Can You Use a Wii Game System With a Plasma?
Many consumers prefer plasma televisions to those with cathode ray tubes because of plasma sets' smaller size, lower weight and better picture. However, a phenomenon called "burn-in" has prompted concerns about using the Nintendo Wii on a plasma screen.
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Plasma TVs
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Plasma TV screens are composed of thousands of small dots called pixels that are lit up with a beam of electrons to produce an image.
Burn-In
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The pixels in plasma TV screens, much like light bulbs, eventually burn out. Because many video games contain non-moving images like timers and meters, those areas wear out faster than moving areas of the screen. This is "burn-in."
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Nintendo's Warning
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Nintendo's website warns that non-moving images on some TVs, particularly plasma and rear-projection models, can burn an image permanently onto the screen. Nintendo recommends checking your TV's instructions to see if it is compatible with video games.
Recommendations
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The website Wii Plasma recommends using a TV's anti-burn-in features as well as turning down the contrast. The site also states that burn-in was a bigger problem for older TVs and that a static image would have to be present for hours or days for there to be any real effect.
Other Concerns
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The Wii's motion-sensing capabilities create a risk of players accidentally throwing their controllers at the screen. While Nintendo recommends using the accompanying wrist strap, in 2008 Panasonic unveiled a "Wii-proof" TV with a tougher screen to withstand thrown remotes.
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