How unusual,in this day and age,is it for a Plasma TV NOT to have an On/Off switch.I have an LG 42" plasma which has a switch,but this only toggles between On and Standby.The only way I can completely switch off is at the mains socket.The dealer says that'there is no difference between standby and off',and just to leave it on Standby all the time.Has anyone heard of such a thing?
There's lots of electronics that have standby modes, and not just plasma TVs. Do not worry about it. Standby mode is designed by the manufacturer, consumes very little power and causes no harm.
Most electronics these days use a switching power supply that only goes into standby, not off. A lot of electronics hold user settings that may be lost if there isn't power to the unit.