Image Retention Tests
Cycle 1 Test
A 16-rectangle white/black checkerboard pattern was connected to each plasma TV through its component YPbPr input. This pattern was left on the screen for a period of eight hours. At the end of the test period, a full white field was displayed on each screen and 16 brightness measurements were taken in each of the areas corresponding to the checkerboard pattern.
Cycle 1 Test Pattern
Cycle 1 Results
Two plasma TVs showed a very faint ghost image of the 16x9 checkerboard pattern. A third plasma TV exhibited this ghost image with more intensity; it was easier to spot but barely appeared in photographs. A fourth plasma TV had a strong ghost image that was easily seen and photographed. The fifth plasma TV had no ghost image at all.
The post-test measurements showed no evidence of significant phosphor degradation on any plasma TV. The largest difference in brightness between pre- and post-test readings was no higher than 8.2%, well within the normal variations in brightness uniformity seen in plasma TVs of this size. The ghost images suggest some form of image sticking (accumulated capacitive charge within the pixel walls).