Many people are becoming more and more familiar with the differences between LCD and Plasma TV’s but did you know there are 3 types of rear projection televisions? Rear projection TV’s are a very attractive alternative to high priced flat panel TV’s. You can often find a large rear projection TV for the price of a much smaller flat panel TV. If you are in the market for a new television and are considering saving a few bucks by going the rear projection route, read up on the different kinds of rear projection TV’s so you know what you’re looking for.
Rear Projection TV #1 - CRT
The first and most basic type of rear projection TV is a CRT (cathode ray tube). You may recognize CRT from the term “tube tv”. CRT is definitely the oldest of the 3 rear projection technologies. CRT rear projection TV’s have a few advantages such as being able to produce deep black colors and and the lowest priced of the three types of rear projection. Even though CRT projection TV’s have their upsides, there are a few things you should be aware of before making that big purchase. CRT monitors tend to be a little larger due to the parts required to process the image. Because there are 3 color tubes working together to produce the best picture quality, they must be aligned correctly. CRT rear projection TV’s are also more susceptible to images being burned in to the screen when they are left on the screen too long. This may not seem like an issue but consider watching a full screen (4:3) TV show on your widescreen (16:9) television. Remember those black bars up and down the sides? They can cause some problems with screen burn-in.
CRT Rear Projection TV Deals:
Rear Projection TV #2 - LCD
Don’t let the term LCD deceive you here. This isn’t the same type of LCD you’ve heard of in terms of flat panels. Instead of the tubes you would find in a CRT television, a LCD rear projection TV produces the image on 3 small LCD chips and is then magnified onto your television screen. One key advantage of an LCD rear projection is the slimmer size. Because the LCD chips are much smaller than the tubes in a CRT television, the actual TV set can be much thinner. You still won’t be able to hang it on the wall like a LCD flat panel but you will definitely save a few bucks. LCD rear projection TV’s also have great brightness and contrast levels. There are a few instances where you could run into problems with a LCD rear projection. One downfall of the LCD rear projection is the price. With size and features being equal, a LCD rear projection TV may cost you a few hundred bucks more than a CRT rear projection due to the increased costs of manufacturing a LCD chip. Many LCD rear projection TV’s also face the problem of single pixels being burnt out. When this happens, you will notice a small white or black dot on your TV that can be very annoying. This will require you to replace the entire LCD chip. When shopping for a projection TV, you may notice some terms like LCOS, SXRD and D-ILA. These are all terms used by manufacturers for their own LCD rear projection TV’s.
LCD Rear Projection TV Deals:
Rear Projection TV #3 - DLP
DLP is the last type of rear projection TV and its initials stand for Digital Light Processing. DLP is the latest and greatest rear projection technology. It also uses small chips like LCD screens but the technology has been much improved. DLP technology is so impressive it is even used in a lot of movie theaters. The DLP projection TV’s feature the same advantages of LCD rear projections like slim cabinets, great color accuracy and low power use but has fewer negatives like the screen door effect which can be seen by LCD rear projection TV’s where there are gaps in your picture as if you were looking at your TV through a screen door. DLP television’s haven’t quite been perfected though. Some users note a “rainbow effect” where a quick flash of colors occur when looking from one side of the TV to the other quickly. Many people report not noticing this and the effects are very minimal. As you can probably guess, DLP rear projection TV’s tend to be more expensive than the other 2 options but will provide you an overall better TV.
DLP Rear Projection TV Deals:
Guide to Rear Projection TV’s Conclusion
There is no clear cut answer as to which type of rear projection TV you should buy. All 3 have their advantages and disadvantages. Review your needs and budget and that will be the best way to determine which type of rear projection TV you should buy. It’s very important to review the quality of any TV you buy and ensure it meets all your needs as far as HD capability and inputs like HDMI, DVI, Component, etc. So do your homework and then enjoy the perfect rear projection TV for your home!
Not sure if you need an HDTV or an HD-Ready Rear Projection TV? Check out our HDTV Guide.
Read our rear projection TV reviews to find the right rear projection TV for you!