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the first approach to the big screen

After decades of making use of cathode ray tube televisions, several manufacturers began to launch televisions on the market that were considerably thinner and with a novel panel technology. We are talking about plasma televisions, which ended up revolutionizing the industry. It must also be said that there was such a powerful marketing campaign around this new technology that even today you can find people thinking that they are still the ones that offer the best image quality.

And it is that the manufacturers of TVs made sure that when someone talked about plasma TVs, they were talking about a product synonymous with quality and high-end. For a while it was like that because the evolution compared to the old CRT was considerable. In this article we wanted to pay tribute to this type of television, mentioning its origins, what its technology consisted of, and its successors.

It took decades to see the first plasma television

Although the plasma display was developed in the 1960s for the PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) computer system by a group of researchers from the University of Illinois, it was not until the late 1990s that to commercialize televisions with this technology. During all that time there were monochrome screens (orange, green or yellow), very popular for their hardness and because they detached from elements such as memory or circuits to update the image.

Image: Wikipedia

In 1973, IBM developed an 11-inch monochrome display with this technology, accompanying the IBM 3270 computer and making it capable of displaying up to four terminal sessions at once.

The Plasmaco company, founded in 1983, also played an essential role in the development of this technology. In fact, it was acquired in 1996 by Matsushita Electric Industrial, who in 1983 launched the Executive Partner, its first computer with plasma screen. The latter is known today as Panasonic, one of the companies that has most promoted plasma technology.

When Pioneer launched the first plasma television to the public in 1997, the technology began to catch on in a big way, promising larger screens and better image quality and brightness.

Much larger panels with higher image quality

The plasma television has a set of small cells located between two glass panels. These contain a mixture of noble gases (neon, argon and xenon) that after charging the electrodes creates a voltage difference between the rear and front, causing the gas to become ionized and change its state to plasma. After this process, the ions of the gas move towards the electrodes, where they collide and generate photons, thus causing the emission of light.

Image: LCD Repair

This technology allowed to manufacture televisions with much more brightness than tube TVs. In addition, they were popular given their larger size, since in the market we could find plasma televisions larger than 70 inches.

In terms of image quality, it was an incredibly noticeable leap, with a greater color gamut and deeper blacks than LCDs, given its low luminescence. However, they were televisions that got too hot, being unpleasant for the user in the case of spending long hours with the television on. In fact, as with OLEDs, in plasma televisions there was also the fear of burning the panel.

In the market we could find all kinds of plasma models of different sizes. Manufacturers such as Pioneer, Panasonic, LG, or Samsung, among many others, showed the world the capabilities of this technology in televisions, which became very popular, although yes, significantly more expensive than CRT TVs.

The price and its stagnation buried this technology

The price disadvantage, and the need for the panel to have a large diagonal for its manufacture, meant that the plasma television became part of a highly concentrated market. Secondly, LCD technology kept growing. And it is that although the first LCD televisions were notably inferior to plasma, little by little they were conquering the public, eventually tackling the problems of dead pixels or ghosting of the first generations.

During the last years of life, the plasma barely reached 5% of the market sharein a context in which brands such as Samsung or LG dominated the market for flat screens with LCD technology.

In 2014, most plasma TV manufacturers finally abandoned the technology, although it ceased to be relevant several years earlier. However, it will always be remembered as one of the Technologys that most helped advance the image quality of televisions.

Smart Home

lower the price of the butane cylinder by 5%

Last year, with the prices of the electric power and fuel skyrocketed, the Government took a series of measures with the intention of containing the prices of these basic supplies, such as the famous “gas cap”, freezing the price of butane or lowering the VAT on electricity from 10 to 5% to slightly lower our bills.

In the specific case of the price of the butane cylinder, it was made by setting a maximum price of 19.55 euros until June 30, 2023 for the orange regulated bottle of 12.5 kilos, price that in recent months has not been exceeded but quite the opposite.

A bottle that is finally starting to drop in price

And it is that, after a few months of uncertainty, at the end of January we witnessed a first reduction in the amount to be paid for the classic butane cylinder that was located in the 17.66 euros after the bimonthly review collected in the BOE of January 16, 2023.

Now the downward trend continues, as we have been able to find out in the Official State Gazette (BOE) of March 20, where the new prices for the traditional butane cylinder (12.5 kilos) are applied, which this time are in the €16.78. This translates into a difference of €0.89, which is almost 5% less.

What is the reason for the new discount? Well, there is not a single specific reason, but rather an accumulation of factors, such as the decrease in the consumption of this raw material. In addition, it must be taken into account that the price is reviewed bimonthly on the third Tuesday of the month, by resolution of the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines.

And there it is calculated based on the cost of the raw material (propane and butane) in international markets, as well as the cost of transport and the evolution of the euro-dollar exchange rate. Furthermore, it should be remembered that 21% VAT is included and the Special Tax on Hydrocarbons (IEH), which is €1.5/kilo.

However, if we are users of this precious fuel at home because, for example, we have a butane heater or a gas hob, it is worth taking a look at the recommendations we made in the past to save as much as possible.

Image | Josean Prado

In Xataka Smart Home | Cylinders are more expensive than ever: eight ways to save on butane consumption

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they make it difficult for you to reach the end

197. 197 have been the programs that Orestes Barbero and Rafa Castaño have maintained their duel in the rosco of ‘Pasapalabra’, racking up the largest jackpot in the show’s history. The outcome took place yesterday, where Rafa Castaño finished the rosco in one sitting. Barely 130 seconds took Castaño to complete the donut in green, which did not even give his rival options to participate.

The contestant took a whopping 2,272,000 euros last night, added to the 127,200 that he already accumulated from his participation in previous programs. Orestes did not leave empty-handed either, as he also accumulated a total of 215,400 euros. However, until I could find out who would finally win, I had to go through a series of commercial interruptions that made it very difficult for me. It was all a suffering, and after this I am more clear that it is increasingly difficult to watch DTT.

Too many interruptions to keep the viewer in front of the screen

The Antena 3 television program lasts approximately 1 hour, and given its impact, millions of viewers sit in front of the television to follow the exploits of the contestants who go through this iconic program for all audiences. However, having so many people in front of the screen also has its downside for viewers: advertising interrupts us more and more the content we see on TV.

Image: Antenna 3

This is why streaming content platforms were very successful when they were born, as people are willing to pay a relatively cheap price each month to get rid of ads. Although well, Netflix, Disney + and company have shown us with their plans with advertising that it does not matter if we pay, because at some point we will have to put up with advertising cuts.

Studying all the advertising breaks of the Antena 3 program, we realized that during the first half of the program we only had a little more than 2 minutes of advertising. This is obvious, since people usually watch the program for the rosco, a test that takes place during the final bars of the contest. Under these lines we do count of all interruptions to which the viewer is subjected in an hour of the program:

Advertising inserted before starting the program.
Minute 29:24: 2-minute commercial break.
Minute 36:25: inserted advertising (about 47 seconds).
Minute 37:22: 5 minute commercial break.
Minute 42:25: inserted advertising (about 50 seconds).
Minute 44:30: inserted advertising (about 10 seconds).
Minute 45:00: 20 second commercial break.

From the beginning of the program until it ends, the viewer must go through 7 ad breaks in a contest of 1 hour duration. The accumulated time of the announcements is approximately 10 minutes. However, the problem is more in the interruptions themselves than in the time that they make us lose due to advertising, since it becomes very difficult to enjoy content in this way knowing that today we have many alternatives to view content without interruptions.

And it is that although we know very well that advertising allows workers to have a salary and make the viewer see the program for free, we believe that there are ways to introduce advertising without continuously interrupting the viewer and the experience, such as inserting a single block of 10 minutes of advertising in the middle of the program.

When one chooses to watch a contest like ‘Pasapalabra’, they expect to see a dynamic and informative television program. However, advertising interruptions end up slowing down this dynamism, and it is part of the concern that “open” television is being consumed less and less.

You will save the publicity if you do not mind watching it deferred

The U7D function (Last 7 days) in Movistar+.

Luckily, those who don’t mind watching TV shows on a delayed basis have the option of view the content that appears on DTT during the last 7 days. Platforms such as Movistar+, Orange TV, Vodafone TV, or Tivify, among others, allow you to do this very easily.

To do this, you just have to enter the main menu of your decoder or application (if you are on the television) and access the section that refers to the latest programs broadcast. The good thing is that You can also watch the programs on a delayed basis from a mobile device or computer if you access the contracted service with your credentials.

Image: Antenna 3

In Xataka Smart Home | Mediaset channels return to Tivify: you can now watch basic DTT online without registration or monthly payments

Smart Home

recommendations and what you need to know

Today we have a multitude of elements to create an intelligent ecosystem in the home. In addition, with the inclusion of smart plugs, programming the switching on and off of numerous electrical devices is very easy, which allows us to have a much more precise management of the devices that we have connected at home. In addition, the vast majority of these smart plugs also allow us to find out what an appliance consumes in real time, in order to apply the corresponding measures to save on the electricity bill.

The router is one of those elements that we can also connect to a smart plug. And we know that not everyone likes to have this device constantly on at home. That is why using a smart plug to schedule the turning off and on of this device can be a great alternative to doing it remotely and being able to have it ready whenever you want.

Routers with automatic shutdown function

It is true that the vast majority of routers have an automatic shutdown function. To make use of this function, all you have to do is enter the configuration web page of your router and find said option. In most cases you just have to enter your access credentials in the URL of 192.168.1.1 O well 192.168.0.1 and look for the option “automatic shutdown” or similar.

However, an alternative to do this same task can also be use a smart plug. Of course, you must make sure that the socket you use can communicate with another protocol that is not WiFi, since if you turn off your router remotely, you will not be able to turn it on again if there is no WiFi network available at home and you will have to do it manually.

Schedule a router to turn on and off with a smart plug

Although each smart plug has its own configuration, the system is usually very similar in most cases.

We entered the application of our plug from our mobile.
We look for a section called “Programming” or similar.
In this section we can configure a rule by adding a name (identification so that we know what it is), the days and hours. In this way, this action will be applied and our plug will be disconnected from the power to turn off the router.

The best thing you can do to check that everything works is to do a test with a close time to know that the router turns off and on normally through the smart plug.

In this way, whether you have a router with an automatic shutdown function or not, you have ways to access this option also from a smart plug, very useful for a multitude of electrical devices that you have at home, including elements such as lamps, radiators , various electronic devices, or even electric water heaters. Although in the latter case you will have to be aware that the maximum power of the device does not exceed that of the smart plug.

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