2 chief types of flat screen HDTVs rule the HD arena currently: plasmas and LCDs. Although these screens are sleek, aesthetically appealing and capable of wonderful pictures, most people are still unsure of which type of flat screen TV they should get. This article will try to guide you in making the correct decision by looking at your viewing requirements.

Traditionally, plasma TVs held the advantage over LCD TVs in terms of picture quality. However, as LCD TVs become better as technology advances, the gap now is marginal at best. That's why to decide on whether you should get a plasma TV or LCD, you should analyze how you're planning to use the flat screen HDTV.

If you plan to play a lot of console games on your new flat screen HDTV, you should opt for an LCD rather than a plasma TV. Even though not as big an issue as it was before, plasma TVs are still relatively susceptible to screen burn and image retention that could be accidentally caused by a prolonged gaming session.

Furthermore, LCDs tend to be brighter and have a higher screen resolution than plasma TVs within the same price bracket, which make the games look more vivid and detailed, contributing to a more absorbing gaming experience.

You should also opt for an LCD if you're planning to use a home theater PC (HTPC) with your flat screen HDTV. The higher screen resolution of LCDs will ensure that the text on the screen are highly visible; and the increased brightness level (compared to plasma TVs) is important to mimic a PC monitor. Furthermore, if you sit closer to your flat screen HDTV you may notice pixel noise on plasma TVs due to the fashion the images are rendered through pulse width modulation (PWM).

On the other hand, if you watch fast action sport programs, a plasma should be a strong contender in your shortlist. While much improved compared to older batches, LCDs still suffer from motion ghosting due to the sample-and-hold phenomenon which is unavoidable in the LCD technology. Newer LCDs blessed with motion compensated frame interpolation technology (100Hz and above) are better in this aspect, but as the technology is still in its infancy, it is generally limited to smaller screens (less than 40”), and side effects like shimmering and motion tearing are intermittently seen.

I realize I mentioned before that there's minimal difference in the picture quality of plasmas and LCDs nowadays, but taken as a whole, the blacks and shadow detail on plasma TVs are better than those on LCDs. So if you are a big fan of movies with lots of dark scenes (such as Batman Begins and The Prestige), you should seriously choose a plasma TV over an LCD.

By examining the way you're planning to use the flat screen HDTV, you're more likely to reach the right decision on whether to buy a plasma TV or LCD. Good luck!