How To Avoid Plasma TV Burn-In
If you're familiar with the technology behind plasma
televisions, you know that the gas contained in each individual
pixel receives a charge from a set of electrodes and produces
ultraviolet light photons. These light particles hit a phosphor
coating on the pixel's walls. If the same picture remains on the
screen long enough the phosphors will age prematurely and they
will produce a less intense light and color. The phosphor's
continuous light will also burn the screen itself, leaving a
ghost of an image. This burning of the screen, and the residual
image it creates, is called burn-in. Older CRT monitors, as well
as ATM machines, are prone to burn-in. This was the reason
behind the invention of screen savers; having a randomly
shifting image displayed whenever the picture was constant for a
certain period of time helps prevent burn-in.
Burn-in occurs in 2 steps: premature phosphor aging and screen
searing. A still image will create an unchanging electrical
current in each plasma pixel. The resulting continuous flow of
photons forces the television's phosphors to release the same
hue of light and this, when maintained for a long enough period
of time, will damage the phosphors' ability to produce this
color light. They will become conditioned, and will never stop
producing a weak shade of that same color light, even when no
charge is being sent through the pixel. This affects other
images that require a change in the pixel's color. Screen
searing is the dim, ghost-like image that literally gets burned
into the glass of your screen. During a still image, the screen
is bombarded with a specific spectrum of light from the
phosphors. Since it's given no time to rest, the screen develops
a shadowy copy of the image which was frozen on the screen. We
most often see this at the ATM, when remnants of the main menu
remain on the screen throughout your transaction.
Now that you have an idea what burn-in is, you should know some
ways to prevent it from occurring. The root cause of burn-in is
a static image. Most newer model plasma televisions have added
functions to automatically prevent burn-in. However, owners of
older model plasma televisions should be aware of the danger of
burn-in and should follow a few simply tips to extend the life
of their television. You can avoid static images by turning off
your plasma television when you're not watching it. Also, you
should steer clear of pausing a movie or a video game for an
extended period of time and leaving the television on.
Burn-in is no longer a serious concern with newer plasma
televisions thanks to a technology called pixel orbiter. The
pixel orbiter subtly shifts static pictures to continuously keep
the plasma screen's phosphors working. By never resting, there
is little chance of burn-in. Creating more work for the display
may seem like a poor decision with regard to the lifespan of the
unit, but keeping the phosphors fresh and changing actually
helps the plasma screen last longer.