# Plasma Questions



## TxBuilder (Jul 7, 2006)

I've been told that Plasma TV's have gas that has to be recharged every so often. Is this true? If so how often and how much does that run?


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## glennjanie (Jul 7, 2006)

I've had a plasma T V for 6months now and don't know anything about recharging being required. There is nothing about it in the owner's manual. We love our plasma.
Glenn


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## Square Eye (Jul 7, 2006)

This link might help;

http://www.plasmatvscience.org/


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## Square Eye (Jul 15, 2006)

From what I can gather, the gas is contained in the micro cells. I don't see how they could be recharged if they did leak. The cells are like  a honeycomb in an insulated glass window. Each cell represents a different color, red, green and blue. These colors of light make up the entire spectrum of color seen on the screen. 



Edit;

Each cell contains a phosphor that changes the _color_ of the gas when the cell is excited. 

I dunno, Tx. You may have to get one recharged once in a while. I don't see how the cells could be connected, ie. gas flowing from cell to cell, without exciting the cells around it. Which would cause poor picture quality and distorted color. 

Hey! I ain't no scientist!

This illustration shows the cells being open to each other and the gas must be free inside;





The light generated must be in close proximity to the phosphors and the gas must just be reacting to the immediate area's current discharge.

I wish we had a TV repairman to guide us through this one!!


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## nicalotapi (Jul 17, 2006)

the fact the plasma's are SOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooo incredibly delicate is a huge problem.  Dell had a huge problem with this.  You would order their plasma screen for an incredible deal, and then "Joe" and "Fred" would come and drop it off at your house... only they would literally DROP it.  I had a customer go through three TV's in a span of 6 months because of crappy shipping.  The leak on one of them was pretty freaky, I should have taken a picture!

I will admit....  a BEAUTIFUL picture!  But LCD's are an equal match as far as I'm concerned.

Oh... and to be on topic, from what I've heard - you can't recharge a plasma...  once it's dead, it's dead.  On a positive note...  it should last anywhere from 7 to 12 years...  when suppliers feel you'll be ready for the next next next generation of tv's....  whatever that will be!

You might check out projector systems...  replace the lamp every year and a half or so, and a BIG picture! 

good luck,

nic


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## CraigFL (Jul 17, 2006)

I recharge mine every time my muffler bearing needs replacing....


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## tooltime (Jul 18, 2006)

CraigFL said:
			
		

> I recharge mine every time my muffler bearing needs replacing....



Me too! Coincidence?

lol, anyhow...
I was dreaming of gettign a plasma screen tv because their image quality is so breathtaking, but the salesman told me that they would  not last  much longer than 5 years because they go bad. And when they go bad, you can't fix them. I never knew quite why, but reading this post gives reasoning behind the saleman's information.  Some day I will be able to afford one *and* replace when needed.


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## Kerrylib (Sep 14, 2006)

Around here there is lots of commentary about probs w/ plasma because of the gas.  Denver area is "1 mile high" and therefore atmospheric pressure is only about 12 psi instead of 14.7.  Now if you live up in the mtns, you can add a few thousand more vertical to that and really have problems.

My guess is the ski resorts have big LCD tv's rather than plasma because of this.


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## LeoDLion (Oct 4, 2006)

TxBuilder said:
			
		

> I've been told that Plasma TV's have gas that has to be recharged every so often. Is this true? If so how often and how much does that run?



No, you dont have to 'recharge' a plasma TV.

If you are into tvs, sound equipment, etc, there is an excellent forum called

www.avsforum.com

that you need to take a look at. When I put together my home theater, I use that forum to gain information and I learn a lot about HD Tvs, sound equipment, etc.


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## Rustedbird (Nov 4, 2006)

Plasma, expensive, delicate, and light. Looks neat though.

Still, I like my 30" HDTV Samsung CRT. No one is going to steal that heavy sucker unless they are Godzilla. Vacumn tube technology has been around forever, so not being a beta tester here too. 

Als, it was only 630 bucks at the time as opposed to thousands.


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## elementx440 (Jan 31, 2007)

Plasma picture is the lowest quality of all current display technologies.  View a dlp, lcd, lcos, and see for yourself.  The only benefit of a plasma is the depth, nothing more.  It's likely the most unreliable as well.  Yours could last 10 years, or 10 months (as with any electronic device).  I sold them when they first came out on the market, and personally I will not buy one for at least a few more years to get the price down and improve on the techology.


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