend to be cheaper in plasma than LCD.

Secondly, plasma screens have better color and contrast reproduction, which provides a better screen image than LCD and makes them an ideal platform for an outdoor digital signage screen.

With outdoor digital signage, size and contrast matter far more than for indoor displays. Viewers tend to be farther away from the screen when viewing outdoor content so larger, high contrast screens work well.

Plasmas are ideal for outdoor digital signage, and with a plasma enclosure, it is simple to keep them protected from the elements too.