LCD vs. PDP

Liquid Crystal Display (or LCD) refers to a type of screen that is used with various technologies, such as clocks, mp3 players and television sets. It is comprised of a number of pixels that are filled with liquid crystals, which are then displayed in front of a particular light source. The composition is such that the girth of any number of screens is always lightweight, and can be battery operated – simply because the composition allows for very little electrical power consumption.

Plasma Display Panel (or PDP) refers to a type of flat panelled screen that is most common for larger scale televisions, spanning anywhere from 80 centimetres or larger. Its composition is a bit more complex than that of an LCD screen. The gas in cells within the panel becomes plasma via electricity, which then emits ultraviolet light, and turns into a light that is visible to the average person. The light power of the PDP screen ensures that there is a lower area of dark spots when viewed at certain angles.

Unlike LCD screens, PDP screens are capable of using a great deal of electrical power, because of the intensity gradient of the light. Though the brightness of the light varies depending on the size of the screen, the overall power intake is significantly larger than that of an LCD. PDPs also produce a clearer and more accurate colour profile than the LCD screen. Along with that comes the superiority of the PDP screen to display blacks better than LCD screens. The backlighting in LCDs often make it difficult for the screen to produce blacks at a reasonable level, resulting in what seems like a darker shade of grey than actually black. This ultimately reduces the amount of detail that one can see on the screen, decreasing the amount of depth perceived on the screen.

An unfortunate effect of many PDP screens is what is known as a ‘burn in’. This essentially occurs when a screen has had a prolonged image permanently pressed into the screen – giving what seems like a ‘ghost effect’ when the image is gone. There is also a possibility that, depending to one’s altitude, the PDP screen can emit a buzzing noise, though it is not a common problem. No such effect has ever been noticed in an LCD screen.

Summary:

1. LCD screens consume very little power; PDP screens tend to consume a great deal of power, and can rarely be battery operated.

2. LCD screens often have areas in which the screen is dark at certain angles; the light intensity of PDP screens reduces the amount of dark spots (however, increases the potential for glare).

3. PDPs often suffer from a burn in effect; LCDs have no such problem, no matter how long an image is on the screen.

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