Head to Head: LCD 3D TV vs Plasma 3D TV

 If you haven't heard the news lately, a new TV technology has just emerged, causing most large Television manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, Panasonic and many others to fight for dominance in the market. This technology is called 3D TV, and although it's still in its infancy stages, all the pieces were already set in motion to herald the next generation of Television entertainment.

In fact, most TV manufacturers have already released each of their own flagship 3D TV models. However, what provides the most confusion among 3D TV shoppers in the choosing is not the brand name itself but rather the type of TV monitor to pick.

The two types of 3D TV monitors are the Plasma 3D TV and the 3D LCD TV. There's no obvious difference in the quality of the 3D projections from both at first glance. Be that as it may, every consumer should be nit-picky in the choosing; after all, 3D Television sets don't come cheap, and the little things when put together can give you significant benefits in the long run.

What deserve most attention are the refresh rates. Comparing the numbers just doesn't tell the whole story. Unfortunately, most manufacturers just present the figures to give a false impression of how well the 3D TV monitor can process 3D TV content. So let's set the facts straight right now. Currently, many LCD 3D TV manufacturers are showcasing their 3D TV displays with refresh rates of 120Hz, 240Hz and 480 Hz. These numbers might imply that there's a significant difference among them, but the truth of the matter is far removed from what these TV manufacturers would like us to believe.

The problem comes with the display of fast moving content, which is due to LCD TV screens having limited refresh rates for each pixel. As a result, fast moving scenes are susceptible to blurring and ghosting of images. This is especially true in watching sports events that involve a lot of running. While 3D TV manufacturers have improved the pixel refresh rates for their new releases, they weren't able to maximize the full 240 Hz and 480 Hz refresh rates.

Plasma TV, on the other hand, has never had an issue with "blurs and ghosts" in processing 3D TV content since the pixel refresh rates are instantaneous. What give 3D TV plasma an edge is the newly developed phosphors that diminish lag times. In an attempt by Plasma TV manufacturers to downplay the refresh rates from LCD TV manufacturers, they have coined the term "Sub-field motion" or "Sub-field drive" to serve as a means in measuring speed processing.

That is not to say that the LCD TV doesn't have advantages over the Plasma TV. For one, the LCD displays have a brightness advantage. LCD TV monitors can also increase the resolution of the display even for smaller screen sizes. If you're a gamer, I would recommend the LCD 3D TV since these advantages favor video games more.

All in all, it's really tough to say which gains the advantage. It's up to the consumer and what he'll be using his 3D TV for. It's also a good idea to check the specs for each 3D TV you come across with regardless of what type of screen it's using.