Large Format TV Options?

pipingguy asks: "I'm planning to purchase a large screen TV and I'm leaning toward DLP at this time. After doing research on-line, I'm more confused than before. One thing I don't like about DLP is the relatively limited vertical angle for best picture viewing. LCDs don't seem to be as bad in this regard, but my understanding is that LCD is more expensive per inch. What is the current state-of-the-art for DLP? I'd rather buy a smaller TV with a better picture than one with a larger picture that is less appealing to the eye. And what about the thousands of tiny mirrors in DLP units? If these are mechanically moving parts, isn't that a likely source of failure (so says a Sony rep who wanted to sell me a LCD projection TV). Thanks for any advice/experience you can provide."

Went through this myself

When I was shopping around, I began leaning toward DLP, particularly because there are monitors out there that do full 1920x1080 resolution. More pixels have to be better, right?

Well, when I started comparing DLP and Plasma side-by-side (I was looking at 50" models, BTW), I looked at the detail of both, and even though Plasma theoretically had fewer pixels, the amount of detail was much superior. What I noticed was that DLP pixels are very "fuzzy" (presumably from the projection aspect of DLP), whereas the Plasma was razor sharp from the direct-light aspect.

When you also factor in that Plasma is far brighter with a much better viewing angle, I decided to spend the extra money for the Plasma screen. Of course, only you can decide if the additional quality is worth the extra money, but it worked out that way for me.

I didn't really look that closely at LCD. The Plasma seemed superior enough that if I was going to go for a "sub resolution", then I'd go Plasma.

Don't worry about the mirrors

The the mirrors in a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device- used by DLP's) are under little stress and rarely fail. Most have undergone extensive testing and failure has never been a significant problem. Go to several stores, look at the available models- read the reviews for each unit and manufacturer and buy whichever one looks best to you.

-sirket

Re:Don't worry about the mirrors

Judging purely from anecdotal evidence (ie, just my eyes).... if you are sensitive to screen refresh rates on a CRT, avoid DLPs like the plague.

I've always been sensitive to monitor refresh rates.... I see flicker all the time. A regular 60hz refresh bothers me a lot. Gives me a headache. 75hz is the absolute minimum acceptable refresh on a CRT, and 85hz is fine, even under fluorescents. At home, I liked to shoot for 120Hz, because that matched well with nearly everything... it gave me the smoothest possible motion. I imagine that might not work under fluorescents, but I never had a work CRT that could go that fast. (I'm all LCD these days.) (Strangely, I have never been sensitive to the 30hz video refresh rate, and I have no idea why.)

DLP makes me want to claw out my eyes and run shrieking from the room. I can point out exactly which sets are DLP from a hundred feet away. If you are at all sensitive to CRT refresh, you MUST go see DLPs in person, and you absolutely must make sure you have an ironclad return policy. The saturation and color on DLPs is a little better than LCDs, and they tend to be cheaper, but a display that gives you motion sickness is no good, no matter how cheap it is. :-)

If, for some reason, you can't demo a set, then LCD is the safe choice... it will always work, and all your guests will be able to use it comfortably. Plasma is also a good choice, as long as you realize that it does wear out eventually. And, of course, there's always CRT-based units. They don't get as large as the other technologies, but they have amazing image quality and are very cheap, because they're the redheaded stepchild.... people think CRT is automatically inferior, just because it's old tech.

The major downside, at least to the Sony CRTs, is that they are incredibly heavy. You'll need help installing even a small screen. But the colors are rich and vibrant, the blacks are dead black, and the resolution is far better than the CRTs of old.

Consider a Projector

Depending on your setup, a projector might be best for you. My bro has one, giving his home theatre a nice 8-foot screen. It works with his TV, computer, and videogame consoles, and cost much less than a big screen of comparable size.

DLP

One thing I don't like about DLP is the relatively limited vertical angle for best picture viewing.

DLP is a projection technology, how could it possibly be limited in viewing angle (?!)

LCoS

I bought a Samsung DLP unit, but had to return it due to strobing rainbow effect. It was a really great image, though that was in part because Samsung was doing a very high level of algorithmic sharpening, which can cause halos around some images. But I really couldn't move my eyes across it without seeing the trailing rainbows.

I didn't see this effect in the store at all, but at home the awareness of it really did build up. If you are interested in DLP, you might look at the new units that use high speed LED arrays instead of a high intensity white light bulb to handle the color.. these new ones still flash the colors in sequence, but the sequencing is much faster, and it really and truly is supposed to be below the perceptual threshold for everybody.

I wound up getting a Sony SXRD LCoS set swapped out for the Samsung DLP.. the SXRD was more expensive, but the resolution was higher (true 1920x1280p), with more digital connectors, and better firmware. The SXRD sets are similar to DLP in that they are digital microdisplay projectors, but they use three LCoS color panels instead of a color wheel spinning in front of a micromirror array.

If you want a good place to read heated and informed opinions about the various choices on offer, check out http://www.avsforum.com/ [avsforum.com].

Good luck!

Re:LCoS

I bought a Samsung DLP unit, but had to return it due to strobing rainbow effect. It was a really great image, though that was in part because Samsung was doing a very high level of algorithmic sharpening, which can cause halos around some images. But I really couldn't move my eyes across it without seeing the trailing rainbows.

Different people are more or less susceptible to the rainbow effect. Personally, the only time I ever notice it is if I try to play Doom 3 on my Samsung DLP. The combination of a very dark image and fast horizontal movement makes everything crawl with rainbows. Interestingly enough, I haven't noticed it on any other first-person shooter games (Halo 2, Perfect Dark Zero, BF2:MC, Metroid Prime) or any other games (racing, sports, RPGs, etc). I can force myself to see the rainbow effect if I put in a movie, go to a dark scene, and rapidly move my head back and forth. Since that's not my normal viewing style (spastic head movement is not normal), I'm happy with my DLP.

I didn't see this effect in the store at all, but at home the awareness of it really did build up.

Store displays are set up in such a way as to minimize the rainbow effect (has to do with store lighting, demo material, etc). If you can see it on a set in the store, you're going to constantly see it at home and should stay away from that model. If you're concerned about rainbow effect, find a friend or colleaque with a DLP and see if they'll let you demo it in your home. That's the best way to know if you'll see it or not. Of course, if you're going to demo stuff in-store, you should bring in your own viewing material. When I go TV shopping, which admittedly doesn't happen all that often, I like to carry a couple DVDs (something with action, like Saving Private Ryan, and Avia [ovationmultimedia.com] at the very least). If a store won't let you demo a set with your own material, go somewhere else. Also, if a store won't negotiate on price, go somewhere else. By bringing in internet-based pricing on the 50" Samsung DLP I was looking at (in-store price $2100, online price $1800), I was able to negotiate a free stand ($300 value) while buying the TV at the in-store price (thus essentially paying $1800 for the TV, without having to pay for shipping).

If you are interested in DLP, you might look at the new units that use high speed LED arrays instead of a high intensity white light bulb to handle the color.. these new ones still flash the colors in sequence, but the sequencing is much faster, and it really and truly is supposed to be below the perceptual threshold for everybody.

Newer equipment is always better than older equipment, even if you still go with a traditional color wheel and bulb. for example, from the HL-P series to the HL-R, Samsung added more color sections to the wheel and made it spin faster, thus significantly reducing the possibility of rainbow effect for most people. The morale of the story is to know what model you want to buy (usually the newest, not last year's model), and make sure that's the one you're actually buying (big box stores like Best Buy are notorious for selling sets from two model years ago at current model prices).

I wound up getting a Sony SXRD LCoS set swapped out for the Samsung DLP.. the SXRD was more expensive, but the resolution was higher (true 1920x1280p)

I assume you mean 1920x1080p, not 1280p. But anyway, I'm not sure now is the right time to go 1080p. The price of 1080p sets is still significantly higher than a 720p set, and you're going to have a hard time finding 1080p sources (assuming you buy a set that can actually accept 1080p signals ...). If you're buying the TV to be a dedicated PC monitor, that'll work all right. Otherwise, any signal you're going to use will have to be upconverted by the TV, with

it all depends

it all depends on what you want

if you are only going to be using this TV as a TV, picture quality is best by far on a plasma. if you might use it with a home theatre PC I would go with an LCD tv. if you want a tv that is going to last a long time i would still go with CRT, or perhaps DLP. if you want a huge screen and dont mind spending hundreds a year on a replacement bulb, go with a projector. if you are going to be watching in the dark and close to the screen all the time an LCD is best on the eyes. if you are going to be watching a TV station with the logo in the corner of the screen all the time or with a bar at the bottom like a newsfeed, then you dont want a plasma screen because of image burn in. if you want something you can carry and move around all by yourself then you want either a projector or an LCD.

my $.02

I've owned a DLP projector for 4 years now, and I've recommended Samsung and Mitsubishi DLP rear-projection televisions when asked. Some of my motivations: Plasma is subject to burn-in -- LG incorporates a 'dot-crawl' feature in their plasma displays that moves the image over one pixel, then up, then left, etc, to help mitigate this. If your panel suffers burn-in, you're out the cost of replacing the major component in your television/monitor. With DLP/LCD, you're only ongoing cost is replacement lamps, and they last quite a while. /. also reported that Samsung is close to releasing a DLP display driven by an LED light source. When choosing between LCD and DLP, one thing I might recommend reading about is how well the LCD panel retains its color purity over time. Granted, I saw this on the TI DLP site, but they demonstrated degradation in color purity over time of the LCD panel vs. DLP. There's more information at http://dlp.com/dlp_technology/dlp_technology_white _papers.asp [dlp.com] (FWIW, I am an interested consumer. I do not work for TI, nor for any manufacturer of consumer/professional electronic equipment)

After a ton of research I bought a Sony KF-E50A10

I looked around for weeks comparing sets, watching every make and model and reading everything I could get my hands on. In the end, I decided on the Sony Wega KF-E50A10, which is a 50" LCD rear projection TV. No matter what technology you choose - LCD (some manufacturers call it LCOS), plasma, DLP or CRT -- there are tradeoffs and advantages for each. In the case of the Sony, LCD technology has the potential to produce a pixelated, screen door effect and lower overall brightness and contrast. With a three LCD arrangement the Sony Wega is able to virtually eliminate the screen door effect and is able to overcome the contrast issue with a high brightness lamp, the only flaw to the set in my opinion as it will require replacement every so often. What sold me on the Sony was the quality of not only the HDTV picture, which I think is superb, but the quality of standard definition on cable or satellite. Hands down the Sony produced a far better picture than just about any set I looked at, except a very expensive Panasonic model I don't recall at the moment. Most salesmen are glad to blab about the quality of the HDTV picture, but rarely bring up SD picture quality and given the amount of HD content out there I estimated that I'd spend about half my time watching SD material. The dirty secret of most HDTVs is that SD looks like absolute shit on most of them, but the Sony uses an averaging algorithm that does an extremely good job of making SD broadcasts watchable.

I skipped plasma due to the cost and the fact that I felt the picture had the most pronounced screen door effect of any HDTV technology. I liked DLP, but since most HDTVs use a single chip DLP solution there can be a noticable shimmering rainbow effect on the edges of objects during movement as a color wheel must be used to display the full range of colors. I noticed it on several models and decided to skip DLP for the time being and noted that DLP sets will also require costly replacement of their high brightness lamps, just like LCD. Three chip DLP sets, one DLP chip for each of the primary colors, red, gree and blue, would eliminate the rainbow edge effect, but don't expect anything like that for less than $30,000. At some point three chip DLP will be standard, but it will be a while. I really liked the CRT rear projection sets I looked at and they were several hundred dollars less than LCD, plasma or DLP, but everyone I talked to that had one found that picture convergence was a problem (more so than SD rear projection TVs) and that static picture burn-in could be an issue (although I am told that doesn't happen anymore). Also, CRT rear projection TVs are heavier and bulkier than LCD or DLP.

I don't know about the overall reliability of DLP, but I do have a DLP projector that is a few years old and haven't noticed any loss of picture quality or missing pixels. If the quality of the SD picture wasn't as good as it was on the Sony, I would have bought a DLP TV, but nothing I saw with the DLP technology matched the quality of the SD picture from Sony. I don't think that's a limitation of the DLP technology itself so much as Sony finding the best method to display an SD quality picture on a HDTV.

I went DLP...

I decided to get a Samsung HLN617W (61.7") DLP back in 2003. While most of my friends had recommended against DLP, I was so impressed by the quality of the image and the workmanship of the unit that I went for it. I am currently using it to type this text.

My friends that went with plasmas are now on their second TVs and a couple have had heat issues with their newer units ($5k Pioneer & Toshiba units, vintage 2005, no less). Anyone that recommends plasma needs to get one and use it as a computer monitor for a few months. What you end up with is an image that is no longer as bright, and lovely screen burn in which isn't covered by the manufacturer's warranty (Remember that you're bombarding phosphorus on a plexi/glass plane).

As for LCD, I have heard a number of complaints about the viewing angle in mixed lighting. Colors morph as you rotate about the unit in a sunlit room. DLP too has issues with this sort of motion, but they are limited to the luminosity and not the hue of the picture (This is much less annoying and needs some getting used to).

LCD also has issues with bad pixels - It is bound to happen on any size screen based on the number of transistors that are backing the viewing pane (Usually 3 per pixel). The latency of LCD technology also causes a "ghosting" effect to manifest itself with fast-paced action shots. Manufacturers have put out displays that are much faster in the past couple of years but they are still a ways from making the overall problem disappear.

If I were chosing a TV today, I would go with DLP again.

I am looking forward to OLEDs being used in big screens: They're thin, much brighter, lighter, more flexible and less intrusive...

What I found out...

DLP typically have a 170 degree viewing angle (almost perfect) and run $1000 less than the same size LCD. Repair involves replacing the bulb (around $150) every 3-6 years. Lightweight (60 lbs) and thinner than the old projections (12-14 inches).

LCD pixels burn out - a few aren't a big deal, more get annoying.... LCDs are thinner. (4-5 inches) Typically a 180 degree viewing angle.

Plasma is best for larger screens - 60 inches plus, but Plasma gas leaks over time causing dulling - replace your TV time. :( Pricing is about the same as LCD. Typically a 180 degree viewing angle.

I have a 42 inch SONY WEGA - retails around $1500-$1800 right now - I love it and am happy to have saved over $800 over an LCD or Plasma.

Good Luck.

AVS Forum

The AVS Forum [avsforum.com] is a great place to ask questions like this.

I went with LCD

Then again, my TV probably doesn't count as "large". If you want a 50" behemoth, LCD is still prohibitively expensive.

I initially liked the idea of DLP, but it has some problems:

- On many sets, latency is an issue. This was a killer for me, as I had to be able to play video games on the set.

- The bulbs need replacing, and they're a few hundred bucks each, so the ongoing cost is higher than LCD.

- The sets make noise. I'm really picky about noise, I don't want anything with a fan in the living room.

- The micromirrors don't generally fail, but the high speed rotating bits do.

- The rainbow striping can be a bit distracting.

- Visibility in daylight is problematic.

The downsides of LCDs:

- Contrast ratio not as good as DLP, but getting close.

- Price is high if you want to go over 40".

I don't see response time as an issue on the latest generation of LCDs. Certainly I've had no problem playing ultra-fast racing games. Picture is vibrant, strong saturated colors, and the brightness means there's no problem with daytime viewing. I haven't noticed viewing angle being an issue either, certainly no more so than it is with DLP.

The downsides of plasma:

- Short lifetime.

- Gridlike mask over the picture.

- Can't use it for video games.

- Not a good idea to use it for extensive viewing of letterboxed material.

- Heat, energy consumption.

Downsides of CRT:

- Weighs a ton.

- Energy consumption, heat.

- Takes up lots of space.

- Full of nasty chemicals, you'll pay someone to take it away at the end of its lifetime.

If you need a big screen and can't afford LCD at that size, projection LCD might be an option.

Interestingly, each technology seems to have one company that has a clear lead. Sharp are the technology leaders for LCD. Samsung are the leaders for DLP. Panasonic are the best for plasma. Sony are the best for CRT. I haven't seen enough LCoS sets to conclude who's the leader there...

Hitachi LCD for me...

About six months ago, I bought a 50" Hitachi LCD. Previously I had a 43" Hitachi projection HDTV that worked flawlessly for me for five years, and I decided to stick with Hitachi for the new one. My father is now enjoying the old one, which still works flawlessly.

The only sorta "gotcha" with the LCD, is that the fan noise is sort of obnoxious... but I only notice it when there's no other sound in the room -- if I mute the receiver, or when it's cooling off. When my 7.1 surround sound is on (not even cranked up, just on) the noise isn't noticeable.

Also, folks will complain that the bulbs in LCD TVs will burn out. That is true (though it'll be a while)... but it's user-serviceable. That's right, you can pop off the cover and replace the bulb yourself. Bulbs aren't cheap, but if you tend to upgrade all your hardware every three to five years, you only have to do it once (if at all).

Now I'm not saying that LCD is better than DLP, I'm just saying that I've been really happy with my Hitachis, and I give it my "stamp of approval".

--brian

Conventional tube TVs

I'd rather buy a smaller TV with a better picture than one with a larger picture that is less appealing to the eye.

You should consider conventional tube TVs. Consumer Reports found that the Sony KV-34HS420 ($1200) had HDTV picture quality that could only be matched by $3000+ Plasmas, and $5000+ LCDs/DLPs. This is a very recent development; last year the only wide screen HDTV conventionals were mediocre.

The downside is that they're smaller (34-inches), very heavy (200+ pounds), and voluminous.

One thing I don't like about DLP is the relatively limited vertical angle for best picture viewing

None of the alternatives can beat conventionals in that metric.

Have you considered a projector?

Have you considered getting a projector instead?

We recently spent about $1000 on a InFocus DLP projector and love it. The picture is large enough (100" diagonal where we placed it) that we can have a dozen friends over to watch a movie. When we turn it off, it goes away, rather than continuing to dominate the room.

How about a plasma/DLP/LCD as a computer monitor

What type of screens work as a computer monitor for a video presentation/Powerpoint/some web browsing.

Projection LCD warning

Just a warning with LCD Projection sets. Roughly every four to six months you will need to replace the lamp which costs ~$400 CAD (at least for the one used in the panasonic unit I have). They are considered consumables and not covered under warranty.

avsforum.com

Go there. It's like Slashdot for home theater nerds.

Actually go to a store.

The data available on the web can allow you to compare some attributes those products but it will not tell you what you really like and will spend money on. Look at different display technologies. Have the sales people plug in different things into the display to see how they look. Note the differences between how normal TV, 720p and 1080i are rendered. Play with the options to see how they change the picture. Note the lighting where the display is demoed. Is is too dark? Then it might be that the display will not work in the room where you expect to use it.

LCD of some type

Since there are plenty of comments so far, I'll keep mine short. I'll second the Sony Wega rear-projection LCD someone else mentioned. My parents recently picked up the 55" version and it's very nice. It has a fairly easily replacable bulb (not sure what the life is like) and the light distribution is uniform. Looks great with standard and HD content. I personally have a 32" Syntax LCD that I got for 700 bucks a while ago. Again, HD and SD content look great. There is a small amount of light leakage in the corners, but it's only noticable if you happen to stare at the corners of the screen. DVI in works great with my computer. You mention getting something "smaller," so if you're talking 42" or under, I'd recommend a straight LCD. I've heard very nice things about the Westinghouse 32" and 37" LCD sets. Very good price/quality ratio. Also, the newer 37"s do full 1920x1080. Someone else somewhere mentioned that LCD pixels burn out over time. I'm not sure what they're talking about, because my understanding is that either the pixels work or they don't. If they do, the only thing you need to worry about is the backlight going out.

How big do you want to go? Also, 1080p.

There's a 42" LCD [costco.com] for $1999 that does 1080p. That's significantly larger than the 32" analog 4x3 set I have now and given how much wall space I have to put a set against I doubt I could fit anything larger than 50" anyway.

Also, I would hold out for a set that can receive 1080p via digital inputs, and display it at 1080p. The first generation of 1080p is quite tricky (some receive only up to 1080i and internally convert to 1080p, check AVSForums) but I don't think there will be a better home theater video standard than 1080p for quite some time.. At least until home fiber is ubiquitous..

(and for all the 1080p hatas, 1080p24 utilizing proper 3:2 pulldown should be sUPER hAWT for movie watching... And if I wanted p60, I'd boot up my HTPC...)

Plasma, and a note on careful evaluation

I decided to get a large screen TV this past Christmas. Here is how I went about it.

First, I learned about the technologies. That part was easy, and obviously you don't need me to repeat all the material that's out there. I boiled it down to either LCD rear projection, DLP, or plasma. I wasn't interested in CRT rear projection due to the price, weight, and need for professional alignment / calibration, LCD because of the size limitations, or CRT because of the size limitations and weight / size.

Second, I went to stores and evaluated different TVs which use different technologies. You can read AVSforum and all of the various professional magazines about this stuff, and they will measure black levels and white levels and everything else, but really those evaluations are nearly uselless. Those sorts of technical reviews myopically focus on individual aspects of the picture and their ratings rarely consider the overall image quality. The quality of a TV picture is really subjective, so it should be evaluated that way in terms of your buying decision. It's not always easy to do this in stores, but I decided that if I was going to buy a $1500 - $3000 tv set, the retailer was either going to help me do that, or not get my business. So I brought DVDs with me of a couple of movies that I am well familiar with and which had characteristics that would help me decide. These included:

Spider Man -- Action movie with very vivid colors and tons of sweeping action, to verify color and motion reproduction.
Sin City -- Probably the most black ever in any movie, good for, obviously, measuring black levels.
The Fellowship of the Rings -- an excellent, very sharp DVD transfer, just for image quality and again because I've seen it so many times.

(Yes, I realize that DVDs will display at 480p on these sets, and HD is 720p or 1080i, but the majority of programming I'll watch on this TV will be DVDs, and DVDs are the only media I can really control. Besides, the store always has Discovery-HD or that awful Charlotte Church video fed across all their HD sets, so it's easy to compare among the HD feeds.)

Then I went to the stores. I looked at rear-projection LCD and DLP first, since they had some compelling advangages -- similarly priced and lightweight. As it turns out, neither of these was that great. Both of those suffer from poor black levels (black looks gray) and restricted viewing angles (if you're not pretty close to perpendicular to the screen it will look dim). In addition, DLP sets have a sort of shimmering optical effect that I noticed and just didn't like. The best of the rear-projection sets was the Sony KDFE42A10 LCD RP -- it definitely had the blackest blacks and the best color reproduction -- but even so, I wasn't completetely satisfied watching movies like Sin City on it, and I still hated the picture degradation when sitting more than 45 degrees off center from it. Still, it was just about good enough. But I needed to look at plasmas.

So I went and looked at plasmas, and it was just absolutely night and day. I had spent a good deal of time looking at the rear projection sets, and each usually was better than the others in one aspect. But the plasma sets were almost all universally better than the RP sets. Colors were more vivid, blacks were blacker, the picture was smoother despite the physically lower resolution [1], and there were absolutely no shimmering effects. They weren't all free of artifacts, to be sure: some of them seemed to have slower response times, and got jaggies or pixelation in fast-moving scenes in Spider Man or when the Discovery-HD feed showed waterfalls for example. The best of the pack overall turned out to be the Panasonic TH-42PX50U. It was about $8000 higher than the Sony RP-LCD, but its picture quality just couldn't be denied, and that's what I wound up purchasing.

And about plasma... I read all about burn-in and screen lifetime, and decided neither was a big issue. I was careful to keep

How to frame your decision

I have researched this question out of my own interest in the past couple of years, and let me divide your question into two parts:

1. Should I buy a DLP, LCD, or DILA? These competing display technologies all have their strengths and weaknesses. In an effort to be objective, the *general* consensus for DLP units are that they offer higher contrast and a sharper image, but at the cost of the "rainbow effect". LCD units offer more vivid, saturated color, but at the expense of higher black levels. DILA units, called SXRD when under the Sony brand, tend to share the strengths and weaknesses of LCD's. Now for my subjective opinion, I prefer an LCD because I am quite happy with the rich image, and the rainbows of DLP color wheels render them unwatchable for me. Even on DLP's with a high-speed color wheel, although the alternating red, green, and blue components of the image are not consciously visible, I found that I get a headache after watching it for 90 minutes or so. So I strongly prefer LCD's to DLP's, although this is a question on the order of Ford vs. Chevy, domestic vs. imported, Windows vs. Mac, Ginger vs. Mary Ann...

2. Should I get a flat-screen, rear projection, or front projection unit? This is another important question that you didn't explicitly consider in your post, but it's essential when you want a large-format screen. A flat-screen, which may include LCD's and plasmas, may offer the most vibrant and saturated image, but at a higher cost per inch of screen real estate than other options. Rear projection TV's pass light through an LCD, DLP, or DILA filter to form an image on the back side of a (usually) black screen. Front projection TV's can create an image of arbitrary size, depending on the projection distance, with a tradeoff between image size and quality. The Achilles heel of front projectors is ambient light - the image gets washed out when it must compete with other light sources. Projection units tend to give you more image for your money than flat screens.

After extensive research, I selected a Sanyo PLV-Z4 for my TV. It is an LCD front projector with good contrast with future-compatible features (particularly HDMI with HDCP) and an attractive price. I painted a neutral grey screen using Screen Goo. I found that the image is sparkling when the room is completely light controlled, with deep blacks and rich color. I use a screen diagonal of 84", even though the unit could be enlarged to 100" or so, because I prefer image quality over size. My living room is flooded with ambient light, so I convinced myself that I should be doing other things during daylight hours, like working or being active outside. Ambient light problem solved. 8)

What works for me may not necessarily be the best thing for you, but I've been quite happy with it. Good luck.

New LED/DLP from Samsung

I've been reading with interest about the new LED DLP system that Samsung will have out soon (within a month I hear), instead of a mechanical color wheel filtering a white light, it apperently has Red/Green/Blue LED's which can switch on/off very fast, will last 20,000+ hours, and will be cooler and more efficent; (less heat, no need for a fan, etc.)

So the set will be quieter, use less power, produce less heat, be brighter, much less 'rainbow' effect, last 10x longer (no bulb to burn out, no phosphors to burn in)... and only be a bit more expensive.

Judging from my 15 year old VCR that still works perfectly, has never needed cleaning, and has never eaten a tape; Samsung makes good stuff. (only thing was the memory price fixing thing, but I can forgive them that, as that's not something blatantly obviously morally wrong)

How about rear projection?

I'm curious, have you ruled out a rear projection set? These aren't quite as sleek and stylish as the newer flat-panel formats, but they're based on reliable technology.

I've had a Toshiba 40H80 for about 6 years now. You've probably seen them, they were used in a lot of Best Buys as early HD demo models. At the time I got it mainly because it was the most affordable true HDTV I could find, and despite reading a few mixed reviews online mine has been great. I've been watching actual HD broadcasts since about 2002 or 2003 and they look great, whether the signal is native 720p or downconverted 1080i.

The gotchas with rear projection sets are that the individual guns can become misaligned after moving the set around, but I've never had too much trouble realigning them. Game consoles have long warned about playing video games on projection sets, but with modern games it's very rare for any part of the screen to be continuously be showing the exact same image. I've seen no burn in over 6 years of light-to-moderate N64 and Gamecube play.

I went for the InFocus X2

and I've been very happy with it. It's fairly basic as projectors go, but it does the job well enough for me, and although I can see the rainbow effect it doesn't bother me.

Best way to demo the rainbow effect is to get a small patch of light colour surrounded by a lot of dark. Then you can look rapidly left to right and as your eyes move you'll get the different R,G and B parts of that light spot. The effects are similar to mouse trails.

I think whether or not the rainbow effect bothers you could depend on the way you watch films (and you won't know that until you think about it next time you're watching one). If your eyes are constantly darting around the screen picking up detail from all over, then it could be a problem. OTOH, if you just stare at the middle of the screen and pick up other stuff with peripheral vision then it probably won't be. It isn't a problem for me at all and I'm in the latter category.

FWIW, the X2 is plugged into a Media Centre PC with the sound wired into a standard hifi. Surround sound is something I plan to get eventually (a friend brought a surround system round for the Ringathon I hosted) but it's low priority in my life at the moment.

On the projector front though, the only thing I'd do differently is to get a 16/9 projector instead of a 4/3. It's mainly for watching films, and the horizontal stripes are more annoying than the vertical stripes I'd get with a 4/3 show on a 16/9.

What's wrong with normal TVs?

What's wrong with the old fashioned tech?

OLED - when?

Hi, anyone up to date with the availability of OLED TVs? The promise is great, the colours are magnificent, the power consumption a nuclear plant or three less than of all other technologies (especially CRT and Plasma), and it's the flattest technology available. However, I still have no firm availaibility date for those.

Cheers, g.a.g

Sceptre Naga42 LCD

Resolution is important -- the current mainstream HDTVs only do 720P. They advertise support for 1080i, but they do it at 720p. Pixels squish and "fuzzy pixels" (is this what you saw? Might have been due to a NON-NATIVE screen resolution)interlacing... yum!

Be sceptical of the media used to demo TV's... if you were viewing the same media on 2 TVs that support different resolutions, one of these TVs has an artificial resolution. You would need 2 streams of media for the same content, but different resolutions, to make a blind judgement on quality.

I waited, and was not planning to go HDTV this year: HD DVDs were not settled yet, the HDCP fiasco, little content, and the fact that these things will get better and cheaper. Also note that HD supports 1080p, and that is the ultimate ceiling for the current spec: anything you buy today that can't handle 1080p, will be obsolete in just a few years. And if you think it doesn't matter for 1080i - it does. 1080i looks "perfect" on a 1080p screen, while on a 720p screen a 1080i image looks fuzzy.

I was going to wait... that is until I saw the Costco deal on the Sceptre 42" Naga LCD:
1080p, HDMI/HDCP, VGA, DVI, component, 2 tuner inputs....plenty of inputs, screen is GREAT... $2200 shipped. This is not in-store gasp!) so I researched it and bought it online, sight-unseen (I was a nervous wreck). NOTE that if you don't like it you can cart it to the Costco store (NO RETURN SHIPPING OR RESTOCKING FEE). Frickin sweet!

As with any HD model you consider, you want to check the forums the HD community has on that model. Learn what to look for, and know in advance what bothers other people. There are flaws in the Sceptre (cheap plastic finish... if that's my only complaint, it's not a complaint...). This model's HD tuner outputs to 2 speakers... no digital out. This isn't a problem for me as my tuner is the Comcast HD box (which routes 5.1 to my amp) but this bothers some people in the forums.

There are other 1080p screens out there... the next cheapest though is at least $4800. If your budget limits you to 720P screens, don't rule out the Sceptre. I have a media PC hooked up to it also, and I'm composing this from an odd vertical angle (sittng on the floor 6' away, below the center) and it looks fine.

This is going to be one of those TVs that changes the market. Everyone is going to have to drop HD prices faster, and shove last year's sub-1080p screens out the door discounted.

AVS Forum

Thanks for all the replies (I'm the original poster/asker).

AVS Forum has been recommended, but that is a flashy, blinky place with confusing instructions for newbies.

I spent 10 minutes carefully explaining (after registering and getting the email response) and then was confronted with some sort of error message. Uh-huh, Okaaay.

The following is what I tried to send:

http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/21/01 38248 is the article I posted to Slashdot and I was referred to here.

Since you guys are apparently the experts, well, here I am with possibly dumb questions.

I've ruled out plasma due to cost so it's now down to DLP and LCD. But wait, there's LCD projection also (Sony, I think, maybe others)! I'm still confused.

My application will be for a smaller room and I'm thinking that 42" would be a decent size. I don't need an internal HD tuner as there aren't over-the-air HD broadcasts in my area. I'd like to be able to output my computer's display (I do CAD work often, but usually it's just email and browsing) to the TV with a PIP of whatever is being broadcast.

Having looked at DLP options, I am impressed with the size, technology and relative cost but the "millions of tiny moving mirrors" and the limited vertical viewing angle worries me. LCD seems to be a better choice in that regard, but I find that they are more expensive. I also have fairly high-end LCD computer monitors and have noticed dead pixels recently.

In addition, I'm in Canada. Model numbers are not always the same, so I think many of us get confused when doing comparisons.