Which HDTV technology should you buy... flat panel, rear projection, front projection, LCD, DLP, Plasma? It's enough to drive a person crazy! TechDigs.net gives you the information and a set of printable tools to make it easier and get the right setup for your needs.

Read more for the details.

This holiday season is going to be one of the biggest yet in the world of HDTV. We expect prices to continue drop with lots of new models to choose from. Whether it's your first HDTV or second or third, you should think about your best options today rather than what you've perhaps thought about or bought previously. A lot has changed -- even in the last 24 months.

The big decision faced by many will be which flat panel technology to buy: plasma or LCD. However, there are other technologies that are worth considering. In this article we provide you with a list of the technologies, our recommendations and a shopping guide. Below is an overview with pros, cons and best uses for each.

HDTV LCD Flat Panel

LCD flat panels work by charging liquid crystals with the right amount of electricity to let the correct shade of light pass through. LCDs are by-far today's most popular computer displays and fast becoming a popular format for HDTVs.

Pros:

• Bright and very little glare
• High resolutions
• Good viewing angles
• Excellent computer and gaming display
• Thin
• Reasonably light
• Power efficient

Cons:

• Lower-cost displays tend to have more artifacts and false contouring than other technologies -- but this is changing fast so compare models
• Colors tend not to be as rich as plasma (dependent on brand and model), although the gap is quickly closing so compare models
• Blacks aren't as black as plasma (dependent on brand and model), although this gap is also quickly closing so compare models

Best uses: Multiple purpose rooms (TV, movies, computer) where there's lots of light or less control over ambient light.

Leading LCD Flat Panel Brands (alphabetical): Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Magnavox, Maxent, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Spectre, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse

HDTV Plasma Flat Panel

Plasma flat panels work by igniting molecules of gas to create visible light.

Pros:

• High resolutions
• Excellent dynamic color range
• Excellent viewing angles
• Excellent black levels
• Thin

Cons:

• Some models have burn-in issues with computer games, computer screens, cable/satellite menu systems and even pausing a DVD for a long period of time without using a screen saver
• Glossy screens can cause annoying reflections in rooms that have limited light control
• Some models may produce a buzzing noise at high altitudes (over 6,000)
• Will dim over time and therefore have limited life (although for most manufacturers it's above 36,000 hours -- or 4 hours per day for almost 25 years)
• Some older plasma displays have a resolution below 1280x720, we don't recommend anything below 1280x720
• They use more electricity
• Heavier than LCDs -- be very careful if wall mounting

Best uses: Movie and TV use where room has reasonable light control to limit glare. For models that don't have burn-in issues, computer use is also possible.

Leading Plasma Brands (alphabetical): Hitachi, HP, LG, Maxent, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse, Yamaha

HDTV Micro-display Rear-projection

Micro-display rear-projection sets work by work by: 1) shining light on reflective microscopic mirrors (DLP); 2) shining light on microscopic reflective liquid crystals (LCoS); or 3) passing light through microscopic liquid crystals (LCD).

Pros:

• Excellent value
• Excellent picture quality with smooth images
• High contrast
• Excellent computer and gaming display
• Relatively light weight
• Consumer-replaceable light source, very little to wear out
• Images will not burn in on screen

Cons:

• Physically large
• Most require stand and can't be wall mounted
• Viewing angle not as wide as most flat panels
• Some models have more fan noise
• Some people see a 'rainbow effect' on single chip DLP devices

Best uses: Multi-purpose (TV, movies, computer use) home theater where more ambient light exists and a reasonably large (50" to 70") screen is desired.

Specific technologies: Three basic technologies are used for current micro-display rear-projection HDTVs -- DLP, LCD, and LCoS. Depending on brand and model, each technology performs very well. The DLP, LCD and LCoS competition is a bit of a Ford/Chevy or BMW/Mercedes argument. Let your eye decide.

DLP Rear-projection: DLP creates a projected image using microscopic mirrors laid out in a matrix on a semiconductor chip. Each mirror represents one pixel. DLP comes in both single chip and three-chip models. The single chip uses a color wheel with red, green, blue, and clear that rotates to display the picture. Some people see flashes of red, green or blue, also known as a rainbow effect. It's more noticeable in dark scenes, however, some people don't see it at all. Single chip installations can display 16.7 million (24-bit) color. Three chip models eliminate the rainbow effect and increase the colors to 35 trillion colors (45-bit).

Leading DLP Rear-projection Brands (alphabetical): LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba

LCD Rear-projection: LCD creates a projected image using light shined through a microscopic electrically-charged liquid crystal matrix.

Leading LCD Rear-projection Brands (alphabetical): Hitachi, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Sony

LCoS Rear-projection: LCoS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) is similar to DLP, however it uses microscopic reflective liquid crystals instead of mirrors.

Leading LCoS Rear-projection Brands (alphabetical): JVC, Philips, Sony

HDTV Tube

Tube or Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) television is a large vacuum tube which electromagnetically focuses and deflects a beam of electrons to create a picture image. CRT is the traditional television that we all watched until the advent of newer technologies.

Pros:

• Excellent SD TV quality
• Low cost
• Excellent viewing angles
• No burn in issues

Cons:

• Resolution
• Smaller screen size
• Large physical size
• Some models have glossy screens which cause glare
• Weight

Best uses: Low-cost, multi-purpose viewing Standard definition TV, although most people should seriously look at LCD flat panels when considering CRT sets.

Leading Tube Brands (alphabetical): Hitachi, JVC, LG, Magnavox, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, Zenith

HDTV Front Projector

Front projection creates images by: 1) shining light on reflective microscopic mirrors (DLP) and then through a lens; or 2) passing light through microscopic liquid crystals (LCD) and then through a lens.

Pros:

• Large screen sizes
• Excellent movie quality for dedicated home theaters
• Brighter DLP models can be used in rooms with more ambient light

Cons:

• Can be expensive for higher resolutions and brightness
• LCDs and some DLPs need a room with light control
• Requires the purchase of a separate projection screen which can cost up to several thousand dollars. A high-quality screen is essential, however, to a achieve a quality image.
• May require professional installation

Best uses: Dedicated, light-controlled room with large screen

Leading Projector Brands (alphabetical): Barco, BenQ, Boxlight, Epson, Hitachi, Infocus, Mitsubishi, Optoma, Panasonic, Runco, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony, Toshiba, ViewSonic, Yamaha

Note: The table below does not include sizes and prices for the custom one-offs that can be purchased with enough money and connections like the 103" from Panasonic, for example.

HDTV Technologies Characteristics

Key Considerations

1. Room size: How large is your room; how far away will you sit? For more details on sizing, take a look at the TechDigs.net article, 4 Basics That Make a Home Theater a Home Theater.
2. Primary use: Is the room a dedicated theater room or a TV room that will be multi-purpose. In general for dedicated theaters, front projection and plasma tend to be better choices today. However, LCD and rear projection are also good options. Multi-purpose rooms work best with LCD and Micro-display Rear-projection TVs.
3. Room lighting: How much light control will you have in the room? If you don't have good light control, the shiny finish on plasma displays and glossy-screened rear projection sets can be annoying. LCD or a rear project HDTV that has a matte finish is a better option. In a room with a lot of ambient light, don't consider a front projection unless you are looking at the very brightest DLP sets with a very bright screen.
4. Computer use: Will you use a computer on your display? If you will, we highly recommend getting a TV that can adjust the overscan so that you can see the whole computer screen image without any edge of the screen getting cut off. TechDigs.net plans to have an article in the future that will dive into using your computer with your HDTV. For now however, the best test is to take a notebook computer that can drive either 1280x720 or 1920x1080 (a newer notebook, preferably with a DVI out) to the retail outlet and connect it using DVI/HDMI and/or VGA. If you can't adjust the display so that you can see the whole computer screen (menus, etc.,) while maintaining a crisp image, then seriously consider other models. This adjustment is called overscan. Preferably you want to make the connection using HDMI or DVI to HDMI as opposed to VGA.
5. Resolution: For large displays over 50" and if you can afford it, there is value in purchasing a higher resolution full-HD screen which is 1920 x 1080p in resolution. Currently, only two source technologies will leverage this resolution: 1) a computer with a fast graphics card for gaming or other computer use; and 2) Either Blu-ray or HD-DVD high def DVD formats. Broadcast HDTV doesn't benefit substantially from 1920x1080p use as today's HDTV signals are either 1280x720p or 1920x1080i. Regardless, make sure resolution is 1280x720p or above.
6. Budget: Be sure to include necessary video cable connections, HDTV service fees (remember, for cable or satellite you will need special HDTV programming), and a higher quality DVD player.

Shopping Tools
Narrow your selection based on the six key points above. Once you have done that, it's time to go shopping. If you are able to, I recommend going shopping armed with a few items:

1. Bring a printed copy of the TechDigs.net HDTV Shopping Checklist. (the free Adobe Reader is required)
2. A DVD that can challenge sets. Examples include the anamorphic (16:9 enhanced) version of the 5^th Element and Gladiator.
3. I like to create a DVD recorded from interlaced broadcast television so I can see how bad video will look when it comes from a poor source. If you don't know how to do that, don't despair. The HQV benchmark below will generally show the same weaknesses.
4. HQV Benchmark DVD: Created by Silicon Optix, this DVD can help give you a very objective benchmark to look at when comparing sets. This is $30.00 well spent.

Shopping Process

1. Consider the room lighting and your seating distance from screen when looking at HDTVs. It should be as close to your environment as possible (harder to do in the big box stores).
2. Ask the store personnel if you can reset the image to factory settings. Afterwards, set color to 6500K when comparing.
3. Be sure to look at both HD and SD content if possible. Notice how the display handles both.
4. Ask if you can play one or more of your DVDs to see how well they perform. Be sure to turn off any DNR or image correction in the DVD player (you're the HDTV, not the DVD player).
5. Come armed with key measurements and considerations. Take notes as you look at different setups. Again, print a copy of this article and the TechDigs.net HDTV Shopping Checklist. (the free Adobe Reader is required)
6. Check each HDTV at multiple viewing angles and distances.

Take the time to really look at each display, compare displays and take notes on what you see. After looking at a few, it'll be hard to remember what you did or didn't like about previous displays.

Give us feedback or tell us about your shopping experiences in the comments below.

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mike said:

i would like to know why tv makers don't have any sub woofer output on tvs say 46" and under, they would add a great deal to the overall sound for those who listen through tv speakers.

February 15, 2007

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