Plasma displays are emissive (self illuminating) displays and do not require a backlight. Each pixel contains three sub-pixels (or cells) of microscopic, gas filled, fluorescent lamps in the primary colors red, green and blue (RGB). Variation of the intensity of these sub-pixels reproduces a wide palette of colors. The fluorescent lamps require a scintillator (phosphor) coating to convert their invisible UV radiation into visible light.

Plasma Display Strengths

Wider, more vibrant color range equates to more realistic pictures. Plasma displays do not create the RGB sub-pixels by filtering the backlight as with an LCD displays and have a wider range of color reproduction from the scintillator materials available.

Very wide viewing angles ensuring that the dimming, contrast loss and color shift at larger angles from the display centreline occur are minimized.

Uniform lighting over display surface is achieved by plasmas because their emissive nature obviates the need for a backlight which is suspect to uneven lighting across the display

Very deep blacks providing more detail in darker scenes. Plasma displays achieve excellent black levels as the plasma sub-pixel bulbs are are able to turn completely off emitting no light.

Superb contrast, produced by superior black levels, is a feature of plasma displays. The Imaging Science Foundation, a group that consults for home-theater manufacturers and trains professional video calibrators, considers contrast ratio the most important aspect of picture quality followed by color saturation (intensity), and color accuracy with resolution coming fourth.

Rapid response time for excellent fast onscreen motion (think sports and action movies) reproduction without blurring. The rapid electrical discharging of the individual cells which make up pixels give plasma displays an ultra fast response time measured in single digit micro seconds (0.001ms – milliseconds).

Plasma Weaknesses

Lower screen brightness and a greater propensity to reflect light (destroying picture quality) make plasma displays more suited to dimmer lighting situations. In recent years manufacturers have developed some very effective display coatings for reducing light reflection.

Lower peak resolution. Due to plasma pixel size limitations plasma HDTVs have size (about 40 inches diagonal) and resolution (1080p, 1920×1080 pixels) restrictions.

Burn-in is very unlikely with the latest plasma HDTVs as manufacturers have devised various methods

Plasma displays require a comparatively higher energy input than other display technologies