The fact that Plasma HDTV televisions are the best in terms of picture quality is something that is not new. They dominate the world of high definition when it comes to contrast, picture quality, and color saturation. Despite the many improvements there are some measures owners of these one of a kind televisions should take especially if their set is new in order to avoid one of this technology’s over hyped flaws. The dreaded image burn-in.

Those new to Plasma HDTV televisions might find the term “Burn In” new. What it really refers to is a problem that was very prominent a few years ago where some still images left a permanent trace that looked as if was burned into the screen hence the term “Burn In”. The reason why these marks where engraved in the picture was because the phosphor inside quickly burned out compared to other areas in the picture leaving a permanent image that resembles a water mark. While this problem is mostly minimized in most sets from known brands, there are some steps that should be taken while the set is new in order to avoid this problem.

The fist 100 hours is crucial. During this period the phosphor cells inside the set are very new. A new set should be used moderately during its first 100 hours in order to let the phosphor mature. To avoid burn in on a new set it is important to avoid channels that leave permanent logos in the picture. Some channels know about this situation and they avoid leaving logos on the screen in their HD versions of their programs. Others are not so considerate, it is better to avoid those that leave the logo for now. Try not to leave video games paused during this period and if you can avoid playing video games for now do it. Do not leave menus for prolonged periods of time either. After the first 100 hours the probability of burn-in is reduced and the set can be enjoyed at its full potential.