LCD/RPTV/Tube/etc.

[EM3]

I know this has probably been done to death before and if it has I'm sorry. I was looking for a site that gives the positives and negatives of different tv's like plasma vs crt vs lcd etc. I saw a sharp looking 42 Sony Wega LCD this weekend at a friends house. I know they can suffer from burn in but almost any set can. just looking for info though still not rich enough to buy one.

[plissken99]

Actually the only 2 technologies that are subject to burn in are Plasma and CRT, LCD, DLP, LCOS etc so not have burn in issues. DLP will likely give you best picture, but take a good long look at one before you lean that way, as many get headaches watching it.

[Shadowman82]

Yes Plissken is right . All TV types have their weaknesses and strengths . In the end I suggest you just look at the different TV types in action and make your decisions from there .



Tube TV or Direct View :

Strengths:
-Excellent picture quality , the deepest blacks .
-No burn in


Weaknesses
-only available in relatively small sizes up to 36 inch Standard and 34 inch Widescreen.

CRT Rear Projection TV:

Strengths:
-provide a good picture quality under the right conditions with the deepest blacks

Weaknesses:
-Can suffer burn in
-heavy and bulky
-the picture tubes have to be converged from time to time , some models have an auto convergence feature.
-They have a low luminance which means you have to be in a fairly dark room to get the most from the picture .

LCD and LCD Projection TVs:

Strengths:
-No burn in
-They have a very sharp and detailed image
-They are light and thin

Weaknesses:
-They have poor black levels
-Some people notice what is known as the "screendoor effect"

DLP:

Strengths:
-They have a good high resolution picture
-No burn in
-They are light and thin

Weaknesses:
-Some people notice what is known as the rainbow effect though this somewhat varies from manufacturer to manufacturer .

L-Cos:

Strengths:
-They have all the advantages of DLP and offer a better picture than DLP .

Weaknesses:
-No obvious weakness other than the fact that it is a new and somewhat unproven technology .
Note: If shopping for an L-Cos you'll want to make sure it utilizes three colour chips , no less .

Plasma:

Strengths:
-They have a good picture quality with terrific colour reproduction
-They are the thinest and lightest TVs

Weaknesses:
-Can suffer burn in
-Some people notice a screendoor effect
-The most expensive TV technology

[EM3]

For some reason I was thinking LCD was subject to burn in. Just goes to show you what I know. How long do the bulbs last for LCD in the Sony Wega 42 inch model?

[Shadowman82]

Personally I would not buy Sony because they have just been riding their name for a long time .

But for what it's worth the lamp on that Sony LCD Projection TV has a lifespan of 5000 hours .

[palebluedot]

Pretty much sums up what Shadowman said, but good link none-the-less:
http://www.digiupdate.com/100_Selecting_HD_Display.html

[Jellodyne]

LCDs may not suffer from burn-in but they can fade, take a look at an 4 or 5 year old laptop screen for an example. Allegedly they've improved the longevity of the current generation LCDs but I believe that it is still an issue to some degree.

[Shadowman82]

I don't think that is the case though with LCD Projection TVs since the lamp can be replaced , I thought I heard that once the lamp is replaced the TV will once again look like new . The same goes for other technologies that use an exchangeable lamp .

Non Projection LCD based displays which includes those used on a laptop for example obviously don't have an exchangeable lamp which explains why they fade .

CRT based TVs , be that Direct View or Projection will also fade over time , Plasma too .

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Shadowman82

L-Cos:

Strengths:
-They have all the advantages of DLP and offer a better picture than DLP .

Did you mean DLP and LCD? I think so...if not, that's what I would say being I've owned 2 LCD's (one front, one rear) and a L-Cos. Without doubt, the screendoor is a non issue with L-Cos, and more important (to me) is the lack of rainbows.

Weaknesses:
-No obvious weakness other than the fact that it is a new and somewhat unproven technology .
Note: If shopping for an L-Cos you'll want to make sure it utilizes three colour chips , no less.

You're right...new tech...so far though, I am very happy

[Shadowman82]

Actually as far as LCD is concerned , other than in black levels LCDs beat DLP in every way .

Yes L-Cos has none of DLPs disadvantages . Truth be told though I have never noticed the rainbow effect on the DLPs I have seen . I do however not really like the DLPs picture in general .