08.14.2008 — Will you die before your TV?

That's a pretty morbid question, we know. But it's one Panasonic is starting to toss around.

Panasonic just sent out a press release saying their plasma TVs might "outlast" their owners.

Really? People stress out enough already hoping their children will "outlast" them. But now we have this to worry about.

Panasonic says its 1080p VIERA Plasma HDTVs last 100,000 hours before reaching half the original brightness. Based upon the average daily viewing time of six and a half hours in the U.S., it will take 42 years for a Panasonic 1080p VIERA Plasma to reach half its orignial brightness or be on the way out, as Panasonic puts it.

I guess they could be right. Someone that does watch six and a half hours of TV per day certainly might not live long after 42. That's a heavy daily dose of TV.

The company also says its line of 720p VIERA plasmas will reach half the brightness after 60,000 hours or 25 years.

What are the chances the 720p models will outlive their owners?

Actually, I don't want to know. I'm 23 years old and apparently my life is half over.