If you are interested in 1080p Plasma TVs and have heard all the raves about them but are not entirely sure what they are, the following information should clear it all up for you.

What Exactly is a Plasma TV?

Let’s start with a clear introduction to Plasma TVs. Plasma TVs have quite a few advantages over traditional and CRT TVs in that they deliver rich colors, bright pictures and are much less bulky. And that’s just a few of the reasons they’re so popular. Other motivations include their high-tech design including a flat display and large screen. Plasma TVs are also great for wide angle viewing and use no backlight or projection, which adds to the result of their great picture display.

They work by incorporating a group of blue, green and red phosphors mounted between two pieces of glass. (Phosphors are the chemical compounds on the back glass which respond and produce light and color.) By the way, three phosphors together make up one pixel. Then, a small, electronic pulse is sent through the wiring and triggers the make up of the phosphors’ chemical gases generating light and color. As the electricity activates the phosphors, oxygen is then released, creating plasma and UV light.

What Does the 1080p Stand for?

To break it down, 1080 refers to the total number of rows of pixels that appear on your TV screen in a progressive, scanning method hence the ‘p’. You may also be familiar with the term 1080i which standards for 1080 interlaced. What’s the difference between progressive and interlaced scanning? Keep reading and you’ll find out!

TVs display images in rows of pixels – pixels are the little squares of color that make up the image. Those rows appear on your screen either all at once or sequentially. But either way, the number of rows totals 1080.

A progressive scanning system is different from the interlaced scanning process in that it displays all of those 1080 rows of pixels at one time. An interlaced system displays them in two intervals within 1/30^th of a second of each other (it happens so fast, the human eye would never notice it). Progressive scanning also displays each and every pixel that make up the images coming to you through high-density broadcasts as well. That is a total of over 2,000,000 pixels!

Manufacturers of TVs with a progressive scanning system claim that these televisions result in a picture that is richer and sharper than you’ll get with any other type of TV. Additionally, because they display every single pixel in the images, they are also said to be the best for watching high-motion, HD programs such as sporting events i.e., car races, track and field, etc.

The Big Picture

So as you might recognize based on all of this technological information, a 1080p Plasma TV combines all of the top-notch features of a Plasma TV with the addition of enhanced screen display through that progressive scanning system known as 1080p. So there you have it – a 1080p Plasma TV!