[RangerM]

I’ve owned one for 4 years. I don’t believe the picture is any worse.

I DO keep the brightness setting down to a normal level, though. My understanding is that many sets in the store are set to the brightest setting, which is rumored to degrade the picture over time. Don’t know if it does or not.

At the time I bought, I believe that Panasonic claimed a lifespan of 50,000 hours (before any dimming of the picture would be noticeable)

[Red Badger]

IIRC, the projected lifespan of plasma is ten years....

[Nowhere Man]

I DO keep the brightness setting down to a normal level, though. My understanding is that many sets in the store are set to the brightest setting, which is rumored to degrade the picture over time. Don’t know if it does or not.

I know for the old tube style sets, if you keep the brightness down, the tube last longer. I'm the 1982 Zenith guy here. B-) It still works after 28 years and use it everyday although she's semi-retired, but I'm on the computer so she is the computer room TV. We recently got a 1999 Trinitron Sony from my aunt, but if that croaks and can't be fixed, the 1982 Zenith will go back in its place. The sad thing is they don't make wooden console sets anymore, that is the pity. B-(