Plasma TV Problems

When we are talking about plasma tv problems, we are really concerned about plasma glass problems.

Plasma tv's are comprised of two main components, the glass or the screen, and the electronics.

You can expect to have as many problems with plasma tv electronics as you would with any piece of electronic equipment, which on the whole, won't be a lot, and even if you do have problems, they should be repairable.

A screen of Plasma glass on the other hand is a sealed unit on which it is seldom possible to do any repairs, total replacement being the normal course of action. Not a cheap solution.

The good news is that the reliability and quality of Plasma tv glass has improved dramatically over the last couple of years, but there are still a few plasma problems that, while not as dire as some reports indicate, you should be aware of in order to protect your non inconsiderable investment in your plasma display.

Stuck Pixels

Pixels can be stuck permanently off, in which case they will always be black on your screen, or permanently on, in which case they will always be red, green or blue. Luckily enough, in most case, this is not a condition that develops over time, but rather a manufacturing fault that you just need to check for when you power your plasma up for the first time.

Vendors and manufacturers policy towards stuck pixels are a bit of a gray area, many claiming 3 or 4 stuck pixels being within specs. Find out your vendors policy towards stuck pixels before you purchase. Personally, I expect a vendor to guarantee all of the pixels to work. The thing is, once you have even one stuck pixel, you just can't help looking for it anytime you have the screen on.

Plasma Tilt

It is not recommended that a plasma be laid face down or face up when it is mounted or while it is being shipped as this can crack the glass. Most plasmas will be packed in a box with a tilt indicator. You are within your rights to refuse any delivery where the tilt indicator shows more than 30 degrees.

Plasma burn in

The whole plasma screen is gradually being burnt in, as is any phosphor based screen, from the moment you turn it on. If this happens evenly, as it does with normal randomly changing pictures, you will not notice any difference on a day to day or even month to month basis.

Static images, such as channel logos, computer icons, Internet browser frames on the other hand, get burnt in to the screen because they are displayed constantly (they literally burn out or age the associated phosphors prematurely, causing them to glow less brightly).

Manufacturers have weighed in with a few automatic measures to prevent plasma tv burn in. Pixel Orbiting and Auto Pixel Shift slowly move the picture around the screen so that static images don't stay in the same place. The best defense though is to be aware of the possibility of plasma burn in and not leave static images on your plasma screen for extended periods of time.