i was told that if i lay my plasma screen flat it will cause perminant damage, i havent yet even pluged it in. i have had it for a couple months and now im starting to get freaked out about this rumor...
No idea, but I laid my new one flat for 20 minutes (in the off position) while I re attached the new wall mount stand. Turned it on after waiting another 20 minutes in the upright position and it works fine...
Do you mean you have laid yours flat for a few months? Was it turned on while laying flat? Is your TV broken now?
no i have never turned it on as of yet, however the owner before me had, i saw it but its been in my posession for a couple months and i beleve i had layed it flat for a couple days, and the other guy i think had it flat also. maybe for a day or two. i had gone to sams and someone there said that it messes up the tv real bad and might as well throw it away if it was layed flat like more than 20 min.
Tips for owning a plasma, as taken from a review web site... check out the last item...
There are steps you can take to ensure longer and better life from your plasma display panel:
1) Never leave static images on the unit. Plasma phosphors have become more resilient to burn in, but still its better to be safe. Do not leave a static image on the plasma screen for more than 7-10 minutes. This can cause a ghosting effect which will "wash" out by use. Watch the unit in full widescreen format as much as possible to avoid differentiation between the side bars of the unit. While this does not actually decrease the longevity of the phosphors it does cause an annoyance to have to play a gray static image to "erase" the temporary burn in.
2) Use Brightness and Contrast levels that are necessary for viewing - not excessive. In a brightly lit room you may need to view the plasma TV at a higher contrast and brightness, which will decrease the life of the unit. However, there are memory setting adjustments available on most recent plasma displays that allow the user to choose a memory setting to suit viewing needs. At night, or in a lower light room use lower contrast levels and extend the life. Do not use your plasma display on 100% contrast (often disguised as the picture option in the menu). In rooms with normal lighting you should not need to use the contrast setting on more than 60% of contrast.
NOTE: Plasma manufacturers routinely ship plasma TVs with the contrast (picture) setting tweaked to 80 to 100% of contrast. Therefore, you will need to make this necessary adjustment yourself.
3) Keep the monitor/TV in a well-ventilated area. The cooling system in the plasma will not have to work as hard.
4) Buy a good brand. First tier brands are typically better built and engineered and will last longer. My first question when someone tells me about a plasma that pooped out on them is, "What brand and model was it?" Most of the time, it's an "off" brand.
5) Turn the plasma off when not in use.
6) Keep the unit out of reach of small children.
7) Do not mount the unit face down from the ceiling. (Philips are you listening?)