Things are looking bad for plasma TVs, we're sad to say. Pioneer has plans to stop making TVs altogether, thereby killing its plasma sets, and Vizio is ending its plasma line and focusing all its efforts on the better-selling LCD technology. As the New York Times gadget blog notes, that leaves just a few holdouts still making plasmas: LG, Panasonic, and Samsung, and we can't be sure how long they'll last.

Pick one up while you can if the features appeal to you. Plasmas tend to have deeper blacks than LCDs do, and they perform better in low light situations. The difference used to be far more pronounced though. Now LCDs with 20,000:1 contrast ratios are quasi-affordable, and plasma has mostly lost its edge.

That difference between low-light and high-light performance may be partially responsible for plasma's decline, actually. According to one of the founders of Vizio, plasmas don't sell as well as they should because TV sets are often displayed in well-lit stores, where LCDs have the edge. If you like to watch your movies in the dark, you might be better off making your decision in a low-light environment.

Alas, it's not looking like the decision will be yours to make much longer!

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