The prices on big-screen plasma televisions may be falling, but consumers in Rapid City aren't biting, local electronics store employees said Sunday.

Following a nationwide trend reported in the Wall Street Journal last week, the improved liquid-crystal-display televisions are still the most popular purchases, they said.

"The manufacturers are improving the LCD technology with faster processors and thinner design," said Frank Roost, manager at Karl's TV, Audio, Appliances and Furniture in Rapid City. "We have customers coming in wanting an LCD with the faster processor. They've read about them."

According to the Wall Street Journal, DisplaySearch, a Texas research firm, calculated that 30 million LCD TVs were sold in North America in 2008, compared with 4 million plasmas.

That's in spite of some significant price drops in plasma screens, which, according to the report, cost about 30 percent more than LCDs five years ago.

"It used to be that plasmas were more expensive. Now, they've equaled out with the advanced technology in the LCDs," Roost said. "They've balanced out."

At Best Buy in Rapid City, the first questions employees ask customers are still about intended use, not technology, store manager Richard Coan said.

They sell more LCDs than plasmas, mostly because there are more options available in LCD.

"It's not, 'Oh, I'm going to buy a plasma because it's cheaper.' It's about what their needs are," Coan said. "The right technology for you and the right technology for them might be different."

One factor in deciding between the two technologies is location, Roost said. Plasma screens tend to reflect light, and LCD screens are more matte.

So a 60-inch plasma would be great for a dark, basement recreation room, he said, but a similarly priced 52-inch LCD might be better for a window-filled living room.

Roost said they only sell more plasmas at the largest sizes, 60 inches and above. There, it is a matter of price.

At Karl's, a 60-inch plasma runs about $2,600. A comparable LCD would probably cost between $6,000 and $7,000, Roost said.

At Best Buy, Sue Towne of Custer was shopping for a new TV on Sunday after her 27-inch Sony died after 17 good years.

After getting some advice from her technology-minded son, she ended up buying a 40-inch Sony LCD - on clearance for less than $700.

For her, the decision came down to price.

"I liked the clarity on it, but they all look good," Towne said. "The final straw was the price. That's it, really."

Contact Emilie Rusch at 394-8453 or emilie.rusch@rapidcityjournal.com.