I am in the market for a large screen tv for my home theater.Probably in the 65" range,I have gotten different answers from different people,but I don't exactly trust an 18 yr old working at best buy when I am gonna be spending 10,000+ on this project.Can anyone offer some advice on which is more reliable LCD or Plasma?
LCDs are more reliable. Plasma's run hotter since the entire screen is basically just a big flourescent lamp, while with LCD's the screen is made up of liquid crystals with just a couple of small flourescent lamps behind. So since the LCD runs cooler, it has a longer life.
If it doesn't break prior to the manufacturer's warranty expiring it likely won't break just after either. Now if yoyu can find a warranty that covers things like it falling off the wall or a shoe thrown through the screen then THAT would be worth buying!
Name brand plasmas and LCDs have about the same breakdowns. Cheaper brands are higher. According to Consumer Reports, only about 3% of name brand TVs of either format breakdown in the first 3 years. Just buy a name brand TV and use a credit card and you'll have 2 years of warranty and shouldn't need an extended warranty.
Plasmas have better picture quality than LCDs, unless watching in a bright room. Maybe someday LCD will catch up, but that day isn't today. Look at a Pioneer or Panasonic plasma, no LCD can touch them.
Plasmas have far higher contrast ratios, uniform screen brightness from edge to edge, better blacks, superior color accuracy and more possible colors, glass screens that don't damage as easy or discolor with age, wider viewing angles, the list goes on.
Anabelle is completely wrong just the opposite is true. An LCD is a "big flourescent lamp" not the plasma. LCD have constant back light that is always on, this is part of the reason for there poor black levels. Plasma screens have individual cells that only light when called on to do so.