Plasma TV Care

A plasma TV is a great investment in your home entertainment. Plasma TVs offer outstanding picture quality with deep blacks and superb color saturation; no other current technology offers higher quality viewing particularly in lower ambient light.

Plasma televisions are not "high maintenance" but they are however a significant investment and worthy of some time and attention to their care. On this page, learn about:

First things first; plasma TV care includes assuring your new television is in a safe place. Obviously, like any expensive device you want it out of the main traffic pattern within a room to avoid accidentally knocking it over or just bumping into it.

For general placement guidelines about where to place your television or how high to mount your TV check out the highlighted pages here.

Mounting it on a wall or from the ceiling with a proper mount allows you to take advantage of the space saving design of the screen and helps to assure it's safety. Television stands are acceptable of course but somewhat less secure.

For assistance in selecting the best TV mount review this information.

Plasma TVs do create a bit of heat and therefore need proper venting. Be sure there is adequate space around the set when mounting. Checking out the manufacturers guidelines on this is critical.

Mounting a plasma TV over the fireplace is most easily done via a ceiling mount but prior to selecting this location assure that the wall temperature doesn't exceed what the manufacture specifies for the television's storage and operation even after having the fireplace burn for an hour or so.

A useful page about how to mount plasma TV screens above a fireplace can be found here.

Ensuring the right environment is also important in proper plasma TV care. Moisture and temperature extremes are destructive to all home electronics products. Exposure to excessive humidity, spills, or condensation due to rapid changes in temperature can destroy electrical components and cause corrosion.

For these reasons proper plasma TV care requires owners to avoid setting drinks, plants, fish tanks, and so forth on shelves above or beside their TV. Generally speaking, a plasma TV should be stored and operated indoors rather than outdoors or on a patio or deck. If the area isn't temperature controlled, it is not an appropriate home for the television. (There are sets designed/built for outdoor use and which also come with an appropriate cover.)

Good plasma TV care requires that you adjust the settings on your TV. The television displays in a showroom are generally set to optimum brightness to catch your eye and when the TV is delivered it is often set to optimum levels as well.

These levels of operation are excessive. They can promote eye strain, consume excessive energy, and certainly age the phosphors in your plasma TV screen prematurely. To assure longevity, adjust the brightness to suit the lighting levels in your room.

For some tips on plasma TV calibration, check out this article.

Another simple tip to promote a long life for your television is to turn it off when it is not being viewed. This assures the life of the phosphors and reduces power consumption as well. A win-win situation.

A little common sense says: Use a surge protector. Plasma TV care includes assuring that a lightning strike does spell the end of your TV.

These devices can save you thousands in the long run, are simple to install, and are unobtrusive, so why not?

The old adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies in plasma TV care as well. Don't touch the screen. Teach children not to touch the screen. This will help eliminate not just finger prints but also scratches.

Don't use sprays near the TV: Room deodorizers, air fresheners, furniture polish, and so forth can be damaging.

Despite your best efforts, dirt and foreign matter will probably make it's way onto your screen. The key to good plamsa TV care is to properly clean the screen with the right tools. Manufacturers don't recommend the use of strong cleaners. A micro fiber cloth is commonly suggested which is effective against any dust and finger prints.

If more aggressive cleaning is in order, a cleaner made specifically for plasma or PC screens (anti-static cleaners) can be used. However, don't forget about the aversion to liquids! Such cleaners should never be sprayed directly on the screen. Instead, it should be applied to the cloth. Materials such as a paper towel or Kleenex are too abrasive and should not be used on the screen as they can damage the anti-glare coating.

Again, read the manufacturers instructions to assure the best care.