Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Plasma display

A plasma display panel (PDP), commonly referred to as a plasma display, is a flat-panel display technology that utilizes an array of tiny cells filled with inert gases such as neon and xenon, which are ionized to form plasma when subjected to electric fields, generating ultraviolet light that excites phosphors to emit visible red, green, or blue light for forming images.^[1]^[2] Each pixel in a plasma display consists of three sub-pixels corresponding to these primary colors, allowing for the creation of full-color visuals through additive color mixing, with the panel structure typically comprising front and back glass substrates separated by a gas-filled gap and electrodes for addressing individual cells.^[3]^[4] Invented in 1964 at the University of Illinois as a single-pixel device, plasma display technology evolved over four decades into viable flat-panel alternatives to cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), gaining prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s for large-screen televisions due to its ability to produce deep blacks, high contrast ratios (typically 1,000:1 to 5,000:1), wide viewing angles (up to 160 degrees), and superior motion handling for fast-paced content like sports or video games.^[5]^[6]^[7] These attributes stemmed from the self-emissive nature of plasma cells, which emit light directly without backlighting, enabling true black levels by simply deactivating pixels, unlike transmissive technologies such as LCDs.^[8] However, plasma displays also faced notable drawbacks, including higher power consumption (typically 200-400 watts for a 50-inch model), susceptibility to image burn-in from prolonged static displays, greater thickness and weight compared to emerging LCDs, and reflections in bright environments due to glossy surfaces.^[9]^[7]^[10] By the early 2010s, plasma technology had largely declined in commercial viability as LCD and OLED alternatives offered lower costs, reduced energy use, thinner profiles, and immunity to burn-in, leading major manufacturers like Panasonic and Samsung to cease production in 2013 and 2014, respectively, after which PDPs became obsolete for consumer markets though niche applications in high-end signage or industrial displays persisted briefly.^[11]^[12] Despite its obsolescence, plasma displays remain notable for pioneering large-format, high-fidelity home entertainment and influencing subsequent flat-panel innovations in image quality and scalability.^[6]^[13]

Technology

Principle of operation

A plasma display operates by generating light through the controlled ionization of gas within microscopic cells arranged in a grid. Plasma, in this context, refers to a partially ionized gas composed of free electrons, ions, and neutral atoms. The process begins with the application of a high voltage (typically 200-300 V) across electrodes in a selected cell, ionizing the inert gas mixture—usually about 95% neon and 5% xenon at a pressure of 300-500 torr—and creating free electrons that accelerate under the electric field.^[14]^[15] These electrons collide with gas atoms, exciting them to higher energy levels; upon returning to their ground state, the atoms emit ultraviolet (UV) photons, primarily from xenon.^[16] The UV photons strike phosphor coatings on the cell walls, which fluoresce to produce visible red, green, or blue light, forming the image pixels.^[17] The discharge is sustained by wall charges accumulated on dielectric layers over the electrodes, which generate an opposing electric field to maintain the plasma without requiring continuous current; instead, short voltage pulses (on the order of microseconds) alternate polarity to refresh the discharge in an AC mode.^[18] This mechanism allows precise control over which cells emit light during each frame. This principle is analogous to fluorescent lamps, where gas discharge produces UV light to excite phosphors for visible emission, but adapted for matrix addressing in displays.^[17] The energy input per discharge pulse is described by the equation

E = V \cdot I \cdot t

where E is the energy, V is the applied voltage (200-300 V per cell), I is the peak current, and t is the pulse duration (typically a few microseconds).^[14]

Cell structure

The plasma display panel is constructed from two parallel glass substrates: a front substrate and a rear substrate, separated by a narrow gap of approximately 0.1 to 0.2 mm filled with a mixture of inert gases such as neon and xenon. The front substrate consists of a transparent glass sheet coated with indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes for sustain discharge, overlaid by a thick dielectric layer (typically 30-50 μm) that provides capacitance for alternating current operation, and topped with a thin protective layer of magnesium oxide (MgO, about 0.5-1 μm thick) to enhance secondary electron emission during gas ionization.^[19]^[20] The rear substrate features a glass sheet with metallic address electrodes running parallel to the cells, covered by another dielectric layer, followed by a network of barrier ribs that define the individual cell boundaries and prevent optical crosstalk between adjacent subpixels. These barrier ribs, usually formed by photolithography or sandblasting processes, have heights of 100-200 μm and widths of 20-60 μm, creating hermetically sealed micro-cavities for each subpixel (red, green, and blue). The grooves between the barrier ribs are coated with phosphor materials that convert ultraviolet light from the gas discharge into visible light, enabling color reproduction.^[21]^[22] Each subpixel operates as an independent plasma cell, where the ionized gas excites the phosphors to emit light at specific wavelengths: red from Y₂O₃:Eu³⁺ (peaking at 611 nm), green from Zn₂SiO₄:Mn²⁺ (peaking at 525 nm), and blue from BaMgAl₁₀O₁₇:Eu²⁺ (peaking at 450 nm). These phosphor compounds are chosen for their high efficiency under vacuum ultraviolet excitation from the xenon discharge and their ability to produce saturated colors with minimal degradation over time.^[23]^[24]^[25] The panel assembly involves aligning the front and rear substrates, applying a sealing frit around the perimeter, and evacuating the space between them to remove contaminants before introducing the inert gas mixture at low pressure (typically 200-500 Torr). The sealed structure maintains gas integrity, with the overall panel thickness, excluding electronics, measuring about 5-6 cm due to the substrate separation and rib height.^[26]^[27]

Driving electronics

The driving electronics of a plasma display panel (PDP) employ the address-display separation (ADS) method to control plasma discharge selectively across pixels. In this approach, row-by-row scanning occurs using address electrodes to select specific pixels for activation, while sustain pulses are subsequently applied between the X and Y electrodes—typically arranged in a coplanar configuration on the front substrate—to generate and maintain the light-emitting discharge in the selected cells.^[28]^[1] A video frame is divided into 8 to 10 subfields to achieve 256 to 1024 gray levels through binary-weighted luminance, with each subfield consisting of three distinct phases: reset, address, and sustain. The reset phase initializes the cells by applying voltage waveforms to clear residual wall charges from previous subfields, ensuring a uniform starting state; the address phase then scans rows sequentially, applying data pulses to the address electrodes to charge only the intended pixels; finally, the sustain phase delivers a variable number of alternating pulses (proportional to the subfield's weight) to produce light output from the addressed cells.^[28]^[29] Key voltage levels in PDP driving include sustain pulses of 170-220 V AC applied between the X and Y electrodes to ignite and sustain the plasma discharge, with address pulses reaching up to 70 V to facilitate selective pixel charging during scanning. These operations occur at sustain frequencies of 50-100 kHz to balance luminance and power efficiency, while the overall frame rate aligns with standard video refresh rates like 60 Hz.^[30]^[31]^[32] Control integrated circuits (ICs) manage these signals precisely: sustain driver ICs generate and recover energy from the high-voltage AC pulses to minimize power loss during discharge, often incorporating resonant circuits for efficiency; address driver ICs handle row scanning by shifting data and applying precise voltage pulses to the rear substrate electrodes; additionally, processors in certain implementations, such as Panasonic's Plasma AI processor, process subfield data, handle motion compensation to reduce artifacts, and convert input formats for optimal gray-scale rendering.^[33]^[34]^[35] Power supply requirements for PDPs involve high-voltage transformers to step up input voltages to the necessary DC levels (e.g., around 200 V for sustain circuits), which are then converted to AC pulses, with overall system efficiency typically ranging from 70-80% due to energy recovery mechanisms in the drivers.^[36]^[31]

History

Invention and early development

The plasma display panel was invented in 1964 by Donald L. Bitzer, H. Gene Slottow, and graduate student Robert Willson at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, primarily as a flat-panel alternative to bulky cathode-ray tubes for displaying computer-generated content in the PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) educational computing system.^[37]^[38]^[39] The device utilized a matrix of gaseous discharge cells filled with neon and other gases, excited by electrical discharges to produce a characteristic orange glow, offering inherent memory retention without constant refresh signals, unlike CRTs.^[39] This innovation addressed the need for reliable, interactive displays in early computing environments, marking a shift toward thin, durable panels suitable for educational terminals.^[40] Early prototypes advanced rapidly, with a significant demonstration in 1967 of a 512 × 512 monochrome bitmap plasma panel capable of vector and character plotting via hardwired logic.^[41] By 1969, these panels were integrated into PLATO terminals, enabling touchscreen interaction and supporting the system's expansion for thousands of users through the 1970s and into the 1980s, where they facilitated pioneering online learning, note-taking, and multiplayer games.^[40]^[39] The panels' bistable nature allowed selected pixels to remain lit without ongoing power, enhancing efficiency for static content like diagrams and text in academic settings.^[42] A pivotal advancement came with U.S. Patent 3,559,190, granted in 1971 to Bitzer, Slottow, and Willson, which described the AC-driven plasma panel structure using dielectric-coated electrodes to create wall charges for sustained discharges, transitioning from less efficient direct-current (DC) gas discharge designs common in prior neon signage and indicators.^[43] This AC approach improved longevity, reduced electrode erosion, and enabled matrix addressing for larger arrays, laying the groundwork for scalable displays.^[44] During the 1970s, researchers tackled key challenges, including color reproduction through experiments with phosphor coatings excited by ultraviolet emissions from the gas discharge, as pursued by Owens-Illinois in open-cell structures, though early results yielded muted hues and required further refinement for practical use.^[26] Initial panels also suffered from high power draw, often exceeding 100 watts for modest sizes like 12-inch diagonals, limiting portability despite their thin profile.^[5] Non-commercial applications proliferated in scientific and military contexts, with PLATO panels supporting advanced educational simulations and specialized systems like flight training interfaces in the 1970s.^[39]^[45]

Commercialization in the 1980s and 1990s

The commercialization of plasma displays began tentatively in the 1980s, primarily through prototypes and limited professional applications in Japan. Fujitsu demonstrated early color plasma technology, culminating in the release of three-color (red, green, yellow) displays in 1990, which represented a significant advancement over monochrome models used in computing and instrumentation.^[46] Meanwhile, NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, actively pursued plasma for high-definition television, developing high-quality full-color prototypes, including a 16-inch panel, as part of efforts to support HDTV systems during the decade.^[26] These initiatives laid the groundwork for consumer viability but remained confined to specialized markets due to high production complexities and costs. The 1990s marked a pivotal shift toward consumer plasma televisions, with key product launches driving initial market entry. In 1992, Fujitsu introduced the world's first 21-inch full-color plasma display, achieving 640×480 resolution and enabling practical color reproduction through surface-discharge technology.^[46] By 1995, Fujitsu advanced to the first 42-inch model with 852×480 resolution, progressively scanned for improved motion handling.^[47] Pioneer followed in December 1997 with the PDP-501HD, the first consumer-oriented plasma TV—a 50-inch Hi-Vision model targeted at the Japanese market—while Philips launched a 42-inch consumer plasma display that same year, priced at around $15,000 and initially available in select U.S. stores.^[48]^[49] Sony entered the market in 2002 with its first plasma televisions.^[50] Technological and manufacturing improvements during the decade helped reduce costs and expand capabilities, though challenges persisted. Panel yields rose from low single digits in the early 1990s to around 50% by the late decade through refined fabrication processes, enabling screen sizes to grow from 21 inches to 50 inches and lowering per-unit expenses.^[5] A key market milestone was the 1996 establishment of mass production for large panels by Fujitsu, followed by the 1999 formation of the Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display joint venture to accelerate development.^[51]^[52] Annual shipments reached approximately 100,000 units by fiscal year 1999, mostly for business and early consumer use.^[53] However, high manufacturing costs—exceeding $2,000 per panel—combined with initial resolutions limited to 480 lines (supporting 480i content), restricted widespread adoption to affluent buyers and professional installations.^[54]

Peak adoption in the 2000s

The 2000s marked the zenith of plasma display adoption, driven by rapid advancements in panel size and resolution that positioned plasma as the preferred technology for large high-definition televisions. In 2001, manufacturers like Pioneer and Marantz introduced the first 50-inch plasma models capable of 720p resolution, enabling sharper high-definition imagery compared to earlier cathode-ray tube sets.^[55] By 2005, 60-inch panels supporting 1080i resolution had become standard offerings, as exemplified by LG's 60PY2DR series, which featured native 720p panels with compatibility for 1080i inputs to handle emerging HD content.^[56] These developments allowed plasma displays to excel in delivering high contrast ratios and vibrant color reproduction, particularly beneficial for HD broadcasting where deep blacks and wide viewing angles enhanced immersive viewing.^[57] Sales of plasma televisions surged during this period, reflecting their growing appeal in the consumer market. Global plasma panel shipments peaked at 15.1 million units in 2008, up significantly from prior years amid demand for larger screens.^[58] In the United States, plasma accounted for about 9% of total TV sales in 2006 with 3 million units shipped, rising to represent a substantial portion of the flat-panel segment through 2009 as prices became more accessible.^[59] This growth was fueled by plasma's dominance in the large-screen HDTV category, where it captured up to 20% market share in sizes over 40 inches during 2006-2009, outpacing LCD in premium home theater setups.^[60] Technological innovations further solidified plasma's position, enhancing image quality and performance. In 2007, models like Pioneer's PDP-5070HD incorporated 10-bit digital video processing for deep color support, enabling over a billion shades of gradation and smoother gradients in HD material.^[61] Motion handling improved with the adoption of 600Hz subfield drive technology by the late 2000s, which divided each frame into multiple subfields to reduce blur during fast-action scenes, a feature highlighted in Panasonic's 2009 lineup but rooted in ongoing plasma advancements.^[62] Key events accelerated mainstream acceptance, including dramatic price reductions that broadened accessibility. In 2002, Gateway launched a 42-inch plasma TV for under $3,000, shattering previous price barriers and spurring retail competition.^[63] By 2005, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcased plasma's integration with HD broadcasting, as LG introduced the first plasma HDTVs with built-in high-definition digital tuners and recorders, aligning the technology with the rollout of over-the-air HD signals.^[56] Despite these gains, competition intensified as LCD price wars erupted in 2006, with falling LCD panel costs challenging plasma in mid-sized categories.^[64] Nevertheless, plasma maintained leadership in the large-screen HDTV segment through 2009, where its superior picture quality justified higher prices for screens over 50 inches.^[65]

Decline in the 2010s and later

The decline of plasma displays accelerated in the late 2000s as leading manufacturers began exiting production due to intensifying competition from LCD and emerging OLED technologies. Pioneer, once a pioneer in high-end plasma TVs, announced its withdrawal from the plasma business in 2009, halting panel manufacturing by March 2010 amid mounting financial losses.^[66] Panasonic followed in 2013, ceasing plasma panel production in December of that year, with the TH-P65VT60 model representing one of its final consumer offerings before fully shifting focus to LCD and OLED lines.^[67] LG Electronics completed the major manufacturers' retreat by winding down plasma operations by late November 2014, explicitly citing the superior cost-efficiency, slimness, and image retention resistance of LCD and OLED alternatives.^[68] This exodus triggered a rapid contraction in market presence, with plasma's global share plummeting below 7% by 2012 as consumer preferences shifted toward more versatile flat-panel options.^[69] Annual shipments, which had peaked at 15.1 million units in 2008, collapsed to negligible levels and reached zero by 2016, effectively ending mass-market availability.^[70] Several interconnected factors drove this downturn. LCD production costs fell dramatically, rendering equivalent-sized LCD sets roughly 50% cheaper than plasma models by 2010 through economies of scale in panel manufacturing and backlight innovations.^[71] Plasma's bulkier designs and vulnerability to permanent burn-in—where static images could leave lasting imprints on the phosphor-coated cells—further alienated buyers seeking sleeker, low-maintenance displays.^[72] The proliferation of 4K and 8K streaming content in the mid-2010s exacerbated these issues, as plasma's subpixel structure proved inefficient for ultra-high resolutions beyond 1080p, limiting scalability compared to pixel-addressable LCD and OLED panels.^[73] Post-2014, plasma persisted in limited legacy applications, particularly digital signage where its wide viewing angles and high contrast excelled in bright environments, and in professional simulators like flight training systems that valued the technology's fast response times into the early 2020s.^[74] Recycling initiatives gained momentum during the decade, with specialized e-waste programs targeting the hazardous materials in decommissioned plasma panels, such as mercury in fluorescent components and lead in glass substrates, to mitigate environmental impacts. By 2025, plasma TV production remains nonexistent, with supply chains dismantled and no major investments in revival. Enthusiast communities sustain older units through aftermarket sourcing of sustain boards and gases for repairs, often via specialized forums and vendors. Sporadic discussions in high-end audiovisual circles express interest in resurrecting plasma for its black levels and motion handling in premium setups, but economic barriers and superior OLED advancements have kept such efforts unrealized.^[75]

Design features

Screen resolution and sizes

Commercial plasma displays were available in sizes ranging from 32 inches to 103 inches diagonally, with the largest models, such as Panasonic's 103-inch TH-103PF12U, produced for professional applications like digital signage.^[76] The most optimal sizes for consumer and professional use fell between 42 and 65 inches, as these dimensions balanced manufacturing feasibility with market demand, achieving higher production yields compared to smaller or much larger panels.^[77] Smaller panels below 32 inches were not economically viable due to the inherent challenges in scaling down the gas-filled cell structure without compromising performance.^[78] Early plasma displays in the 1990s typically supported resolutions up to 480i, equivalent to enhanced-definition formats like 852x480 pixels, aligning with the limitations of broadcast standards at the time.^[79] By 2003, 720p had become the standard resolution for many models, with native panel resolutions such as 1024x768 or 1366x768 pixels enabling progressive high-definition content.^[80] The maximum resolution achieved was 1080p at 1920x1080 pixels, totaling approximately 2.07 million pixels per panel, as seen in Pioneer's PDP-5000EX introduced in the mid-2000s.^[81] High-definition plasma panels featured pixel pitches of 0.9 to 1.1 mm, allowing for dense pixel arrangements in 42- to 65-inch screens while maintaining clear image separation.^[82] However, technical limits arose from gas diffusion within the cells, making sub-0.5 mm pitches unfeasible due to increased crosstalk between adjacent pixels, which could degrade resolution and color accuracy.^[82] Predominantly, panels adopted a 16:9 aspect ratio to match HDTV standards, with the total number of addressable elements calculated as width × height × 3 to account for the RGB subpixels forming each pixel.^[8] Scalability to larger sizes posed significant challenges, as increasing panel dimensions led to higher defect rates during manufacturing; for instance, 65-inch panels in the 2000s had significantly lower production yields, driven by difficulties in maintaining uniform gas sealing and phosphor deposition across expansive substrates.^[83]^[84] These issues contributed to higher costs for oversized displays and limited their commercial viability beyond 65 inches for most applications.^[84]

Contrast ratio and color reproduction

Plasma displays achieve a native infinite contrast ratio because each pixel can be completely turned off, emitting no light and producing true black levels without the backlight bleed common in LCD technologies. This self-emissive nature allows for dynamic contrast ratios exceeding 1,000,000:1 in controlled dark environments, significantly outperforming early LCDs that typically offered 500:1 to 1,000:1 due to persistent light leakage. Measured using ANSI standards, which assess contrast across a checkerboard pattern to simulate real-world content, plasma panels from the 2000s achieved ratios of 1,000:1 to 3,000:1, providing superior performance in dark scenes such as movies where subtle shadows and details are critical.^[85]^[86]^[87] In terms of color reproduction, plasma displays utilize red, green, and blue phosphors excited by ultraviolet light to cover 100-110% of the NTSC color gamut, enabling rich and accurate color representation that exceeds standard HDTV requirements like BT.709. The deep blacks inherent to the technology enhance perceived color vibrancy and saturation, making hues appear more lifelike compared to backlit alternatives. Standard color temperature is set at 6,500K to match broadcast standards, ensuring neutral whites and balanced tones across viewing angles up to 178 degrees without significant color shift.^[88]^[89]^[1] Peak brightness levels in 2000s plasma models reached 800-1,200 cd/m² in high dynamic range modes, sufficient for home viewing in moderate lighting while maintaining efficiency through per-pixel control. However, reflections from ambient light can reduce effective contrast in brighter environments, as the glass front surface acts like a mirror; later models incorporated anti-glare coatings to diffuse reflections and improve visibility by up to 50% in such conditions. This limitation is particularly evident outdoors, where plasma's performance lags behind matte LCDs designed for high ambient light.^[90]^[91]^[92]

Susceptibility to image retention and burn-in

Plasma displays are susceptible to two related image degradation phenomena: temporary image retention and permanent burn-in. Image retention occurs when static content, such as news tickers or channel logos, causes a temporary imbalance in the phosphor coatings within the plasma cells, resulting in faint ghost images that persist for seconds to minutes after the content changes. This effect is reversible and typically fades with exposure to varied, dynamic imagery.^[93] In contrast, burn-in represents a more severe, irreversible form of damage where prolonged exposure to high-intensity static images—often lasting hours or days—leads to uneven wear of the phosphor layers across the panel. This creates permanent, visible outlines of the original image that remain even with subsequent content. The vulnerability stems from the inherent structure of plasma cells, where phosphor coatings are prone to differential degradation under repeated excitation.^[94]^[95] The primary causes of these issues involve uneven aging of electrodes and localized depletion of the neon-xenon gas mixture in overused cells, exacerbated by sustained high-brightness operation. For instance, displaying static patterns at elevated brightness levels accelerates phosphor degradation, as the intense ultraviolet light emission from gas ionization disproportionately fatigues specific subpixels. This risk is particularly pronounced in scenarios with low average picture level (APL) contrasts combined with bright static elements, such as video game HUDs or broadcast graphics.^[96]^[97] To mitigate these problems, manufacturers incorporated several automated techniques into plasma display electronics. Pixel orbiter functionality subtly shifts the entire image by a few pixels periodically—often every few minutes—to distribute wear evenly across the panel and prevent localized phosphor fatigue. Additional safeguards include periodic color inversion, which temporarily reverses the image's luminance and chrominance to balance subpixel usage, and panel refresh cycles that run diagnostic erasure patterns approximately every 100 hours of operation to neutralize charge buildup and restore uniformity. These features, combined with user recommendations to avoid prolonged static displays, significantly reduced the occurrence of both retention and burn-in.^[98] In practice, with proper usage and these built-in protections, noticeable image retention or burn-in was rare among consumer plasma displays, primarily affecting early adopters without precautions. Warranty claims related to these issues peaked between 2005 and 2010 during the technology's widespread adoption, but declined sharply as mitigation improved and awareness grew.^[99]^[100]

Manufacturers and market

Major manufacturers

Pioneer Corporation emerged as a leading innovator in plasma display production during the 1990s and 2000s, pioneering high-end models that contributed significantly to the technology's peak adoption in the 2000s. The company's Kuro series, introduced in 2007 and produced through 2009, gained acclaim for its exceptional black levels, achieving near-total darkness in shadowed areas through advanced phosphor and cell structure innovations that minimized light emission from off pixels.^[101]^[102] Pioneer ceased plasma TV manufacturing in 2009 after over a decade of production, shifting focus to other electronics amid intensifying competition.^[103]^[104] Panasonic, formerly Matsushita Electric, became the largest plasma display producer through strategic expansions, including its 1996 acquisition of Plasmaco's color AC plasma technology and subsequent investments in massive-scale facilities. The company dominated output in the late 2000s, operating the world's largest plasma panel plant following its 2009 takeover of Sanyo Electric.^[105]^[106] Panasonic's Viper and Z series, launched in 2010, supported 3D viewing via frame-sequential technology and included models like the VT25 with THX certification and high contrast ratios. Production ended in December 2013, marking the close of its consumer plasma operations.^[107]^[67]^[108] LG Electronics formed a key partnership with Philips in 1999, establishing LG Philips Displays as a major joint venture for plasma panel production, which emphasized integrated audiovisual systems in the 2000s. The collaboration enabled LG to scale up manufacturing, including facilities in Gumi, South Korea, for PDP modules. LG produced its final plasma model in 2014, concluding a run that saw widespread deployment in consumer and commercial applications.^[109]^[110]^[111] Other notable players included Fujitsu, an early pioneer that commercialized the first practical 21-inch color plasma display in 1993 and a 42-inch model in 1997, before exiting the business in 2008 due to unprofitability. Samsung entered plasma production in the early 2000s but shifted priorities to LCD technology, halting PDP output by late 2014. Joint ventures like Orion PDP, a Korean specialist in commercial multi-panel displays spun off from Orion Electric in 2002, contributed to niche applications before its acquisition by a Chinese firm in 2006. Key production sites spanned Japan, such as Pioneer's facilities in Yamanashi Prefecture; South Korea's Gumi complex for LG; and the U.S., where Plasmaco's Michigan operations supported early R&D until industry shifts led to closures around 2009.^[52]^[112]^[113]^[114]^[115]^[110]

Market dynamics and competition

The price of a 42-inch plasma display fell dramatically from $15,000 in 1997 to around $1,000 by 2008, reflecting rapid advancements in manufacturing efficiency and economies of scale. This decline was facilitated by collaborative efforts, including the establishment of the PDP Consortium in 1997, which united industry players to standardize processes and reduce costs through shared research and development.^[116]^[117]^[118] Plasma displays dominated the large high-definition television (HDTV) market segment for screens 50 inches and larger from 2000 to 2010, where they were favored for their superior image quality in premium applications. In 2006, plasma technology held a majority share of the premium flat-panel TV market, particularly in sizes above 40 inches, due to its availability and competitive pricing at the time.^[119]^[120]^[121] Competition intensified with liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, which overtook plasma by 2010 primarily due to lower production costs and a thinner profile—LCD panels were often about 30% slimmer than comparable plasma models. Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays emerged commercially in 2013, positioning themselves as a direct successor to plasma for high-contrast performance in large-screen TVs.^[122]^[123] Global plasma TV shipments reached approximately 15 million units in 2008 and peaked at about 18 million units in 2010, accounting for around 13% of the overall flat-panel TV market in 2008.^[124]^[125]^[126] Asia-Pacific regions drove much of this growth, contributing approximately 60% of global production capacity, bolstered by concentrated manufacturing hubs in Japan, South Korea, and China.^[127]^[128] The plasma display supply chain relied heavily on specialized components, with glass substrates primarily sourced from suppliers like Asahi Glass (now AGC) and Nippon Sheet Glass, which provided the high-precision panels essential for PDP fabrication. Patent cross-licensing agreements, such as those between key players like Fujitsu, Pioneer, and Matsushita, enabled smoother technology sharing and reduced legal barriers in the supply chain. Major manufacturers, including Panasonic, LG, and Samsung, leveraged these dynamics to scale production efficiently.^[129]^[130]^[131]

Advantages and disadvantages

Performance strengths

Plasma displays demonstrate superior motion handling through their subfield driving technique, which divides each frame into multiple subfields—typically up to 10 or more—creating an effective refresh rate of around 600 Hz. This approach minimizes motion blur and artifacts in fast-paced content like sports or action sequences by rapidly sequencing light emissions, outperforming LCD panels constrained to 120 Hz or lower frame rates that often exhibit trailing effects. Motion compensation algorithms further enhance clarity by shifting subfield content based on detected movement, preserving detail across 1080 lines of resolution even in dynamic scenes.^[132]^[133] Their wide viewing angles, exceeding 160 degrees horizontally and vertically without notable color or contrast degradation, make plasma displays ideal for shared viewing setups, such as home theaters or public installations. This uniformity stems from the emissive pixel structure, which maintains consistent luminance distribution across off-axis perspectives, in contrast to LCD technologies where angles beyond 30-50 degrees can introduce shifts in gamma and hue.^[21]^[134] Response times in plasma displays are exceptionally fast, with subfield transitions occurring in under 2 milliseconds—often cited as near-instantaneous at around 1.5-1.7 ms due to phosphor excitation and decay—effectively eliminating sample-and-hold blur that affects hold-type displays like LCDs and OLEDs. This rapid pixel addressing ensures crisp rendering of transient details, such as in video games or high-frame-rate footage, without the overshoot artifacts sometimes seen in overdriven LCD panels.^[135]^[133] The self-emissive pixels in plasma technology enable precise control over light output per cell, producing deep blacks by deactivating individual pixels entirely and delivering highlights with high peak intensity, which results in a natural, lifelike image especially suited to 24 fps cinematic content. This inherent capability supports the excellent contrast ratios and color reproduction outlined in design features, fostering immersive viewing with accurate dynamic range.^[136]^[137] Plasma panels exhibit strong durability, with manufacturers rating them for 60,000 hours or more to half-brightness under normal use, providing reliable performance over extended periods comparable to heavy daily viewing for two decades. Advanced drive circuits and panel materials contribute to this longevity, resisting degradation better than earlier generations while maintaining consistent output.^[138]^[139]

Key limitations

One of the primary limitations of plasma displays is their high power consumption, which significantly exceeds that of competing LCD technologies. For instance, a typical 50-inch plasma TV draws between 300 and 500 watts during operation, compared to approximately 150 watts for a similar-sized LCD model, primarily due to the energy required to continuously excite the plasma gas in each subpixel.^[140] This elevated usage also generates substantial heat, necessitating enhanced ventilation in enclosures to prevent overheating and maintain performance.^[141] Plasma displays are notably heavier and thicker than modern alternatives, posing challenges for installation and portability. A standard 50-inch plasma panel typically weighs 50 to 100 pounds without the stand and measures 3 to 4 inches in depth, making wall mounting more difficult and requiring robust support structures.^[142]^[143] Vulnerability to burn-in represents a significant drawback, where prolonged display of static high-contrast images, such as news tickers or channel logos, can cause permanent phosphor degradation and visible ghosting.^[95] This issue affects user experience in applications involving stationary content, despite mitigation features in later models. Achieving high resolutions beyond 1080p proved challenging for plasma technology, with 4K prototypes like Panasonic's 152-inch model demonstrated only in 2010 but never commercialized due to technical hurdles in scaling plasma cell density.^[144] Large panels also suffered from pixel uniformity inconsistencies, arising from variations in gas sealing and phosphor deposition across expansive substrates.^[32] Manufacturing costs for plasma displays were elevated, particularly for sizes over 60 inches, owing to higher defect rates in panel fabrication—such as gas leaks and electrode misalignments—that reduced yield and increased production expenses compared to LCD processes.^[52] Unlike OLED, plasma technology did not lend itself to flexible or curved variants, limiting design innovation.^[145]

Environmental considerations

Energy use and efficiency

Plasma displays exhibit power consumption that varies with screen size, content, and operating conditions, typically ranging from 0.3 to 0.5 watts per square inch of display area.^[146] For a representative 50-inch model, full-white screen display can require up to 350 watts, while mixed content viewing reduces this to approximately 150 watts.^[140] Standby power draw is generally below 1 watt, aligning with modern efficiency standards.^[147] Luminous efficiency in plasma displays evolved significantly over time, improving from around 1 lumen per watt (lm/W) in the 1990s to approximately 1.5–2 lm/W by the 2010s, driven by advancements in phosphor materials and optimized driving schemes such as enhanced sustain pulse waveforms.^[148] These gains reduced overall energy use while maintaining luminance levels suitable for consumer applications.^[20] Compared to contemporary LCD displays, plasma panels consume 2–3 times more power due to the inherent energy demands of plasma generation, though they avoid the constant backlight waste common in early LCDs and surpass the efficiency of legacy CRTs in large formats.^[149] Power factors include the dominance of sustain pulses, which account for about 70% of total consumption during active display, and heat dissipation representing 50–60% of input energy owing to the low conversion rate of electrical power to visible light.^[150] Driving electronics further influence efficiency through pulse optimization, minimizing unnecessary voltage overhead.^[31] Late-model plasma displays achieved compliance with Energy Star ratings, such as those introduced in 2008, with examples like Panasonic's panels meeting on-mode power limits (e.g., under 208 watts for 42-inch models) and demonstrating up to 85% of the efficiency benchmark for qualified televisions at the time.^[151]^[152]

Recycling and disposal impacts

Plasma display panels (PDPs) are composed primarily of glass, accounting for about 70% of their weight, with the remainder consisting of approximately 20% metals—such as indium and tin used in indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes—and 5% phosphors, including rare earth elements like europium for color emission.^[3]^[1] Following the implementation of the EU RoHS directive in 2006, glass in PDPs became lead-free to reduce hazardous material content.^[153] The recycling process for PDPs typically begins with manual or mechanical disassembly to remove non-panel components, followed by thermal or mechanical crushing to separate the glass substrates from metals and phosphors. Recovery aligns with requirements under the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, which mandates at least 80% overall material recovery for large household appliances including displays.^[154] Environmental impacts of PDP disposal include the absence of mercury—unlike cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL)-backlit LCDs—reducing risks of toxic leakage, though the reliance on indium raises concerns over resource scarcity due to limited global supply and increasing demand in electronics. Unrecycled PDPs contribute to electronic waste accumulation in landfills, exacerbating e-waste volumes if collection rates remain low. By 2025, legacy displays like plasmas form a notable portion of obsolete electronics reaching end-of-life. Manufacturer-led initiatives in the 2010s, such as Panasonic's and LG's take-back programs, facilitated the recycling of approximately 80% of returned plasma TVs through dedicated collection networks and processing facilities compliant with regional e-waste regulations. These programs emphasized material recovery to minimize landfill disposal and support circular economy principles.^[155]^[156] Lifecycle assessments reveal that manufacturing a PDP incurs a higher carbon footprint than comparable LCDs primarily due to the energy-intensive processes involved in glass production and phosphor deposition.^[157]^[158]

References

[1]
Plasma Display Panel - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Plasma Display Panels (PDP) are display technologies that utilize inert gas ions to produce ultraviolet photons, which then excite phosphors to emit light.Digital Communications And... · Surface Modification Of... · 20.3. 1 Plasma Treatment
[2]
Plasma Displays - Engineering LibreTexts
Sep 7, 2021 · Plasma displays use plasma as a light source, created by energizing gas. UV light from the plasma excites phosphors to produce visible light.
[3]
How Plasma Displays Work - Electronics | HowStuffWorks
The basic idea of a plasma display is to illuminate tiny, colored fluorescent lights to form an image. Each pixel is made up of three fluorescent lights -- a ...
[4]
https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/glossary/gas-plasma-display/
[5]
History of the plasma display panel - ResearchGate
Aug 5, 2025 · The 40 year development of the plasma display panel from the first single pixel device, invented at the University of Illinois in 1964, ...
[6]
The Evolution of TV Technologies: CRT, LCD, Plasma, and LED
Jan 20, 2025 · History: Plasma technology emerged in the late 1990s and became popular in the early 2000s. It represented a major leap forward in screen size ...
[7]
Plasma Displays: Advantages and Disadvantages in TV Technology
Plasma TVs offer high-quality visuals with deep colors and great motion handling, making them appealing for certain uses.
[8]
Plasma Display - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
One of the key advantages of plasma displays (at least in the early days) was the capability of producing deeper black, which increases the contrast ratio. ...
[9]
What is a Plasma Screen TV? - Airtel
May 24, 2024 · While plasma screen TVs offer impressive picture quality, they also have some drawbacks to consider: – Energy Consumption: Plasma TVs tend to ...
[10]
Working of Plasma Display - Electronic Circuits and Diagrams ...
Feb 24, 2010 · Disadvantages of Plasma Display · Cost is much higher compared to other displays. · Energy consumption is more. · Produces glares due to reflection ...
[11]
Plasma TV: why Samsung and Panasonic ditched the technology for ...
Mar 20, 2021 · However, there were some disadvantages. Plasma was more of an electricity guzzler than LCD (Panasonic had got the consumption pretty much to ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[12]
What is a Monitor: Types, Importance, History - ITAMG
Plasma monitors offer several advantages over other display technologies. They tend to have better black levels, contrast ratios, viewing angles, and motion ...
[13]
Plasma Screen TV: Pros, Cons & Buying Tips - HotBot
Oct 11, 2024 · Despite their advantages, plasma screen TVs have challenges. One primary drawback is higher power consumption compared to LCD or LED displays.
[14]
[PDF] Improvement of the Efficiency of Plasma Display Panels by ...
In this PDP type, each cell is formed by the intersection of a pair of transparent sustain electrodes on the front plate, and an address electrode on the back ...Missing: principle | Show results with:principle
[15]
Numerical model of an ac plasma display panel cell in neon-xenon ...
Results are presented in a 90% neon, 10% xenon gas mixture, for a gap length of 100 ,um and a gas pressure of 560 Torr at ambient temperature.
[16]
[PDF] Fundamental properties of inert gas mixtures for plasma display ...
In this work, we investigate the effect of the gas mixture on. PDP performance from the point of view of the fundamental inherent properties of the constituent ...Missing: principle | Show results with:principle
[17]
Flat-panel electronic displays: a triumph of physics, chemistry and ...
This paper describes the history and science behind the development of modern flat-panel displays, and assesses future trends.
[18]
[PDF] Operation of a Coplanar-Electrode Plasma Display Panel Cell
Gas pressure is 400 torr with an He/Ne/Xe. = 70=26=4 mixture. All panels are scaled independently. Fig. 2. Xe+ density for the conditions of Fig. 1. All ...
[19]
[PDF] Cell geometry designs for efficient plasma display panels
We investigate the performance of several nonstandard plasma display panel cell geometry designs involving two-dimensional variations of the standard ...
[20]
[PDF] Physics and Modeling of Plasma Display Panels - HAL
Feb 4, 2008 · The barrier ribs also play an important role in the UV-visible photon conversion since a layer of phosphor is deposited on the rib walls. A ...
[21]
[PDF] High-resolution Plasma Display Panel (PDP)
The rear glass contains the address electrodes, barrier ribs, and phosphor layers. As can be seen in Figure 16, the ALIS panel has a simple structure. 3.4 ...
[22]
Mechanism of high luminous efficacy in plasma display panel with ...
... rib pitch is 200 μm, the barrier rib height is 160 μm, and the barrier rib width is 60 μm. The 30-μm-thick front dielectric layer covers two sustain ...
[23]
Phosphors for plasma display panels - ScienceDirect.com
For example, the emission spectrum of (Y,Gd)BO3:Eu3+ peaks at about 595 nm which is shorter than the peak emission wavelength of Y2O3:Eu. However, its ...
[24]
Optical properties of the BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ phosphor coated with ...
Nov 1, 2005 · The PL spectra reveal that both phosphors show broad blue emission with a peak near 450 nm. This is due to the 5 d - 4 f transition of ⁠.
[25]
Preparation and characterizations of Zn 2 SiO 4 :Mn green phosphors
The maximum emission intensity of Zn2−xMnxSiO4 phosphors under vacuum ultra violet (VUV) excitation occurred at the Mn concentration of x=0.02.Missing: wavelength | Show results with:wavelength
[26]
[PDF] History of the plasma display panel - steptail.com
Monochrome dc plasma displays needed barrier ribs in order to confine the discharge. On the other hand, monochrome ac plasma displays could use the open-cell ...
[27]
plasma display
The display panel is only about 6 cm (2 1/2 inches) thick, while the total thickness, including electronics, is less than 10 cm (4 inches). Plasma displays use ...
[28]
[PDF] PDP Power Devices - STMicroelectronics
May 2, 2007 · One TV field is divided into 10 subfields (SFs) in a 10-bit codification case, and each consists of a reset period, an address period, and a ...
[29]
[PDF] Reduction nonlinearity of output luminance using modified ADS ...
SMPDP uses address, sustain and reset pulse in. ADS driving method to represent 256 gray levels[1][2]. Each frame is composed of 8 sub-fields and each subfield ...
[30]
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1355254
[31]
Reducing Power In Plasma Display Panels
Dec 10, 2009 · The address voltage pulse can be reduced in the following ways: ○ Address while Display (AwD) – Address, sustain and erase pulses combined ...
[32]
Plasma display panels: Physics, recent developments and key issues
Aug 9, 2025 · In this paper, we describe the principles of operation of a plasma display panel (PDP) and the physical mechanisms controlling the ...
[33]
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1667929
[34]
https://www.mouser.com/catalog/specsheets/stmicroelectronics_cd00160480.pdf
[35]
Panasonic 103-INCH 1080P HD PLASMA PROFESSIONAL ...
4.8 5.8K · 10–14 day delivery · 45-day returnsCIRCUIT BOARD D (FORMAT CONVERTER, PLASMA AI PROCESSOR SUB-FIELD PROCESSOR) MSC-TZTNP0101NB ... 42. CIRCUIT BOARD DN (DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSOR, MICROCOMPUTER) ...
[36]
Power supply for plasma display - US4855892A - Google Patents
A plasma display will typically require a power supply which generates highly regulated 200 volt D.C. and 5 volt D.C. outputs. The supply voltages are generally ...Missing: efficiency | Show results with:efficiency<|separator|>
[37]
Plasma Display | Electrical & Computer Engineering | Illinois
Gene Slottow (PhD '64), along with student Robert Willson (PhD '66), invented the plasma display panel in 1964. Originally conceived as an interactive component ...
[38]
NIHF Inductee Donald L. Bitzer Invented the Plasma Monitor
In the mid-1960s, Don Bitzer, Gene Slottow, and graduate student Robert Willson worked together to create the first plasma display.
[39]
Bitzer & Willson Invent the First Plasma Video Display (Neon Orange)
In 1964 Donald Bitzer Offsite Link , H. Gene Slottow, and Robert Willson at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Offsite Link invented the first ...
[40]
Plasma Display - Illinois Distributed Museum
... invented by Donald Bitzer and a team at the University of Illinois in 1964. In fact, early touchscreen plasma displays were used in PLATO computer terminals.
[41]
Bit-mapped display - Computer History Wiki
Apr 9, 2025 · Resolution. 1967 (prototype), PLATO IV plasma display, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Bitzer, Slottow, et al, 512x512. Late 1960s ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[42]
NIHF Inductee H. Gene Slottow Invented the Plasma Display
Gene Slottow, with Don Bitzer and Robert Willson, created the first plasma display using three layers of glass with gas-filled holes and metallic lines.
[43]
US3559190A - Gaseous display and memory apparatus
A PLASMA DISPLAY APPATATUS FOR INFORMATION STORAGE AND DISPLAY HAVING A BISTABLE GASEOUS DISCHARGE CELL WITH MEMORY CHARACTERISTICS ARISING FROM CHARGE ...
[44]
[PDF] History of the plasma display panel - Semantic Scholar
The plasma display panel: a digitally addressable display with inherent memory · D. BitzerH. G. Slottow. Computer Science, Engineering. AFIPS '66 (Fall). 1966.Missing: early DC transition
[45]
THE APPLICATION OF THE PLASMA DISPLAY TECHNIQUE TO ...
In 1966 at the University of Illinois, Professors D. L. Bitzer and H. G. Slottow announced the invention of a flat, multi-cell, gas discharge display with ...
[46]
Full-color Plasma Display(1992) : Fujitsu Global
Plasma displays able to show 3 colors (red, green, yellow) were mass-produced and released in 1990, followed in 1992 by the release of the world's first full- ...Missing: 1983 | Show results with:1983
[47]
The Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame: Fujitsu Plasma TV
Oct 17, 2019 · Just three years later, in 1995, Fujitsu announced the world's first 42-inch color plasma TV, according to PDP technology pioneer Larry Weber.
[48]
Pioneer Introduces the PDP-V7 Plasma Display | News Releases
In December 1997, Pioneer announced its first consumer use PDP product, the PDP-501HD 50 Inch Hi-Vision Plasma Display System, to the Japanese domestic market.Missing: 42- | Show results with:42-
[49]
Farewell plasma TV: The moments that defined flatscreen - Pocket-lint
Oct 29, 2014 · Philips followed Fujitsu's footprint and came out with a plasma display of the same resolution in 1997. ... The company first started ...
[50]
Sony Plasma TV, KE-42M1 Plasma Television Review
Model: Sony KE-42M1 Plasma Television Description: 42-inch EDTV Plasma Display, Widescreen 16:9 Format Resolution: 852 x 480 (WVGA)
[51]
Fujitsu is World's First to Mass Produce 42-inch Color Plasma ...
Nov 28, 1996 · Based on Fujitsu's proprietary color plasma display panel (PDP) technology, ImageSite is the world's first commercial large-screen color PDP, a ...Missing: consortium IBM
[52]
Milestone-Proposal:Color Plasma Display
Mar 3, 2025 · After evaluating various rib shapes, phosphor layouts, and fabrication methods, it was decided to form ribs only on the rear substrate, placing ...
[53]
Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Develops World's First High ...
Aug 29, 2000 · The PDP market -- particularly the business-use segment -- has grown rapidly, hitting 100,000 units in FY1999, and it is expected to reach ...
[54]
How Did TVs Become So Cheap? A Brief Look At The Evolution Of ...
Apr 28, 2025 · Fujitsu's 42-inch plasma display, one of the earliest on the market in 1997, sold for around $15,000 with installation included. But ...
[55]
Marantz PD5010D 50-Inch Plasma HD Monitor - Sound & Vision
Jul 31, 2001 · ... first introduced to the market in 1998, plasmas are still extremely expensive. In the 50-inch category, prices range from $18,000 to $25,000 ...<|separator|>
[56]
Panasonic TH-50PX60U 50" high-definition plasma TV - Crutchfield
Rating 4.5 (19) Top-performing plasma TVs like Panasonic's TH-50PX60U deliver clear, vivid pictures that can entertain a roomful of movie buffs.
[57]
LG PX and PY Series Plasma Displays - Audioholics
Jan 9, 2005 · LG showed off a broad new series of flat-panel displays, led by the first plasma HDTVs with built-in digital video recorders (DVR).
[58]
Study: Plasma TV panel shipments hit record high - CNET
Feb 3, 2011 · The move seemed to have good timing--plasma panel shipments worldwide hit 15.1 million in 2008 and fell to 14.8 million in 2009. But ...Missing: 20 | Show results with:20
[59]
Is plasma starting to fade out? - NBC News
Sep 28, 2009 · In 2006, of the 33.2 million sets sold in the U.S., 10.3 million were LCD and 3 million were plasma. By 2008, of 31.1 million sets sold, 24 ...
[60]
Big-TV Battle: LCD vs. Plasma - Bloomberg.com
Oct 3, 2006 · For the first time, LCD TVs in sizes above 40 inches are priced competitively and in some cases far lower than plasma screens in the same size.
[61]
Pioneer PDP-5070HD Plasma Display Review - Audioholics
Rating 4.0 (1) Jun 4, 2007 · 10-bit Digital Video Processing delivers a low noise, high contrast, natural colored image. ACE IV (Advanced Continuous Emission) for reproduction of billions ...
[62]
Panasonic's plasma TV plans for 2009 - Consumer Reports
Mar 14, 2009 · When combined with a technology that Panasonic is calling "600Hz sub-field drive"—which essentially allows the TV to refresh at an even ...
[63]
Plasma TV breaks price barrier - NBC News
Dec 19, 2002 · Fast forward to 2002 and Gateway's announcement that its 42-inch plasma TV would sell for less than $3,000. It was time to try a plasma in my ...
[64]
World's First Plasma HDTVs with Integrated High-Definition Digital ...
May 4, 2005 · LG Electronics introduces the world's first plasma integrated high-definition televisions (HDTVs) with a built-in high-definition digital video recorder (HD- ...
[65]
Bigger TV Screens, Lower Prices - Bloomberg.com
Nov 22, 2006 · A price war between makers of plasma and liquid-crystal display (LCD) TVs has pushed prices to their lowest point in years. Wide-screen, 50-inch ...
[66]
Plasma TV makes comeback | Reuters
Jan 11, 2008 · LG said this week it intended to make 6.5 million plasma panels in 2008, up from 3.5 million in 2007, on rising demand.Missing: shipments | Show results with:shipments
[67]
Pioneer to post loss, exit plasma display production | Reuters
Mar 9, 2008 · The decision to end production of plasma panels was widely flagged ... 2009, and that Pioneer engineers could be transferred to Matsushita.
[68]
Panasonic officially ends plasma TV production | What Hi-Fi?
Oct 31, 2013 · Panasonic has officially confirmed the end of its plasma TV business, with production of Panasonic plasma display panels to cease in December 2013.Missing: P65VT60 | Show results with:P65VT60
[69]
LG Electronics exit suggests end is near for plasma TVs | Reuters
Oct 28, 2014 · South Korea's LG Electronics Inc said it will wind down its plasma television business by end-November, as a technology long overtaken by ...
[70]
Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent - Putman - 2012
Nov 1, 2012 · And it can only watch as market share for its signature plasma TVs continues to evaporate: NPD reports that plasma TVs accounted for just 6.1% ...
[71]
LCD TV shipments down slightly; plasmas fall off cliff in 2012 - CNET
Mar 21, 2013 · During 2012, 203 million LCD TVs shipped worldwide, according to NPD DisplaySearch, representing a 1 percent decline compared to the prior year.
[72]
Are TVs really cheaper than ever? We go back a few decades to see
Nov 23, 2017 · For that matter, how much did the best TV cost in 1997? I'm glad you ... 1997 (20 years ago). Fujitsu. Philips/Fujitsu Flat Plasma TV: $22,924
[73]
Plasma vs LED vs LCD TVs - RTINGS.com
Apr 7, 2021 · Plasma and LED TVs each present their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of picture quality, price, build, and availability.
[74]
https://www.avixa.org/pro-av-trends/articles/digital-signage-plasma-screens
[75]
Maximizing Impact: The Benefits of Digital Signage Plasma Screens
Apr 17, 2025 · Plasma screens offer several compelling advantages for digital signage. The technology's superior viewing angles ensure content remains visible and vibrant ...Missing: simulators | Show results with:simulators
[76]
Bring back the PLASMA - AVS Forum
Aug 9, 2025 · #8 · Aug 9, 2025. Panasonic lost billions of dollars with Plasma TV production, so they will never come back. Buy used and enjoy them ...Missing: repairs revival interest
[77]
Panasonic TH-103PF12U 103" Plasma Display - B&H
Free delivery Free 30-day returnsThe TH-103PF12U 103" Plasma Display from Panasonic is a high quality multimedia display. The huge display provides a new era of elegance and efficiency.
[78]
Plasma TV Buying Guide - NeweggBusiness
Plasma TVs are sold no smaller than a 32 inch diagonal measurement, and can reach as large as 103 inches!. Currently, the most popular plasma TV screen size is ...
[79]
Plasma or LCD? | - E2 Consulting Group
Screen sizes. 32-103″ diagonal. LCD. Pros. Available in a range of sizes; Higher resolution than comparably sized plasmas; No danger of burn-in; Flat-panel LCD ...
[80]
SVA 42 inch gas plasma tv 2999 at BJ's | AnandTech Forums
Mar 10, 2003 · The native resolution is only 852x480, which means 480p/1080i is the max resolution and 720p (the real HD) is rescaled(poorly) to fit. 3 ...
[81]
JVC Pro News Releases
The GD-V501U has a 160-degree viewing angle, 3000:1 contrast, 1,020,000 pixels, 70% increased brightness, and 1,366 X 768 resolution.
[82]
Pioneer Releases World's First 50-inch 1080p Plasma Monitor
The Pioneer PDP-5000EX employs a New "HD PURE Black Panel", the world's first 50-inch plasma panel featuring a 1920 x 1080 HD resolution with 2.07 million ...Missing: introduction | Show results with:introduction
[83]
Plasma display panels: physics, recent developments and key issues - IOPscience
No readable text found in the HTML.<|control11|><|separator|>
[84]
What was Plasma TV, and why did it succumb to LCD? - What Hi-Fi?
May 30, 2024 · Plasma TVs did not have an affordable high production yield, meaning only some of the many produced would be worthy of being sold. That meant ...Missing: 30%
[85]
https://blog.szynalski.com/2012/06/review-of-the-panasonic-tx-p42-st50-e-plasma-tv/
[86]
Review of the Panasonic TX-P42-ST50-E plasma TV
Jun 15, 2012 · Turn off the voltage and the light is gone. Because of this, it is relatively easy for a plasma display to reproduce true black. Another ...
[87]
New Address-While-Display Driving Method for High Contrast Ratio ...
Dec 31, 2008 · As a result, a high darkroom contrast ratio of 10 000 :1 could be achieved with a wide operating voltage margin of 40 V for a stable address.
[88]
LCD-Plasma Display Technology Shoot-Out - DisplayMate
Plasma displays behave very similarly to CRTs and deliver a Peak White Luminance and Black Luminance that is fairly independent of Viewing Angle. The Black ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[89]
A New Structure and Phosphors Boost Luminous Efficiency by About ...
Panasonic plasma displays reproduce a wide color gamut, exceeding the entire color range specified in the HDTV standard (ITU-R, BT.709). This results in natural ...
[90]
Mythbusting Plasma TV Performance - Audioholics
Sep 1, 2005 · Displays with high contrast ratios may still look washed out if the white levels are extremely high, but the black levels are only modestly low.
[91]
Why Plasma has so high brightness spec's ? | AVS Forum
Jun 10, 2008 · Several plasmas (Samsung, LG, Panny) claim to have brigthness sepcifications of 1000 cd/m2 to 1500 cd/m2. Any high-end LCD (XBR4, ...Adjusting Cell Light on a Plasma - AVS ForumGot Plasma? Fix your Brightness Setting - AVS ForumMore results from www.avsforum.com
[92]
Plasma vs. LCD Revisited: Screen Glare is Still the Deciding Factor
Aug 27, 2007 · If you windows in your room or light on in your room, the glossy glass front surface of a plasma screen will produce mirror-like reflections ...Missing: limitations | Show results with:limitations
[93]
Plasma TV Problems: What Are the Issues with Plasma TVs?
Nov 6, 2023 · Plasma flat-panel TVs have a reputation for being prone to screen reflection. This means that you can see your room reflected on the screen.1. Screen Reflection · 3. Screen Burn · 4. Phosphor Trails
[94]
Is plasma HDTV burn-in a problem? - CNET
Aug 15, 2011 · This is because when it comes to current-gen plasma TVs, actual burn-in is highly unlikely and extremely difficult. How it happens. Image ...
[95]
https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/plasma-burn-in-explained/
[96]
Plasma burn-in explained - CNET
Mar 11, 2008 · The short answer is yes, burn-in or permanent image retention is largely a thing of the past (the key word here is "largely").Missing: incidence | Show results with:incidence
[97]
P-76: Design of Facing Reset Discharge Waveform for Reducing ...
Aug 10, 2025 · This paper proposes a drive waveform for plasma display panels (PDPs) which have a long discharge gap and use a high Xe-content discharge gas ...
[98]
[PDF] Technology Development and Characterization for ... - CMST
Feb 1, 2010 · nomena: burn-in, and the isotropic stage in liquid crystal displays. Burn-in, also referred to as permanent image retention, is an effect of ...
[99]
Does the TV have a feature to help reduce image retention?
Panasonic Plasma TV models feature a pixel orbiter, which helps reduce image retention. The pixel orbiter is available in all picture modes except for THX mode.Missing: reverse APC panel refresh
[100]
Plasma TV Screen Burn-In: Is It Still a Problem?
Plasma TV burn-in is not an issue that should cause undue concern in the average user. With a modicum of caution, most plasma TVs will probably never have a ...Missing: incidence rate
[101]
The issue of image retention on Plasma TVs - EE Times
Image retention or “burn-in” has reportedly all but vanished from plasma TVs today. Yes, it can still occur, if the display is abused or mis-used.
[102]
Status Symbols: Pioneer Kuro - The Verge
May 22, 2012 · In 2009 Pioneer sold off its TV business and patents to Panasonic, who has carried the plasma baton, but has yet to match the Kuro's black ...Missing: ceased | Show results with:ceased
[103]
Pioneer PDP-LX6090 plasma wins EISA award - TechCrunch
Aug 20, 2008 · Thanks to an amazingly low black level – Pioneer calls it KURO – this set's contrast ratio is sky-high. The result is an impression of immense ...
[104]
Pioneer Details Exit Strategy for Kuros - IGN
Mar 24, 2009 · Pioneer Japan revealed today that after May of this year, no more Kuro plasma TVs will be produced, effectively ending the company's 12-year ...
[105]
Pioneer confirms that it's leaving the TV business - CNET
Feb 12, 2009 · The Japanese manufacturer announced that it will stop producing TVs by March 2010, and instead focus on its existing car electronics and home ...
[106]
Panasonic officially owns Sanyo and boasts the world's largest ...
Dec 22, 2009 · Panasonic officially owns Sanyo and boasts the world's largest plasma panel plant now. Good news for Panasonic in the last 48 hours. The ...Missing: acquisition | Show results with:acquisition
[107]
Panasonic completes Sanyo acquisition - Phys.org
Dec 21, 2009 · Panasonic Corp. said Monday that it had taken majority control of Sanyo Electric Co., officially forming one of the world's largest electronics makers.
[108]
Panasonic demos 2010 plasma TVs with better picture quality ...
Feb 18, 2010 · The 2010 models we saw ranged from lower-end LCDs up to the 3D-compatible VT25 series, which won our overall Best of CES Award. The company's ...
[109]
In Panasonic's plasma exit, Japan's TV makers come to terms with ...
Oct 9, 2013 · Global TV shipments dropped 6.3 percent in 2012, the first decline in over a decade according to research firm IHS iSuppli, with the flat ...
[110]
LG of Korea and Philips Set Screen-Making Venture
Nov 28, 2000 · Royal Philips Electronics and LG Electronics form joint venture that would be world's largest maker of television and computer screens; ...
[111]
https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/28/lg-to-end-production-on-plasma-tvs
[112]
LG Electronics in red in 4Q on plasma TV business closure - Phys.org
Jan 29, 2015 · The Korean company reported a net loss of 205.7 billion won ($189 million) for the October-December quarter. Operating income, which is a ...Missing: Philips partnership
[113]
Fujitsu quits the display business - Yahoo Finance
Dec 27, 2007 · The rough-and-tumble economics of the display business claimed another victim today, as Fujitsu announced that it will exit the market in March ...
[114]
Samsung to end plasma TV production this year - CNET
Jul 1, 2014 · Samsung SDI has announced that it will shut down plasma panel production by November 30 of this year.Missing: 2000s | Show results with:2000s
[115]
Chinese PDP maker buys Orion - Korea JoongAng Daily
Dec 14, 2006 · Sichuan Changhong Electrical Group Co., parent of China's second-biggest television maker, bought Korean plasma display panel manufacturer ...Missing: joint | Show results with:joint
[116]
Pioneer to Build Plasma Display Panel Plant in Japan - CIO
Aug 7, 2006 · Pioneer is planning a new plasma display panel (PDP) factory in Japan, the company said Monday. Pioneer is preparing land for the factory in ...Missing: Nagoya | Show results with:Nagoya
[117]
Age of the Big Screen | Invention & Technology Magazine
Sep 27, 2012 · The first consumer plasma TV, the 42-inch Philips PW9962, went on sale in 1997 for $15,000. The timing was propitious—both DVD and HDTV first ...<|separator|>
[118]
Flat-Panel TV Prices Plummet - The New York Times
Dec 2, 2008 · At Wal-Mart, for example, 42- to 50-inch plasma and LCD sets can be found for $600 to $925. Some lesser-known brands in a 32-inch screen size ...
[119]
Analysis of Success Factors in Plasma TV Development by ... - J-Stage
... PDP Consortium in Cooperation with the Micro-Discharge Research Society Established in 1997", Workshop dig. Tech. Papers, Asia Displays'98 (The 18th IDRC) (Sep.
[120]
Plasma TV makers on comeback trail - NBC News
Jan 9, 2008 · LG said this week it intended to make 6.5 million plasma panels in 2008, up from 3.5 million in 2007, on rising demand. The company, which ...
[121]
Plasma TV revenue drops year-over-year for first time - TVTechnology
Apr 24, 2007 · Price declines drove the revenue loss with average prices down more than 35 percent from February 2006. Despite a 30 percent increase in unit ...
[122]
World LCD TV sales overtake CRT revenues - The Register
Mar 14, 2006 · During the quarter, vendors sold $25.5bn worth of TVs - plasma panels took 20 per cent of that, pushing the share by revenue of flat-panel TVs ...
[123]
LED LCD vs. plasma vs. LCD - CNET
As production has increased, the larger LCD sizes have become more price competitive, so that distinction has disappeared. As such, you don't see a lot of ...<|separator|>
[124]
2013: Plasma's Last Stand? - article discussion - AVForums
Feb 23, 2013 · Add in the fact that OLED is coming, which is assumed to be taking the picture quality crown from plasma - although has yet to prove itself and, ...
[125]
Plasma, LCDs race to conquer big-screen TV market | Reuters
Aug 9, 2007 · "With the seventh-generation factory (which starts production in 2006) it's clear we can capture the 42-inch size," Bruce Berkoff, executive ...
[126]
Television Market Size & Share Report, 2022 - 2028
LCD, Plasma, & LED TVs. Cathode-Ray Tube (CRT) & Rear-Projection TVs ... Asia Pacific dominated the television market with a share of 39.8% in 2021.Market Size & Forecast · Type Insights · Television Market Report...
[127]
DNP and Asahi Glass to Establish Joint Venture in PDP Back Plates
Apr 24, 2001 · Asahi Glass leads the market with a 90% share in glass substrates, 40% in optical filters and 20% in glass frits and pastes, and is now a full- ...Missing: suppliers Sheet<|separator|>
[128]
Glass Technology - NSG Group
The NSG Group offers a range of specialized glass and coated glass products used in all of the leading solar energy technologies.Missing: substrates Asahi
[129]
Hitachi Buys Out Fujitsu From Plasma Display JV, Acquires Basic ...
Fujitsu holds many of the basic patents relating to PDP technology and had licensing agreements with Pioneer Corp and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd ...
[130]
26.2: Optimally Reducing Motion Artifacts in Plasma Displays
Jul 5, 2012 · Plasma Display Panels (PDPs) suffer from motion artifacts caused by the subfield driving method. Motion compensation helps to prevent motion ...
[131]
What does 600Hz Sub Field Drive mean? - Best 3D TVs
Wondering what Sub Field Drive really means? Read this guide to learn about 480Hz, 600Hz sub field drive plasma TVs and how they compare with LCD TVs.Missing: innovation | Show results with:innovation
[132]
Development of large Color ac Plasma Display Panels - IEEE Xplore
The viewing mgle is very wide, 160 degrees. A 256 gray stde is r.ealized. These feature is comparable to that of CRT. Figure 3 shows the sample display of ...<|separator|>
[133]
Can plasma's 'response time' be shortened? - AVS Forum
May 26, 2007 · Plasmas - response time is governed by phosphor decay and is ~ 1.5ms. LCDs - using overdrive can achieve response times of 2-4ms. But!! if you ...Missing: IEEE | Show results with:IEEE
[134]
Plasma vs LCD & LED: How They Work - RTINGS.com
Apr 7, 2021 · For most of the early 2000s, plasma and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TVs were competing to earn the market share in TV sales.
[135]
LED-LCD vs. Plasma - Crutchfield
the panel is actually self-lighting. The display consists of two transparent glass panels with a thin ...
[136]
Panasonic TH-50PH10UKA 50" Plasma Display - B&H
Free delivery Free 30-day returns60,000 Hours Life. An advanced drive circuit and inner panel improvements give Panasonic plasma panels a long service life of approximately 60,000 hours even ...Missing: lifespan | Show results with:lifespan
[137]
Pioneer Releases Fifth-Generation Digital High-Definition Plasma TVs
The luminance lifetime *3) of the panel is more than 60,000 hours. 5 ) Equipped with four tuners to support terrestrial, BS, 110° CS digital and terrestrial ...Missing: lifespan | Show results with:lifespan
[138]
Power Consumption / Usage LCD vs Plasma - AVForums
Dec 7, 2010 · A typical 50/55" plasma TV will use something between 300 and 400W/hr. So every 2.5 to 3hrs of use you will use approx 1kwhr of electricity.
[139]
How Many Watts Does a TV Use? - VTOMAN
Feb 11, 2024 · Plasma TVs are phasing out, but draw significantly more power than LCDs. A 50-inch plasma can use over 300 watts for bright scenes due to the ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[140]
https://www.avforums.com/threads/power-consumption-usage-lcd-vs-plasma.1371936/
[141]
LG 50” Class Full HD 1080p Plasma TV (49.9” diagonal) (50PN5300)
Rating 4.9 (7) · 6–14 day delivery · 15-day returnsDIMENSIONS / WEIGHT. Shipping Dimensions (WxHxD). 52.4” x 32.2” x 9”. TV without stand (WxHxD). 46” x 27.5” x 2.2”. TV with stand (WxHxD). 46” x 29.7” x 11.5”.
[142]
World's biggest TV: Panasonic's 4K2K 3D 152-inch Plasma
The one-off behemoth sports a 152-inch, 4K x 2K (8.84 million pixel) screen, plus a host of other complicated-sounding technical marvels.
[143]
[PDF] Overview of Flexible Plasma Display Technology
Flexible plasma displays use techniques to encapsulate plasma gas on a flexible substrate, unlike rigid plasma displays with flat, sealed substrates.
[144]
[PDF] Agilent Television Power Consumption Testing - HPWiki
Jul 17, 2008 · by the CRT TV rating of 0.322 W/square inch, while the plasma TV requires the most power, which is 0.444 W/square inch. Video Pattern. Images.
[145]
Television Specification Version 3 | ENERGY STAR
The Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR TV products specification was finalized on February 4, 2008. As such, the comment period is now closed.Missing: ratings | Show results with:ratings
[146]
Improvement of luminous efficacy in plasma display panels by a ...
Jun 2, 2006 · The luminous efficacy of present commercialized plasma display panels (PDPs) remains below 2 lm ∕ W ⁠, which is rather low in comparison with ...
[147]
Can a New TV Save You Money? - Rise
Apr 9, 2025 · LED TVs are three times more efficient than Plasma television and modestly more efficient than LCDs. A 32 inch LED television consumes roughly ...
[148]
Optimization of sustain pulses in the single-sustainer driving of an ...
Plasma display panels (PDPs) have many advantages in realizing large flat displays with a simpler process and a shorter lead time compared with other display ...
[149]
The Plasma Makers Respond With List of ENERGY STAR Approved ...
Dec 15, 2008 · To qualify for the new "on mode" ENERGY STAR criteria, a 42-inch Plasma HDTV can consume no more than 208 watts. In "standby mode," newly ...
[150]
[PDF] Panasonic ENERGY STAR Television Draft 1 Comments
May 15, 2009 · Simply put, efficiency gains of 30-40% are not sustainable on an ongoing basis in the consumer TV arena. Panasonic is proud to report ...
[151]
What's greener: an LCD or plasma TV? | Environment - The Guardian
Feb 26, 2009 · LCDs contain a bit of mercury, and their manufacture uses the potent greenhouse gas nitrogen trifluoride (NF3); plasma screens can contain lead ...
[152]
Display Equipment - KMK Metals Recycling
Plasma screens and LEDs are manually disassembled as they do not contain hazardous components. They can be manually or mechanically treated. To remove the ...Missing: rate | Show results with:rate<|separator|>
[153]
Home Appliance Recycling - Panasonic
Through our track record of over 20 years in recycling consumer electronics, we are contributing to realizing a circular economy and carbon neutrality.
[154]
LG Recycling Program | Life's Good when you recycle
Recycle your electronic equipment through our mail-back program throughout the United States at no cost. LG wants to make recycling a simple and easy process at ...
[155]
(PDF) LCA study of a plasma television device - ResearchGate
Aug 9, 2025 · This paper describes a detailed LCA study of a PDP television, including a first comparison of it with the two competing technologies.
[156]
(PDF) The life cycle assessment (LCA) of selected TV models
Jun 1, 2020 · The aim of the study was to assess the life cycle (LCA) of selected TV sets: CRT (cathode-ray tube) and plasma (PDP-Plasma Display Panel) applying the ReCiPe ...