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| Types of Plasma TV |  One of the most important factors in choosing your plasma screen should be its resolution. HDTV (high definition TV) plasma screens are always more expensive than EDTV (enhanced definition TV screens) because of that fact that it costs manufacturers much more to make the plasma display element.
A high-resolution monitor may or may not provide a better picture than an EDTV resolution monitor. This fact depends on the input signal and the quality of the Plasma TV manufacturer and model. Depending on the quality of the display and its internal processing circuitry, an HDTV signal may actually appear better on some EDTV resolution plasma screens.
In fact, you can see a better picture from the HDTV than from EDTV unit, when comparing a high-resolution plasma display with an EDTV plasma made by the same manufacturer and with an incoming HDTV signal. Nevertheless, an EDTV plasma may operate better with lower end video signals such as regular cable or satellite TV, as well as DVD. This happens due to that fact, that they have less transforming to do from input to display. Generally, a quality brand-name plasma display with robust video processing will provide the best picture from any source, whether the plasma has an HDTV or EDTV native resolution.
You make ask why produce plasma displays with higher resolution which cost more? HDTV sources not only have better quality, they also let for much better display of computer XGA signals (1024 x 768), currently the most popular PC display resolution. This is very important for text or numeric data displays, which may be distorted and unreadable if scaled improperly.
To find out which plasmas have high resolution displays, all you need to do is look at the screen's native pixel resolution:
Standard EDTV Resolution
853 x 480: typically found on 37", 42", 43" & 46" plasma screens
High-Definition HDTV Resolution
1024 X 768: found on 42" & 43" plasma screens
1280 X 768: found on 50", 61", & 63" plasma screens
1365 X 768: found on 50", 61", & 63" plasma screens
If the second number of the resolution is at least 720 pixels, a plasma TV screen is considered "High Definition".
Almost all plasma screens today are called "HDTV compatible" or "HDTV ready." It means that they can accept and display an incoming HDTV signal, be it 720p or 1080i. Remember: Since the terms are often used mutually, they may or may not describe whether or not the TV has an HDTV tuner built in.
If you have some doubts in spending extra money for the HDTV plasma, check with your local cable or satellite provider to see what HDTV channels are available in your local area. Also think over whether or not you'll be using your plasma as a PC monitor and if so, what display resolutions you intend to use.
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