Selecting a Big Screen TV

DLP HDTV, LCoS HDTV and Other TV Technologies

Often overlooked in the High Definition TV debate are rear projection technologies; traditional CRT Rear Projection, DLP (Digital Light Processing) and the various versions of Rear Projection LCD (C-ILA and LCOS). These sets do not have the sex appeal of a thin flat panel TV hanging on a wall; their outward resemblance to “old style” rear projection TVs makes them look like a TV, and who wants that? Although flat panel TVs can be hung on the wall about 90% of them still end up sitting on a floor stand since their weight makes them not the easiest thing to hang. Don’t make the mistake of overlooking Rear Projection technologies because they have definite advantages that are difficult to ignore.

DLP

DLP is based on a semiconductor chip that contains an array of up to 2 million hinge-mounted microscopic mirrors. The tiny mirrors will tilt either towards or away from the light source. Each mirror is capable of changing directions several thousand times per second. Current HDTV sets use a single chip, which is capable of producing 16.7 million colors. The 3 chip DLP projectors being used in an increasing number of movie theaters is capable of producing 35 trillion colors.

Rear Projection LCD

Rear projection LCD sets use a specially constructed micro-display LCD that sits on a highly reflective silicon chip. The display image is then reflected off the reflective back of the projection TV . The technology was first introduced about 4 years ago but was all but abandoned because no one had solved the problem of how to produce the chips in a cost effective manor. That hurdle has recently been jumped, and TV sets using this Technology are beginning to hit the streets at competitive prices. With increased production, cost of the chips and televisions built around them will drop with each new generation.

As handsome at they are, if you get too close to a LCD or Plasma flat panel TV the individual pixel structure begins to become evident. The impressive picture that they have suddenly becomes a little like watching a movie through a screen door. This is where the advantage of CRT, DLP and rear projection LCD lies. These products have the same crisp picture quality at any size and distance, so that you don’t get that screen door effect. Because they are projected images, the same projector can be projected onto any size screen, so their production and retail cost will drop quickly. If you are looking at selecting a big screen TV and a front projector and screen is not your thing, then these rear projection technologies may be what you are looking for.