What are the truths and effect to laying down a plasma tv...

[mtbound10]

In transport or otherwise what are the effects when laying down a plasma tv. I recently purchased and transported my tv in my truck where I had to lay it down for approximately ten to fifteen minutes... Are there really some adverse affects from doing so even from such a short period of time?

 

[Hipnotic4]

im pretty sure it does not matter how your plasma is positioned..just think about when they are being shipped somewhere..

 

[Jack Hammer]

I really don't know the factual answer to your question. I'd guess the reason to not lay it down in transportation had something to do with plasma's having a glass screen(IIRC) and laying it down may make it easier to damage.

 

[Hi Ho]

Transporting any flat panel TV (Plasma or LCD) while laying flat increases the possiblity of the glass cracking (yes, LCD panels have glass too). Driving carefully over a few miles with a set sitting flat probably won't hurt it but I would avoid it if at all possible. If you got the TV home and you don't see cracks in the screen and it works fine then you are fine.

 

[mtbound10]

The reason I had started the forum was that the last two times I had made purchases the receivers at both stores told me it was not good and specified in regards to plasmas, to lay them down flat... I did not know if this was a valid point or not and they both made a point specifying "plasma" TV's. Maybe they failed to tell me that they were talking about the glass.

I did not know if it had something to do with the substance within the TV that actually gets misplaced when it is out of position or something peculiar like that.

 

[Phil Taylor]

Don't lay them flat because the refrigerant oil will run out of the compressor .... Oh wait -- nevermind that's for refrigerators ...

 

[timmay8612]

I worked at an electronics and appliance store for a summer and was told by my superiors that TVs laid flat should stand upright for twice the amount of time they were horizontal before they are plugged in. No idea if there is any truth to that or not.

To clear up the shipping question, my job was in a warehouse, and all the TVs (with the exception of 22", the smallest we sold) shipped in their natural, vertical position. We carried them off the truck that way and stored them that way. Again no mention of why.

 

[Hi Ho]

I worked at an electronics and appliance store for a summer and was told by my superiors that TVs laid flat should stand upright for twice the amount of time they were horizontal before they are plugged in

That is total BS, entertaining, but still BS. Setting a TV upright after being on it's side doesn't change anything. If the glass broke while being transported on it's side then it would still be broken after being upright for twice as long.

 

[timmay8612]

That is total BS, entertaining, but still BS. Setting a TV upright after being on it's side doesn't change anything. If the glass broke while being transported on it's side then it would still be broken after being upright for twice as long.

I'm not denying that its BS Thats just what they told me in the store. Some goofy explanation that I've since forgotten about the materials on the inside of the display, it wasn't a glass-related explanation. On another note, I will say from second-hand experience that if you carry a 50"+ plasma on a dolly/hand truck and it falls glass down onto concrete, it breaks...

 

[3db]

I can't speak about Plasma's but LCDs must remain upright and should never be layed down flat..at least according to the shipping instructions.

 

[Phil Taylor]

I lay both plasmas and LCDs face-down all the time to place the mounting brackets prior to hanging them on a wall. No ill effects. Transporting they are best left vertical in order to alleviate stress on the panel. Ya ever see a window glass truck going down the road with the panes in a vertical position in those racks? Glass is stronger on edge when bumps are involved ...

 

[Seth=L]

Apparently the image creating particles are sandwiched between to large sheets of heavy glass. I would assume that a larger Plasma display would be more fragile because of the weight of the glass. If you opened your box and the plasma screen is uncracked there is no problem and you should be able to turn it on right away.

Many big box stores will tell you not to lay it on it's back because the "gas" settles in the wrong part of the display and that you should wait 48-72 hours to power the TV on once it's been in the upright position. Why they tell you this I have no damn clue because the most real concern is the screen cracking from hitting a pothole on the road during transportation.

So again, if your screen appears to be uncracked your TV is fine and ready to go. All other non-sense is purely that.

 

[Audioholics]

The plasma will drain to the bottom and then you'll have to give it a transfusion from another TV to fix it.... which brings up the whole issue of vampires.

 

[PBMax]

The plasma will drain to the bottom and then you'll have to give it a transfusion from another TV to fix it.... which brings up the whole issue of vampires.

I LOL'd. I couldn't just say that tho, cuz too short. Being "Plasma," the transfusion/vampire thing works on multiple levels. Well Played.

 

[bigtoys]

just drove home my plasma on its "back" (about 15 minutes). when we loaded it in, the guy said stand it up when I get home and don't turn it on for about an hour. something about the "plasma", I think.

 

[cmchen0]

When I bought the plasma TV two months ago, the person whom I bought it from said not too lay the TV flat down because the screen will crack. I don't know why though.

 

[docrings]

The larger the screen, the more risk that the screen will "flex" when horizontal and driving over potholes, etc, theoretically being a cause of glass panel flexing and possibly, cracking.

If you have to lay it flat, I'd advise putting it on a thick blanket with the thick blanket supporting BOTH the frame and glass, to avoid undue pressure on the glass. The blanket will dampen any vibrations and flexing of the glass panel that would lead to a crack. Just make sure there are no wrinkles or wadded up areas that would actually lead to increased pressure on the glass in a small area, which could also cause a crack. Smooth is the key, and ensuring the frame is also on the blanket.

When vertical, any bumps and jars do not induce destructive vibrations in the vector required to cause a crack, that's why they're shipped vertical half-way around the world, on ship and truck.