How long will my plasma TV last?
Depending on how you use it, between 13 and 20 years. The lifespan of plasma TVs is measured relative to the half-life of its phosphor gases. Half-life is the point at which plasma manufacturers posit that the picture brilliance has diminished enough to make a very noticeable difference in picture quality (and possibly merit replacement). Half-life, then, is the true halfway point in the lifespan of the product. Since these gases decay at a constant rate, the color intensity of your TV picture will decay at a rate equal to that of its phosphors. Think of this as phosphoric dissipation. Beginning the moment you turn your plasma TV on, the phosphors encased within its screen begin to slowly dissipate, so less and less of the total phosphoric content is available for ignition. This affects the display’s brightness and color saturation levels. After 1000 hours of use, the plasma monitor should have retained about 94% of its original brightness level. After 15,000 to 20,000 hours, the monit
