How to Find the Lowest Price Plasma TV
With dozens of television brands and models on the market, shopping for the best plasma TV at the lowest price can be a daunting task. Just figuring out which model is appropriate for your needs, and then making plasma TV price comparisons to find the lowest price can be trying, especially when you're approached with hard sales pitches, manufacturer claims, and customer reviews. Where do you even start?This guide is designed to help you eliminate that frustration by understanding how plasmas stack up against other types of TVs, as well as the features you should be aware of when comparing plasma TV prices. The guide will help you narrow your search and find the best plasma TV in your budget, as well as make plasma TV price comparisons and find the lowest price once you've identified a model that meets your needs.
Why a Plasma?
Other than being the "stylish" choice for most consumers, plasmas offer an extremely high quality picture while being very compact (just 3 to 5 inches wide), and you can put them just about anywhere. In contrast to rear projection models, plasma TVs offer great picture quality in all types of light (even bright light conditions), and offer a smoother picture absent of glaring. Excellent color quality is possible due to the number of colors that can be represented on the screen (16 million on some models). Another differentiating feature is the ability for plasmas to improve the resolution of poor video signals and make the picture more vibrant. Given plasma's aspect ratio of 16:9, they are ideally suited to view HDTV and DVDs. The only downfall you should be aware of, however, is their high price. All these benefits come at a high premium, as plasmas are more expensive than traditional rear projection models. They are, however, more affordable than LCD flat screens at roughly the same screen size. Considering plasma's high cost, we recommend comparing plasma TV prices before making your purchase to ensure you find the lowest price.View angle
View angle is the area in front of the screen that you can view a picture without distortion. Plasmas usually have a view angle up to 160 degrees. Preferably, you'll want to choose a television closer to 160 degrees, which will make it possible to see a perfect image at virtually any angle around your TV.Black level
Black level is the ability for your plasma to produce the color black. This may sound trivial, but the reality is that some plasmas display the contrast better than others. The only way to test a plasma for the black level is to watch a demo unit, preferably with your own DVD that contains a dark scene, and see which model provides the best contrast.Burn-in
Plasma TVs are prone to burn-in, which occurs when the picture is kept consistent (paused, for example), for a long period of time. The consequence of this is an unsightly 'ghost' effect, which can compromise the quality of the picture for the life of your television. Although all plasmas are prone to this type of effect, some models are better than others at combating it. We recommend that you find the model that best handles this issue.Speakers
Many plasma TVs do not come with wing speakers. Make sure you look for plasma TVs with speakers, or take into account the added expense of purchasing new ones, as it will almost certainly add to the cost.Durability
Despite the premium you'll pay for a plasma television, they are surprisingly the least durable. Check the manufacturer's claim to how many hours the television can be operated. The range is between 30,000 and 60,000 hours, which is 10-20 years. Obviously, it is desirable to choose the model with the highest rating.Glare
Glare occurs when light in a room reflects off the television screen back to you. The resulting effect is a faded picture. Although glaring is common in many rear projection TVs due to their curved screen, flat screen models like plasmas virtually eliminate this problem. Still, it's a good idea to make a note of the plasma's glare (if any), while you browse different showroom models and weigh that in your decision.Price
In general, picture quality is directly related to a plasma's cost. You can pay anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000 for the same size 32-inch plasma, but the picture quality of the $3,000 model won't be near the quality of the more expensive one. Our advice is to look at the lower end models first and see if any provide the picture quality you demand. If they do, you've just saved yourself a lot of money! When it is time to make your purchase, we recommend using the Dealio Toolbar (described below) to make plasma TV price comparisons so you find the lowest price.Plasma vs. LCD
If you're shopping for a flat panel television, you have two basic choices: plasma or LCD. Which is better? If you're focused primarily on price, a plasma costs less. Keep in mind, however, that the price gap between plasmas and LCDs is closing fast, and soon the difference will be negligible.If you take price out of the equation, plasma still beats LCD in response time, which is the transition between pictures (for example, fast moving video games), and they also provide better black levels, view angles, and offer a better picture in rooms with normal to low lighting. While plasma TVs are better in these regards, LCDs do win over the plasma in a few key areas. LCD TVs have a longer life span, weigh about 10%-15% less, and offer a better picture in rooms with bright to extremely bright lighting. Of equal importance, you won't get burn-in with an LCD TV, but you can with plasmas. In time, the LCD television may be your better choice, especially as the prices of LCDs continue to drop. When the time comes to purchase your TV, we recommend that you use the Dealio Toolbar (described below) to compare TV prices, either to find the lowest price LCD TV or the lowest price plasma TV.
