Post by Skaggs on Feb 23, 2005 13:20:23 GMT -5
PROJECTION TV’S: A REALLY BIG SHOW[/size]
With prices dropping slimmer sets proliferating, and more models offering fine picture quality rear- projection TVs have emerged as serious candidates for anyone who wants a high-definition television with a jumbo screen.
Here’s a look at some of the trends heating up this category.
CRT-based sets are bargains. A rear-projection CRT-based TV—the type that uses picture tubes—is the least-expensive way to watch HD on a big screen. You can buy an HD ready TV with a 50-inch-plus screen for $1,500 or less. We’ve seen some sets advertised for $1,000. The well- known drawback to these TVs is size: Most are 24 to 30 inches deep. Still, if you have the space, they’re real values.
Slimmer models come on strong. A new breed of projection TV has started to show up in force. Called microdisplays by some manufacturers, these use LCD, DLE or LCoS technology that shaves a foot or more off the depth of a CRT-based set. But at 15 to 20 inches deep, most aren’t as “micro” as the name might suggest. Nor are they cheap. Prices start at about $2,500 for a set with a 50 screen. Thinner TVs are beginning to arrive, including a 7-inch-deep RCA DLP set that sells for $8,500. It did well in our tests. Micro-displays are likely to dominate the category before long as manufacturers, including Panasonic, stop making CRT-based rear-projection TVs.
Prices keep dropping. CRT based models should be even better buys soon. Prices are expected to drop by as much as one-third this year. Prices of LCD, DLP, and LCoS sets could decrease 10 to 15 percent.
Picture quality has improved. Virtually all the sets now being sold are digital, HD-capable TVs, which have much better picture quality than analog sets. New microdisplay technologies are also proving to have fine picture quality As a result, many of the models in the Ratings displayed very good picture quality with HD content and good picture quality for DVDs and regular TV programming. Still, none of them equaled the excellence of the best plasma TVs. We didn’t find that any one projection technology was consistently better than another for picture quality.
The bar for picture quality may be set even higher with the introduction of more microdisplay projection TVs with a native resolution of 1920x1080. Most current sets, including all those we tested, have lower resolution than that. They down-convert 1080i HD signals to a format they can display. Screens with higher native resolution theoretically should be able to display finer, sharper detail, but many factors affect picture quality We’ll be reporting in future issues on tests of the new higher-resolution TVs, which are some times marketed as “1080p sets,” referring to another HD format.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Consider space before settling on size. Most rear-projection TVs have screens measuring 42 to 65 inches. You might be tempted by the biggest-screens, which can span as much as 82 inches, but take a breath—and some measurements— first.
Figure out how much floor space you can spare, and plan to view the TV from at least 8 feet away for optimal picture quality Keep in mind that most projection TVs look best when viewed from directly in front of the screen. The image appears dimmer as your position angles away from the screen’s center.
Weigh depth and price in choosing a display type. Once you know how much room you have, decide whether size or price is more important. CRT-based sets are floor-standing models with deep cabinets mounted on casters. Some take up as much space as an armchair or loveseat, Most microdisplays are tabletop units. You buy a stand separately for a few hundred dollars or more. Would you prefer to save money with a bulkier CRT set or save floor space with a pricier microdisplay?
Consider reliability. CRT technology has been used in rear-projection TVs for years and has generally been quite reliable. Microdisplay technologies are newer and haven’t established a track record for long-term reliability Factor that into your decision if you’re uncomfortable with a less-proven technology.
Talk the talk
DECODING PROJECTION-TV LINGO
CRT, LCD, DLP, LCoS—acronyms like these could have your head spinning when you go shopping for a rear-projection TV. The term for the category itself can be a puzzle. You might wonder why rear-projection sets are called that, given that there’s no projector anywhere in sight, It’s because the projector is inside the cabinet. An image is created within the set and projected onto the rear surface of the screen (hence the name ‘rear projection”). By contrast, direct-view sets (picture-tube TVs and flat-panel LCD and plasma displays) create images right on the screen, not internally.
Various technologies are used to create the images on projection TVs. -
CRT. This type of projection TV contains three CRTs, or cathode ray tubes— one each for red, green, and blue—making the cabinet big and heavy. Three beams converge on the inside of the screen to form an image. You must periodically align the CRTs, using the TV’s controls, to ensure a sharp image. All but the cheapest sets now have an automatic convergence feature that makes this a quick and easy process.
CRT-BASED SETS
Screen sizes: 40 to 60-pius inches.
Typical selling price: $1,000 to $2,000 for a 51-inch HDteady set.
Pros: Lowest cost for a big-screen TV. Mature technology with proven reliability.
Cons: Big and heavy. Most are floor- standing sets about 24 to 30 inches deep and 200 pounds or more. Items displayed for long periods may leave ghosted image on CRTs. Require periodic adjustment of the three internal picture tubes; takes only a button press on most sets.
Microdisplays. This is an industry term sometimes used to describe rear-projection sets using LCD (liquid-crystal display), DLP (digital light-processing), or LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) chips and a bright lamp to create images. This space- saving ‘light-engine” technology makes microdisplays slimmer and lighter than CRT-based sets. Most microdisplays are tabletop sets 15 to 20 inches deep that weigh about 100 pounds. CRTs are floor-standing sets 24 or more inches deep, and many weigh about 200 pounds.
Here’s a look at the three types of microdisplays.
MICRODISPLAYS (LCD DLP, LCoS)
Screen sizes: 42 to 60-plus inches.
Typical selling price: $2,500 to $3,500 for a 50-inch HD-ready set.
Pros: Thinner and lighter than CRF based sets. Most are tabletop units about 15 to 20 inches deep and roughly 100 pounds.
Cons: Higher cost. Must buy stand or table separately. New technology with unknown reliability. May need to replace the lamp ($300 or more) during the life of the TV.
LCD. These TVs have three LCD panels inside. Don’t confuse LCD-based rear- projection TVs with LCD flat panels, though. These big TVs are more than a foot deep. The best of the LCD-based projection sets we’ve tested displayed very good picture quality. None of these sets, however, were able to display the deep black levels of TVs using other technologies, and the contrast wasn’t as good as we’ve seen on other types of TVs. Some older LCD projection sets can suffer from blurring during fast action sequences.
DLP. These sets create images using a digital light-processing chip with millions of tiny mirrors. Rear-projection DLP sets have one chip and a rotating color wheel, which may cause occasional annoying flashes of color visible to some viewers— what’s called the rainbow effect. Some front projectors have three chips; they don’t have that problem. The best of the DLP projection sets we’ve tested displayed very good picture quality.
LCoS. These sets share some attributes with LCD and DLP, using both tiny mirrors and liquid-crystal technology. The technology’s rollout has been hampered by production problems and costs, prompting companies such as Intel and Philips to abandon their LCoS plans. Because LCoS sets have been slow to market, we’ve tested only two so far. Both had good picture quality. JVC has an LCoS variant that it calls HD-ILA, using Direct-drive Image Light Amplifier technology.
Quick Recommendations
It’s harder to find top picture quality in rear- projection TVs than in plasma sets, so be choosy. Get a model judged very good for HD and at least good for DVD and regular TV picture quality. No projection technology was consistently better than another, so judge by model. As with most other types of big-screen TV5, almost all of these sets had excellent sound quality.
Most tested models are HD-ready. The Hitachis, RCAs, Sony, and Zeniths have built-in HDTV tuners, Of this group, all but the Zeniths are digital- cable-ready TVs that can use a CableCard rather than a cable box to get digital programming, including HD. However, current CableCards are one-way, so you’ll have to use a cable box to get interactive features.
With prices dropping slimmer sets proliferating, and more models offering fine picture quality rear- projection TVs have emerged as serious candidates for anyone who wants a high-definition television with a jumbo screen.
Here’s a look at some of the trends heating up this category.
CRT-based sets are bargains. A rear-projection CRT-based TV—the type that uses picture tubes—is the least-expensive way to watch HD on a big screen. You can buy an HD ready TV with a 50-inch-plus screen for $1,500 or less. We’ve seen some sets advertised for $1,000. The well- known drawback to these TVs is size: Most are 24 to 30 inches deep. Still, if you have the space, they’re real values.
Slimmer models come on strong. A new breed of projection TV has started to show up in force. Called microdisplays by some manufacturers, these use LCD, DLE or LCoS technology that shaves a foot or more off the depth of a CRT-based set. But at 15 to 20 inches deep, most aren’t as “micro” as the name might suggest. Nor are they cheap. Prices start at about $2,500 for a set with a 50 screen. Thinner TVs are beginning to arrive, including a 7-inch-deep RCA DLP set that sells for $8,500. It did well in our tests. Micro-displays are likely to dominate the category before long as manufacturers, including Panasonic, stop making CRT-based rear-projection TVs.
Prices keep dropping. CRT based models should be even better buys soon. Prices are expected to drop by as much as one-third this year. Prices of LCD, DLP, and LCoS sets could decrease 10 to 15 percent.
Picture quality has improved. Virtually all the sets now being sold are digital, HD-capable TVs, which have much better picture quality than analog sets. New microdisplay technologies are also proving to have fine picture quality As a result, many of the models in the Ratings displayed very good picture quality with HD content and good picture quality for DVDs and regular TV programming. Still, none of them equaled the excellence of the best plasma TVs. We didn’t find that any one projection technology was consistently better than another for picture quality.
The bar for picture quality may be set even higher with the introduction of more microdisplay projection TVs with a native resolution of 1920x1080. Most current sets, including all those we tested, have lower resolution than that. They down-convert 1080i HD signals to a format they can display. Screens with higher native resolution theoretically should be able to display finer, sharper detail, but many factors affect picture quality We’ll be reporting in future issues on tests of the new higher-resolution TVs, which are some times marketed as “1080p sets,” referring to another HD format.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Consider space before settling on size. Most rear-projection TVs have screens measuring 42 to 65 inches. You might be tempted by the biggest-screens, which can span as much as 82 inches, but take a breath—and some measurements— first.
Figure out how much floor space you can spare, and plan to view the TV from at least 8 feet away for optimal picture quality Keep in mind that most projection TVs look best when viewed from directly in front of the screen. The image appears dimmer as your position angles away from the screen’s center.
Weigh depth and price in choosing a display type. Once you know how much room you have, decide whether size or price is more important. CRT-based sets are floor-standing models with deep cabinets mounted on casters. Some take up as much space as an armchair or loveseat, Most microdisplays are tabletop units. You buy a stand separately for a few hundred dollars or more. Would you prefer to save money with a bulkier CRT set or save floor space with a pricier microdisplay?
Consider reliability. CRT technology has been used in rear-projection TVs for years and has generally been quite reliable. Microdisplay technologies are newer and haven’t established a track record for long-term reliability Factor that into your decision if you’re uncomfortable with a less-proven technology.
Talk the talk
DECODING PROJECTION-TV LINGO
CRT, LCD, DLP, LCoS—acronyms like these could have your head spinning when you go shopping for a rear-projection TV. The term for the category itself can be a puzzle. You might wonder why rear-projection sets are called that, given that there’s no projector anywhere in sight, It’s because the projector is inside the cabinet. An image is created within the set and projected onto the rear surface of the screen (hence the name ‘rear projection”). By contrast, direct-view sets (picture-tube TVs and flat-panel LCD and plasma displays) create images right on the screen, not internally.
Various technologies are used to create the images on projection TVs. -
CRT. This type of projection TV contains three CRTs, or cathode ray tubes— one each for red, green, and blue—making the cabinet big and heavy. Three beams converge on the inside of the screen to form an image. You must periodically align the CRTs, using the TV’s controls, to ensure a sharp image. All but the cheapest sets now have an automatic convergence feature that makes this a quick and easy process.
CRT-BASED SETS
Screen sizes: 40 to 60-pius inches.
Typical selling price: $1,000 to $2,000 for a 51-inch HDteady set.
Pros: Lowest cost for a big-screen TV. Mature technology with proven reliability.
Cons: Big and heavy. Most are floor- standing sets about 24 to 30 inches deep and 200 pounds or more. Items displayed for long periods may leave ghosted image on CRTs. Require periodic adjustment of the three internal picture tubes; takes only a button press on most sets.
Microdisplays. This is an industry term sometimes used to describe rear-projection sets using LCD (liquid-crystal display), DLP (digital light-processing), or LCoS (liquid-crystal on silicon) chips and a bright lamp to create images. This space- saving ‘light-engine” technology makes microdisplays slimmer and lighter than CRT-based sets. Most microdisplays are tabletop sets 15 to 20 inches deep that weigh about 100 pounds. CRTs are floor-standing sets 24 or more inches deep, and many weigh about 200 pounds.
Here’s a look at the three types of microdisplays.
MICRODISPLAYS (LCD DLP, LCoS)
Screen sizes: 42 to 60-plus inches.
Typical selling price: $2,500 to $3,500 for a 50-inch HD-ready set.
Pros: Thinner and lighter than CRF based sets. Most are tabletop units about 15 to 20 inches deep and roughly 100 pounds.
Cons: Higher cost. Must buy stand or table separately. New technology with unknown reliability. May need to replace the lamp ($300 or more) during the life of the TV.
LCD. These TVs have three LCD panels inside. Don’t confuse LCD-based rear- projection TVs with LCD flat panels, though. These big TVs are more than a foot deep. The best of the LCD-based projection sets we’ve tested displayed very good picture quality. None of these sets, however, were able to display the deep black levels of TVs using other technologies, and the contrast wasn’t as good as we’ve seen on other types of TVs. Some older LCD projection sets can suffer from blurring during fast action sequences.
DLP. These sets create images using a digital light-processing chip with millions of tiny mirrors. Rear-projection DLP sets have one chip and a rotating color wheel, which may cause occasional annoying flashes of color visible to some viewers— what’s called the rainbow effect. Some front projectors have three chips; they don’t have that problem. The best of the DLP projection sets we’ve tested displayed very good picture quality.
LCoS. These sets share some attributes with LCD and DLP, using both tiny mirrors and liquid-crystal technology. The technology’s rollout has been hampered by production problems and costs, prompting companies such as Intel and Philips to abandon their LCoS plans. Because LCoS sets have been slow to market, we’ve tested only two so far. Both had good picture quality. JVC has an LCoS variant that it calls HD-ILA, using Direct-drive Image Light Amplifier technology.
Quick Recommendations
It’s harder to find top picture quality in rear- projection TVs than in plasma sets, so be choosy. Get a model judged very good for HD and at least good for DVD and regular TV picture quality. No projection technology was consistently better than another, so judge by model. As with most other types of big-screen TV5, almost all of these sets had excellent sound quality.
Most tested models are HD-ready. The Hitachis, RCAs, Sony, and Zeniths have built-in HDTV tuners, Of this group, all but the Zeniths are digital- cable-ready TVs that can use a CableCard rather than a cable box to get digital programming, including HD. However, current CableCards are one-way, so you’ll have to use a cable box to get interactive features.