Losing technology — why plasma TVs have disappeared

Plasma TVs used to be a symbol of progress and luxury, decorating living rooms and impressing with their picture quality. They were adored for their rich colors, deep blacks, and wide viewing angles. But today, this technology is just a memory.

Ukr.Media writes about what caused the disappearance of plasma.

How plasma TVs made a breakthrough and went into oblivion

The history of plasma dates back to 1964, when scientists at the University of Illinois created a display based on gas-discharge cells, an innovative solution for the PLATO educational computer. The technology remained in laboratories for decades until Fujitsu introduced the first commercial display in 1992, and later a 42-inch TV. It cost more than USD 20,000, but it opened the door to a new era.

In the 2000s, plasma became the main choice for large screens. Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, and LG produced models that were superior to cathode ray tube TVs in all respects. Devices with a diagonal of 42 to 65 inches became a symbol of home cinema, and models such as the Pioneer Kuro set the quality standards. In 2010, the market peaked with over 18 million units sold.

Users chose plasma for its deep blacks, rich colors, smooth picture, and wide viewing angles. At the time, LCDs were inferior in terms of picture quality, especially on large diagonals. Plasma offered a "live image" effect, making sports broadcasts and movies look almost realistic.

However, the technology's shortcomings gradually began to show. Power consumption was several times higher than LCD — a 50-inch panel could consume up to 400 watts. Brightness remained limited, especially in well-lit rooms. Screen burn-in was a concern for gamers and users who viewed static content for long periods of time. In addition, the screens were heavy and expensive to manufacture.

With the development of LCD, the situation changed. The panels became brighter, more energy-efficient, and, thanks to mass production, cheaper. By 2010, LCDs had pushed plasma out of the large TV market. At the same time, OLED technology offered deeper blacks, lower power consumption, and 4K support, all of which plasma lacked.

Pioneer left the market in 2010, transferring its technology to Panasonic. In 2013, this company announced that it would end production of plasma TVs. By the end of 2014, LG and Samsung also stopped producing their latest models, despite high praise from experts.

The revival of plasma today looks unlikely. Production lines have been destroyed, and the cost of bringing the technology back is billions of dollars. Modern OLED and QLED models have left plasma far behind: 8K resolution, brightness of up to several thousand nits, and low power consumption have become the new standard.

However, plasma has left behind a technological legacy. Self-luminous pixels, high-quality black reproduction, and high contrast became the basis for the development of OLED. Thanks to plasma, large screens have become a part of everyday life, and TVs have turned into aesthetic windows into the world of entertainment.

As a reminder, TV and monitor screens easily collect dust and fingerprint residues, and the right approach is required to clean them. Many users make common mistakes that can damage the device.

We also wrote that modern TVs have evolved from simple broadcast signal receivers to full-fledged multimedia hubs. One of the useful but often overlooked features is USB ports. They are usually located on the back or side of the TV — you can connect a flash drive with movies, charge your smartphone, or connect additional devices.