Flat-panel face-off.(viewpoint video)

When it comes to next-generation monitors, digital content professionals know that thin is in. But as they explore which technology is right for their specific applications, they find that the two flat-panel technologies--LCD and plasma--display highly contrasting strengths and weaknesses.

The distinctions stem from the fundamentally different methods the technologies use to produce images. LCD monitors operate by shining light through a thin-film transistor layer and using filters to produce specific colors. Plasma screens zap neon gases trapped inside a pixel matrix to create ultraviolet light, which, in turn, excites red, green, and blue phosphors.

These descriptions are simplistic, but they shed light on the pros and cons of the two options. Indeed, LCD makers face a serious challenge with backlighting because of the difficulty of evenly defusing light over larger panels. As a result, despite the enormous popularity of LCD monitors for the desktop, LCD panels still can't match the physical size of the larger plasma displays. In fact, any LCD panel that measures 24 inches or more diagonally is classified as large, and the largest thus far measures just over 40 inches. By comparison, plasma displays generally range in size from 40 to 62 inches, with the largest reaching 76 inches.

However, plasma display manufacturers face different obstacles. For example, it's been difficult for them to squeeze the gas mixtures into ever smaller pixel grids. The resulting shortcoming in resolutions, VGA at best, is one reason why there are so few plasma panels on the market less than 40 inches (a 32-inch model is the smallest). What's more, reducing the overall size of the pixel matrix does not dramatically lower the cost, which makes smaller plasmas impractical from a price perspective.

For video professionals, that's too bad, because plasma screens do a better job than LCDs of producing vibrant and accurate colors. With plasma monitors, the viewer is looking directly at the light and color source, and the higher video quality is apparent in side-by-side comparisons. Also, the responsiveness of phosphors enables plasma displays to avoid the motion refresh and ghosting problems associated with LCDs. And a smaller distance between pixels on plasma screens creates a more natural appearance.

Good-Enough Quality

LCD panels, on the other hand, do a better job in higher ambient light environments than plasma or CRTs because they don't reflect as much light. Thus, LCD panels ultimately are finding increasing success in video production environments. For example, while many LCD monitors may not appeal to color-correction experts or high-detail producers, they have proven invaluable where space is tight, as in production trucks and control rooms. The technology also uses less power than CRTs and plasmas, which can be an advantage on location. In any case, the bottom line is that while LCD video quality is not up to the level of plasmas or CRTs, it is now good enough for all but the most demanding applications.