LCD or Plasma ?

[GooseGaws]

NJ5 said:

GooseGaws said:

I'm not disagreeing that LCDs are generally more energy efficient. I'm saying that deciding a purchase of a 42" television based on power usage is silly. A HDTV is a luxury item to begin with; nobody needs one.

It doesn't matter whether the initial cost is high or not. I know that most people buying HDTVs can probably afford the power. The problem is that the added power will keep on biting throughout the lifetime of the TV (especially when you considering ever-increasing power costs).

Furthermore I'd say the ecological impact should also be taken into account, as most countries still rely on fossil fuels for a big part of their electricity production. That's coal, oil and natural gas (incidentally, the ones which are causing the increases in power costs).

Outside of the ecological issue, it's still a question of perceived value.  Even though a plasma may use more power than an LCD, the superior picture quality is worth that small extra cost to me.  Most people aren't going to walk into a store and ask for the HDTV that uses the least power; they're going to want the one with the best (or perhaps biggest) picture.  RPTVs use less power yet than LCDs, but I would never buy one.