Plasma TVs Test

Reviews on Plasma TVs

"Pioneer KURO PDP-LX508D 50in Plasma TV"

Published on: 3/2008

On test: Pioneer PDP-LX508D

Sometimes the smallest of differences in a TV model name can hide a whole world of difference in specification. So it is with Pioneer's PDP-LX508D. For although this 50in plasma TV shares almost the same moniker as the Pioneer PDP-508XD we've reviewed previously, it actually boasts one very important difference: a full HD pixel count where the previous model was only HD Ready.

"Pioneer KURO PDP-428XD 42in Plasma TV"

Published on: 10/2007

On test: Pioneer PDP-428XD

More often than not, when you find an electronics brand boasting about one of their products having the ‘world's best this' or the ‘universe's best that', it turns out to be nothing more than meaningless posturing supported by dubious measurements. But with Pioneer's KURO TVs the situation is rather different. For Pioneer claims that its new plasma TV range produces the best black level response the flat TV world has ever seen not only appear to be true, but they're true by a striking margin. We know this because we've already tested and been seduced by Pioneer's latest 50in model, the KURO PDP-508XD. But with that model being rather intimidating in terms of both its size and cost (you'll struggle to find it selling for south of £2,300), we thought you'd appreciate it if we ran our eye over the 42in version too, with its more living room-friendly 8in size reduction and bank balance-friendly £500 cheaper price tag.

"Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ70 42in plasma TV"

Published on: 10/2007

On test: Panasonic TH-42PZ70

Way back in the height of that summer we never really had, we found a rare ray of sunshine in the shape of Panasonic's TH-42PZ700: the UK's very first 42in plasma TV to sport a full HD resolution. Boy, was it good. So if you don't mind we'll ditch our usually hard-bitten, cynical persona for a moment and merrily admit to being excited as hell by the arrival of the 42PZ70: another Panasonic 42in full HD plasma TV that appears to promise essentially the same picture quality thrills but at a substantially lower price. Surely there can be nothing not to like here, right?

"Take your pick from the world's best flatscreens"

Issue: 11/2007

On test: Sony Bravia KDL-40W3000, Sanyo CE42FD81, JVC LT-42DA8BJ, Panasonic TH-42PZ70

Looking for a 40-42in TV? Congratulations! The new-season LCDs and plasmas are the best (and cheapest) ever. We test 10 big-brand sets to find today's top telly.

Plasma TVs

The picture from a plasma display is created by applying a current across a small amount of a neon-xenon-argon mix which then fires off a stream of electrons used to light a phosphor. This final stage is basically the same process used in a standard CRT television and so the images produced are very clear, bright and have a very wide colour range.

Some drawbacks of plasma screen are their relatively high power consumption when compared to LCD and their fragility. Manufacturers recommend that well and ceiling mounting be left to a professional. In terms of power consumption, manufacturers state a power consumption of between 300 and 500 watts but real world testing places this a lot lower.

Previous problems such as burn-in and a low lifespan have been overcome and the brightness half life of modern plasma screens is somewhere in the region of 60,000 hours. This means that after 60,000 hours of continuous use the screen will be half as bright as when it was new. It will gradually start to lose brightness after around 20,000 hours, the half life of a CRT television or monitor is generally 10,000 to 15,000 hours.

Another benefit of plasma screen technology is that they produce no emissions. CRT based screens are known to emit a large electro-magnetic field and even X-rays due to the high voltages required to generate a picture.

The price of a plasma screen is usually higher than that of a comparable LCD but competition and new innovations are constantly driving down prices.

The largest plasma screen so far created is a 103” model shown at a Tokyo electronics fair in 2006 and soon to be offered commercially, but the standard size for Plasma screens is usually from 40 inches upwards.

This category contains tests on Plasma Television, Plasma Television Screen, Plasma Televisions, Plasma Television Screens.