History Of Plasma Television Runs A Short Course

In only 10 years, the plasma television grew from its start into an entertainment phenomenon it is today. From the development of a monochrome screen using plasma technology in 1964 at the University if Illinois, the first full color plasma television monitor was not introduced until 1992. While the use of a flat panel display was interesting to many in the industry, the use of LCD displays to achieve the same benefit as well as the low cost of the semiconductors they used put the development of plasma units on the back burner for several years.

Following the first 21-inch plasma television monitor in 1992, the first 42-inch color monitor was introduced by Fujitsu in 1997. The widescreen display boasted a resolution of 852-pixels by 480-pixels with a 139 aspect ratio, matching the image size of those seen in commercial movie theaters. Since that time many manufacturers tinkered with the development of the plasma television, with the most recent big screen being introduced in early 2008, a 150-inch plasma set that stands six-feet high and 11-feet wide.

Although LCD televisions had an edge in the industry for several years, the manufacturers had not been able to crack the big screen market, being happy with the share it received from computer and medical equipment monitors. The use of plasma television technology was growing, putting pressure on LCD makers to increase their screen size as well as in finding ways to drive prices down to make them more affordable to a wider audience.

Plasma Technology Drives High Definition Business

With the advancement in digital broadcasting, with all broadcasters required to use it by 2009, plasma television had an edge over many of the older analog sets using the cathode ray tube. Pricing however, was still somewhat high for the average consumer and it was not until LCD manufacturers were able to add screen size to their offerings that technology advances were made, dropping the price of the plasma television being produced.

Still, a plasma television is still somewhat brighter than LCD, with an overall faster response time to scene and color changes as well as offering a wider color spectrum. Although advances in LCD display technology is eating away at some of those advantages. Currently, there are about 50 brands of plasma television sets on the market, but there are only five manufacturers producing them for their own brands as well as for other companies and private label distribution.

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