Though plasma displays have become popular only recently, they have been in existence for quite some time. The first plasma display was developed in the 1960s, but it could show only two colors. As technology developed, plasma displays improved and today they are capable of displaying millions of colors.
Modern plasma displays are available in screen sizes from 32" to 150". A considerable amount of research and development is being carried out by Japanese developers to create a 270" high definition plasma display, which should be available in the next 2-3 years.
How They Work
Plasma displays operate in a somewhat similar way to how a fluorescent tube used for lighting works. They are made up of two sheets of glass between which xenon and neon are filled in thousands of tiny capsules or chambers. Red, blue and green phosphorous is coated behind these chambers and when electricity is passed through them, the phosphorous emits the desired color on the screen. The color presented on the screen is directly related to the amount of current that passes through the chambers, and in theory plasma displays have the potential to display millions of colors.
Advantages over CRTs
There are many advantages of plasma displays over conventional displays. They are able to produce images that are sharper and clearer than CRT screens. This is because plasma displays have more pixels per inch as compared to the older CRT displays. As compared to traditional CRT displays that come in a standard 4:3 ratio, plasma displays have a wide screen option, which significantly enhances the viewing experience. Most plasma displays have a 160˚ viewing angle, which means that the picture is clearly visible from almost every part of the room.
One of the biggest advantages that plasma displays have over conventional CRT displays is the space saving design. Plasma displays are slim and compact, hardly 6 to 8 inches in thickness. They are also lighter than CRT displays and can be easily mounted on walls. This saves a lot of floor space, which would otherwise be occupied with a base for a conventional CRT display.
Utility
With their vividness and clarity, plasma screens are ideal for displaying television shows, movies, computer applications, and even graphic rich video game content. The picture can also be viewed in bright ambient light unlike CRT displays, which tend to have a faded look under the same conditions.
Plasma displays have multiple input options and can be set up easily to work with a wide range of equipment such as DVD players, computers, laptops, set-top boxes for DTH television, and video game consoles. In fact, some of the latest models even have a USB interface, which allows them to directly interact with memory devices.
Although plasma displays were introduced before LCDs, they now face tough competition from the technology. For larger screen sizes, plasma displays are still holding their ground, but the lower prices of LCDs are making them popular in the small screen size segment. Research and development is still continuing in both technologies and they are here to stay for a long time.
For More Information on Dallas plasma display rentals or Minneapolis plasma display rentals, contact a Computer Rental expert at Vernon Computer Source.
