What is the Difference in Energy Costs of Plasma Vs. LCD TVs?
Plasma TVs and LCD TVs are two of the most popular and well-known HDTV formats currently on the market today. Both are capable of providing high-definition picture quality and bright, vibrant colors that most traditional CRT TVs are incapable of. They look very similar in appearance, but the technology between the two sets is dramatically different.
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Plasma TVs
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The display of a plasma TV is the result of a chemical reaction contained by two sheets of glass. In between those glass sheets is a thin layer of electrodes that are arranged in rows to form a grid. This grid carries an electronic charge that reacts with a layer of xenon, helium and neon glasses that is also contained between the two layers of glass. The reaction causes the gas to become ionized and releases ultraviolet photons that react with a phosphorous material in the display, which in turn creates visible light in the form of the television picture.
LCD TVs
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LCD TVs also have two thin panes of glass which contain a reaction that results in a television picture. In between the two panes of glass on an LCD TV is a solution of liquid crystals. When an electrical charge passes though the crystals they react and adjust to allow varying intensities of light to pass through them. The degree to which the liquid crystals react to the electric charge creates different levels of color and brightness, resulting the picture you see on the television. Florescent bulbs or LED lights serve as a backlight that illuminate the picture.
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Cost Comparison
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The chemical reaction that creates the television picture in plasma TVs consumes far more power than LCD TVs. In fact, some large-screen plasma TVs can consume more energy and cost more to run than traditional CRT displays. In April, 2010, Cnet compared the energy costs of 107 different TVs, and with few exceptions, the plasma TVs were the least energy-efficient of the bunch, consuming more watts per square inch than any other display type. Translated into dollar amounts and based on average TV watching habits in America, the most expensive plasma TV consumed enough energy to cost $124.11 to run every year, while the most expensive LCD TV cost only $75.86 to run every year. The cost of the most efficient plasma display was $28.67 per year, but that is still far more than the most efficient LCD display, which cost just $15.84 per year.
Energy Concerns
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With concerns over energy use at an all-time high, plasma TV sales have declined sharply in recent years. While it was the format of choice for HDTV buyers from 2004 to 2006, their high energy costs, not to mention higher retail price when compared to most LCD TVs, have seen them plummet in popularity. Concerns over their power consumption have even led to proposed laws by some European countries that would make plasma TVs that use exceptionally large amounts of energy illegal. Similar laws have even been considered in California.
Newer Displays
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Newer OLEDs and laser-powered rear projection TVs consume far less energy than even LCD TVs, making plasma TVs seem like excessive energy hogs by comparison. In addition to being more energy efficient and cost-effective, they require less maitanence and last longer than most plasma displays, making them even more cost-effective and practical. Their displays also never fade, unlike plasma displays, which become more muted and dull over time.
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References
- Cnet Energy Guide: The Chart: HDTV power consumption compared
- Geek.com: Europe may ban Plasma screens in energy use crackdown Read more: http://www.geek.com/articles/news/europe-may-ban-plasma-screens-in-energy-use-crackdown-20090113/#ixzz0qYEauYuf
- Wired: California Proposes Ban on Energy-Hogging HDTVs Starting in 2011 Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/03/california-tv/#ixzz0qYEe024U
- NewTeeVee.com: Pioneer's Kuro Killing: A Tipping Point in the Plasma Era
- Wired: DisplaySearch Says the OLED Era Will Begin in 2011 Read More http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/03/displaysearch-s/#ixzz0qYEp98wr
Resources
- Photo Credit modern tv 403 image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com
