What kind of HDTV you buy depends on your needs. Here's a rundown of the current display technologies. Each one has benefits and limitations, so make your choice based on the features most important to you.
CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) - Direct-view TVs consist of one large CRT tube coated on the front with phosphors. Rear-projection CRT TVs use three tubes, one each for red, blue and green.
Pros - The CRT offers the best black level and contrast of all video technologies. Rear-projection CRT TVs are a real bargain right now.
Cons - Rear-projection CRT TVs are not very bright, so you need a dark room. They look bad when viewed off-angle and the three tubes need to be converged occasionally.
Plasma - Despite their large screens (32 to 70 inches), they're ultra-slim. The least expensive plasmas are usually EDTV (480p) resolution, not HDTV.
Pros - Bright picture with excellent off-axis viewing angles. Better contrast than LCD TVs, though not usually as good as CRT.
Cons - Can suffer from burn-in when a static image is left on for extended periods, though most new plasmas include features to minimize this risk.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) - Like plasma, LCD TVs are also thin and can be wall-mounted. LCD TVs today are most common in sizes ranging from 13 to 30 inches.
Pros - LCD TVs don't' suffer from burn in. They are brighter than a CRT, but not as bright as plasma.
Cons - Some LCDs have poor off-axis viewing. At the moment LCD TV costs much more that an equivalent-sized plasma. LCD TVs usually don't have as good contrast as plasma and CRT.
DLP (Digital Light Projector) - DLP rear-projection TVs are quickly replacing CRT as the best thing for big screens.
Pros - DLPs allow for a very slim and light designs. New chip designs offer good contrast and brightness. DLP TVs and projectors aren't susceptible to screen burn.
Cons - The lamp in a DLP TV will need to be replaced after a few years. Some people are able to see rainbow color artifacts caused by the TV's color wheel.
LCoS - Like DLP, LCoS TVs are available in rear-projection format.
Pros - Like DLP, LCoS rear projection TVs are much thinner than traditional CRTs. They can be bright with high contrast.
Cons - LCoS is still very new and unproven. Like DLP, they have a lamp that will need to be replaced after a few years.
|
