No doubt about it, flat screen HDTVs have gone from being tvs for the enthusiast and the wealthy to the natural replacement choice for the common household. A popular question is which is better, an LCD flat screen tv or a plasma tv?

In years past this would be a much easier answer as there were clear differences between the two tv options, with a plasma tv being the natural flat panel choice for a home theater due in part to the limited size options for large screen tvs.

In today's rapidly changing electronics market LCD screens have gained significant ground in the home theater market. They are now a legitimate option for home theater and not just an option for small tvs or computer monitors. They have gained production efficiency allowing the cost to drop rapidly. They have made significant quality improvements and have made a major push into the full HD 1080p tv market. With all of the momentum of LCDs some have gone so far as to ask the question, is plasma dead?

Although the gap has certainly narrowed, plasma tv is still a very viable option for today's home theater. For flat panel screen sizes of 50" and up plasma still is a great choice. The cost of flat panel tvs, including plasma tvs has continued to drop making it an affordable option for most consumers. Dollar for dollar plasma is still tough to beat for screen sizes in this range.

Many will argue that the quality of the picture of a plasma surpasses that of the comparably priced LCD tv. It produces a crisp, smooth picture without the "ghosting" effect associated with early LCD screens, particularly in scenes with fast movement such as sports.

Plasma tv technology produces lifelike, rich and vibrant colors. Another important consideration is black levels. Although LCD has made advancements in black level, they still have a tough time reproducing the deep true blacks that plasma can produce.

Keep in mind the viewing environment when purchasing a tv. LCDs generally produce a brighter picture that is great for areas with a lot of natural ambient light. This is one reason that when you go in to the typical electronics store that is filled with bright fluorescent lighting, that they will stand out more then plasmas. You may be surprised at the difference in perceived picture quality when viewing a plasma in areas with controlled lighting such as a home theater room or a basement den.

A major drawback in early plasma tv technology was the "burn in" effect that could occur when bright, static images such as a stock ticker tape or video game score would be displayed for long periods on the screen. Today's plasmas have all but eliminated the threat of screen burn in through various technological advances.

While many plasma tvs have a native 720p resolution, they are now offering 1080p full hd models to more directly compete with full HD LCD flat screen models.

While recent gains in LCD technology and new technologies on the horizon such as OLED may eventually threaten plasma tv, it still has a lot to offer in today's market. In fact if you are currently in the market for buying a new flat screen tv, then a plasma tv may be the perfect addition to your home theater.