What can I do to prevent image retention or burn-in?

Image Retention: When a static image is left frozen on a display for several hours, a faint imprint of the image, known as image retention, can remain. This image retention may be temporary or permanent. Although caused by different things, image retention can occur on all display technologies, including plasma and LCD. On today's plasma displays, permanent image retention is less of a worry. Most image retention can be improved simply by watching moving video.

Image retention, also known as burn-in, can occur in all phosphor-based display systems (including CRT television systems (both direct view and projection) as well as plasma display systems). Displaying the same still images for long periods should be avoided as permanent image retention or burn-in may occur. Recommended guidelines are as follows:

Do not display static images for long periods (such as still images, fixed images from PC or TV game equipment, and/or fixed images such as time of day indicator or channel logo display).

Do not display content in the 4:3 aspect ratio (black or gray bars on left and right side of content) or letterbox content (black bars above and below content) for extended periods of time, or use either of these viewing modes repeatedly within a short period of time. This plasma display system is equipped with multiple wide-screen viewing modes; use one of these screen modes to fill the entire screen with content.

Displaying dark images after displaying still images for a period of time may cause image retention. In most cases, the image retention can be corrected by displaying bright images for a similar period of time.

If you display still images on your plasma display system for long periods of time, image retention may be irreparable.

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