I've read some comments on this forum about burn in, and I was weary about it when I was making my decision in favour of plasma. So for any others who are also worried, I'd like to give them my comments after owning one for 100 hours of life: My Pioneer PDP-5070 has no evidence of burn in at all. Although I have been careful to turn down the brightness and not keep the same channels on for long periods of time, I do play PS3 games and watch hockey/basketball which have static menu's for periods of time.
Bottom line: I can't see any burn in at all, even when the screen is completely white... and the Pioneer has no such pixel shift feature, or anti burn in BS like the Samsungs have.
Frankly, the glare from windows reflecting in the glass are the only distraction. Had you any burn in, you would not see it for the glare anyway.
I've seen burn in before, and on new model Plasma's at the store, so i'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I think you will only get it if you leave CNN Headline News on the TV for 6 hours a day.
2 years ago everyone said Plasma was dead, now you will not find any high end store recommending anything else. Frankly the colour is 3 dimensional in comparison to LCD screens.
I've had my plasna for over four years, and even afetr leaving it on over night by accident more than once, there is no burn in or after image retention.
i heard that only 1 percent or less of people who own plasmas experience burn-ins that's why, it's not a myth, it's just that since plasma technology has evolved and some anti burnin technology from panasonic and samsung such as pip and stuff helps reduce burn-ins.
after 2005, most plasmas have experience less and less burn-ins, i got a 2006 samsung plasma and it's great.
i'm using a hps4253 from samsung and it's a 42in, i even use it to play my ps3, but i don't play my ps3 on it alot cuz i'm afraid of burn-ins.
and also they made plasmas have longer lifespan, people saying that plasmas has shorter lifepsan is a lie or myth because after 2005, they made the plasmas lifespan go to 60,000 hours, that's 27 years if you watch it for 5 hours a day average.