In summary, the selection of the right resolution depends upon the computer sources you
are using, your budget, and your application. Here are some general guidelines:
- Choose a resolution format for both your computer display and your palsma tv that is adequate
for the type of materials you will be presenting. The smaller and more plentiful the
details in your presentation material, the higher the resolution that is required to
display them successfully.
- Use a plasma tv that matches the native resolution of your computer display, so that you can
avoid the image fuzziness that often comes from scaling one input format to a different
output format.
- If you are using a high resolution computer display, and find that a plasma with matching resolution is out of your budget range, select a plasma that is one step down in resolution. However, make sure that the scaled plasma tv image gives you results comparable to your computer display. By doing this, you can often save a lot of money and still end up with a very acceptable image on the screen.
- And finally, give some consideration to the useful life or your plasma tv. VGA resolution was popular for 8 years, SVGA resolution became the most popular resolution for projectors (similar use to plasma tvs) in 1997, and XGA is expected to replace SVGA in popularity by the end 1999. If you keep pace with the changes in the personal computer industry, you know that performance doubles about every 18 months. Keep this in mind as you make your plasma tv choice.
Return to the Buying Guide FAQ Index
