How Long Do Plasma TVs Last?
There has been much discussion recently about the life expectancy of plasma monitor/TVs. It is an interesting topic with many misconceptions and story variations. The following is what I can advise on the topic:
Misconception #1: Many retailers seem to be telling consumers that plasma monitors will only last a couple of years - which is false as you will see below.
Misconception #2: The gas plasma inside the plasma TV can be refilled or replaced when it burns out. This is false.
Misconception #3: Plasmas dont last long. Many plasma manufacturers are now listing 60,000 hours as the life span to half life - matching the life span listed by top LCD manufaturers.
So how long will a plasma last? The long and short of it is that it depends upon your daily hourly usage as well as how you use the monitor. 12 to 55 years is my new short answer.
One practical example I will cite here is the Panasonic Tau units being used by In Motion Pictures at major airports around the country. These plasma monitors have been in use now for 5 -1/2 years. The business In Motion Pictures displays images on them from 6AM until 10PM daily (16 hours). Many of these plasma TVs still look great. They never fail to catch my eye as I pass by in one airport or another to see if they are still in use. If they have lost some of their brightness level its hard to tell. These plasma displays have been used already for almost 30,000 hours and have plenty of life left. Already this use equates to 18 years for an owner that watches 3 hours of video or computer content per day.
And this is the old model!
Manufacturers figures for longevity are closely guarded but I have added some here for your review:
Panasonic: States in new specifications that their new plasma TVs and monitors are good to 60,000 to half life.
Sony: Also now states 60,000 hours to half life in their newest models.
Samsung: Lists 60,000 hours.
Pioneer: States 60,000 hours of use in their new 2005 models.
Sharp LCD panels: States 60,000 hour life.
For consumer use these numbers should be comforting. Plasma Displays are now about equivalent in longevity to LCDs, which typically state 60,000 hours or so life. Consider that these figures are a great amount more than old CRTs, which regularly post life span to half brightness at 25,000 hours. Let's put these hours in perspective. The average U.S. household watches 4 to 6 hours of television per day. Staggering. Taking a mean time manufacturer stated longevity of 50,000 hours of usage, times our average 5 hours per day we come up with over 27 years of usage.
Now, there are varying degrees of phosphor ignition along the way (the same way a CRT fades). Dissipation begins the moment you turn the set on. After 1000 hours of usage a plasma monitor should measure around 96% brightness, which is barely noticeable to the naked eye. At 15,000 to 20,000 hours the monitor should measure around 80% brightness or to say it differently, 80% of the original phosphors (gases) are being ignited.
There are steps you can take to ensure longer and better life from your plasma display panel:
1) Never leave static images on the unit. Phosphors have also become more resilient to burn in issues on plasma, but still its better to be safe. Do not leave a static image on the plasma screen for more than 7-10 minutes. This can cause a ghosting effect which will "wash" out by use. Watch the unit in full widescreen format as much as possible to avoid differentiation between the side bands of the unit. While this does not actually decrease the longevity of the phosphors it does cause an annoyance to have to play a gray static image to "erase" the burn in.
2) Use Brightness and Contrast levels that are necessary for viewing - not excessive. In a brightly lit room you may need to use more contrast and brightness, which will decrease the life of the unit. However, there are memory setting adjustments available on most recent plasma monitors that allow the user to choose a memory setting to suit viewing needs. At night, or in a lower light room use lower contrast levels and extend the life. Do not use your plasma display on 100% contrast (often disguised as the picture option). In rooms with normal lighting you should not need to use the contrast setting on more than 60% of contrast.
NOTE: Plasma manufacturers routinely ship plasma TVs with the contrast (picture) setting tweaked to 80 to 100% of contrast. Therefore, you will need to make this necessary adjustment yourself.
3) Keep the monitor/TV in a well-ventilated area. The unit will not have to work as hard to cool itself.
4) Turn the unit off when not in use.
5) Keep the unit out of reach of small children.
6) Do not mount the unit face down from the ceiling. (Philips are you listening?)
How do the manufacturers know how to calculate the figures since plasma monitors have not been out long? The manufacturer facilities in Japan test plasma panels at 100% white image light and measure down from that point with meter readings. It takes hours to find that 50% mark - between 40,000 and 60,000 hours. What a job that would be
- to watch the white light.