What is the difference between a plasma tv set and a hdtv set?

Question

What is the difference between a plasma tv set and a hdtv set?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

Plasma sets are thin-screen (sometimes called "flat screen") TVs.  They are usually High Definition (HDTV), but not necessarily - some older ones may not be HD.

The other thin-screen format is LCD.  Like plasma, the display may or may not be high-def.

Both plasma and LCD displays are available in wide-screen (16:9) format, but some low-end, smaller LCD tvs are not wide-screen format.

HDTV is also available in CRT displays, but these are not usually wide-screen and the image will be "letterboxed" (Black bands above and below the picture) if it was broadcast in widescreen format.

Answer 3

They are two different things, really.  Sort of like asking "What's the difference between a pickup and a truck?"

HDTV refers to the shape and resolution of the picture.  HD sets have a wide screen and higher resolution than conventional sets.

Plasma refers to the display technology (how the set makes the picture).  Plasma screens have cells of gas that are excited to produce light.  Other technologies are LCD, DLP, Laser, etc.

A HDTV set could use a Plasma screen (or an LCD or a DLP, etc).  A non-HD set could also use a Plasma screen (or an LCD or a DLP, etc).