3. Can I use a plasma TV for a MM?
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Can I use a plasma TV for a MM?

  • O

    Hello,

    I got a Pioneer PDP-42MVE1 screen for free and want to use it as a Magic Mirror.
    Anyone expierience in using a plasma display for this kind of project?
    Another concern is the weight of the device (28,5kg). Any recommendations on this?

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  • Module Developer

    @Oberon said in Can I use a plasma TV for a MM?:

    I got a Pioneer PDP-42MVE1 screen for free

    Free is always good!

    Anyone expierience in using a plasma display for this kind of project?

    I have not but all types of displays have been used. If you are satisfied with the brightness of the display then you should be alright. Also, the blackness, for lack of a better word, should be as dark as possible. Some displays “glow” from behind the mirror.

    Another concern is the weight of the device (28,5kg). Any recommendations on this?

    The weight, or the mounting, should not be a problem. More of a concern would be the depth/thickness of the display. If it’s too thick you’ll wind up with a box on your wall. It depends on what you’ll be happy with.

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  • Module Developer

    Plasma has better BLACK(real black), but worse GRAY. If you like high-contrast, Plasma is better than old type LCD. But nowadays new LCD(LED) is somewhat better.
    Usually Plasma has faster response, but MM doesn’t need speed.
    Demerits of Plasma are burn-in and shorter life and power consumption. Usually MM is turned on and show static contents for long time. So I think LCD is better for MM. However Free could forgive everything. :p

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  • For me the weight would be an issue. However, you can use a standard TV wall mount to get around it. If you get rid of the exterior casing on the TV you can get a smaller “footprint” when paired with the mirror. Really though, like Sean said burn in will be your biggest enemy here. You could write something to have the modules swap places every now and then to try to prevent it, but given that there isn’t really much motion I think you’d end up regretting it. That said… it’s free. So, I figure you’ve got two options:

    1. It’s a free TV the’s going to be a screen behind a mirror. How worried about it do you need to get… who cares right?

    2. Sell it on Craigslist, Gumtree, eBay, etc and put the funds toward a cheap thinner LCD. That display is a 480 widescreen (from when people mistakenly thought DVD’s were HD and not SD like the VHS replacement they were… so 1995), so I don’t know how much you’d get for it these days. Regardless, money is money.

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