Now a status symbol among the rich and wealthy, a plasma



TV is a high-definition (HDTV) alternative to the standard

cathode-ray televisions sold today. It gives viewers sharp

images and vibrant colors, particularly when used in

conjunction with high-definition broadcasts. A quality plasma

TV, however, does not come cheap. Its price ranges from

$4,000 to $15,000 plus.

One of the main attractions of a plasma TV is a flat screen,

whichcan be mounted directly on a wall. Manufacturers often

employ surround-sound theater speakers and high-end

receivers to complete the feeling of luxury. No wonder plasma

TVs are such a craze these days.

In terms of science, 'plasma' refers to inert gases like neon

and xenon that glow when in contact with an electrical field.

Televisions usually rely on thousands of small 'picture

elements', abbreviated as pixels. A bundle of three distinct

colors, usually red,green and yellow, constitute one pixel in

a color TV. Properly controlling the level of each color, all of

the other colors of the spectrum can be produced in each

pixel. The distance between the viewer and the screen is

usually such that the individual pixels blur into each other

and the illusion of motion is created as they change color.

Plasma or not, this holds true for any television system.

The individual pixels in a plasma TV are made from three tiny

containers of an inert gas like neon or xenon. There are

thousands of these tiny tubes on an average plasma TV screen.

All of them are sandwiched between two electrically charged

plates. And plasma glows when exposed to an electrical current.

A cable or broadcast antenna dispatches signals to a

computer-processing unit.The antenna instructs the unit how to

reassemble the entire picture hundreds of times per second.

A plasma TV screen contains more pixels than a standard

television, so the image is noticeably sharper. If light

conditions are ambient, a plasma TV will perform at its best.

As flat screens have a viewing angle of 160 degrees, one

can watch TV from almost any position in a room.

Article written by Jason Gluckman.