Using Flat Screen/Plasma Televisions

Whether you choose a plasma television or an LCD, once you purchase your flat screen TV you may suddenly find that all of your neighbors are suddenly very interested in spending time at your house. So before you go shopping, let's cover some of the basics of using flat screen televisions. A plasma or LCD television is actually a monitor, not a television. It doesn't have a built-in tuner the way a CRT television does, so you must use a satellite box (connected with an s-video cable), a cable box (using a composite RCA to RCA or RCA to BNC connection), an HDTV receiver (connected with a 15-pin VGA to 15-pin VGA cable), or a VCR/VHS device (using an RCA to RCA or BNC or, if available, an s-video cable is even better).

You have a few options when it comes to sound. Plasma and LCD televisions, like computer monitors, do not automatically emit sound. Of the many manufacturers available, only Philips and Sony offer plasma TVs with speakers built into the frame. If you purchase another brand, you may purchase small, lightweight speakers to attach to the sides of the monitor or free-standing speakers to stand next to it. If you already have or are planning to purchase a surround-sound system, you can hook your new flat-screen up to your external speakers and enjoy a full cinematic experience.

Popular Plasma Television Brands

Although Philips was the company that first brought plasma television to the attention of the public in 1998, today there are many competing popular brands. Currently Panasonic dominates the plasma market with 4 of the 5 top-selling models, but people all over America are buying flat-screen TVs from Sony Plasma Television, Pioneer Plasma Television, Zenith Plasma Television, Hitachi Plasma Television, Sharp Plasma Television, NEC Plasma Television, and Gateway Plasma Television, among many others.