What is “Burn In” and is it a problem with Flat-Panel TVs?
“Burn In” is a phenomenon that occurs when an image is left on the screen too long, like if you pause a DVD for a long time. And to put it mildly, Burn In is a major problem. Once burn in happens, you will always see a ghostly outline of the Burnt In image no matter what you are watching. This is because some pixels on the TV can no longer create as much light as others, so they will always appear darker. Most commonly this occurs from playing video games for too long (see, your mother was right) or from watching letterboxed material too often. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to limit videogame time and to watch material in a full screen format as much as possible. Another good tactic to avoid Burn In is to take frequent breaks. You can play video games for a little while, then watch some TV before you go back to the games. However Burn In is nothing new. It has always been something to consider since the first TVs were invented. And Flat-Panel TVs are no more prone to Burn In
