Which Is Better: HDTV or Plasma?

HDTV provides a clearer picture than standard-definition TV.

High Definition Television

HDTV, or high-definition television, is a form of television in a 16:9 widescreen ratio with 1,080 horizontal lines of pixels. Because the screen has such high resolution, high-definition televisions can display more picture quality from sources with high-definition signals, such as DVDs and television networks broadcast in HDTV.

Plasma Televisions

Plasma televisions are generally available in screen sizes of 42 inches or larger for home theaters. The advantages of plasma screens over their LCD counterparts include less motion blur and a wider viewing angle, meaning that people can view the screen from the far sides without reduced picture quality.

Bottom Line

Focus more on getting HDTV than getting a plasma screen. Plasma TV Buying Guide found that a plasma HDTV is about 20 percent better quality than the same manufacturer's lower-resolution plasma EDTV. LCD HDTVs have high resolution but are available in smaller and less expensive sizes than plasma HDTVs.

References

• EDTV Plasma vs. HDTV Plasma
• CNET Reviews: Quick Guide -- Four Styles of HDTV