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October 2006
Rear-Projection HDTVs: More Screen, Less Green
Sleek, thin LCD and plasma flat panels are the hottest TVs out there, but if you're in the market for a truly big-screen high-definition
TV, check out rear-projection TVs. These give you the most screen for the money--50, 60, even 70 inches--and some offer top
picture quality.
There are issues to consider, though, including the cost of replacing a bulb in the TV every few years and the possibility that you may be bothered by the so-called rainbow effect with most DLP models. We'll talk more about those issues in a moment. First, here are several reasons to give rear-projections sets a closer look:
They're fairly slim. Let's dispel a common misconception. Today's rear-projection sets aren't the hulking space hogs that may come to mind when you recall older rear-projection sets. Many new models are small enough and light enough to be placed on tabletops or inside home-entertainment centers. These so-called "microdisplays"--which use DLP, LCoS, or LCD technology instead of bulky picture tubes--measure about 16 to 19 inches in depth. That's svelte compared with the 24-inch depth of their CRT-based siblings. They're also surprisingly light for their size, with many weighing less than 100 pounds.
New developments in optics are beginning to yield even sleeker models: Samsung, for example, recently introduced the 46-inch HL-S4676S, which is only 10.6 inches deep and weighs just 46 pounds, about half as much as a 42-inch plasma.
Another plus: Besides reducing size, the display technologies used in these new sets don't require the constant fussing (i.e., regular convergence adjustments) that older CRT-based projection sets demanded.
Picture quality can be top-notch. Older projection sets weren't especially bright, and they had a very narrow viewing angle. Not so the new generation. The best new microdisplays rank among the most impressive high-definition TVs we've tested. For example, our top-rated rear-projection set, the Toshiba 62HM196, a 62-inch 1080p DLP model, and a 56-inch sibling, the 720p 56HM66, have excellent brightness, picture detail, color, and black levels, putting them in the ranks of the top TVs of any type. (See Ratings, available to subscribers.) And the viewing angle on many microdisplays has improved, so you don't have to sit directly in front of the screen to enjoy good picture quality. We haven't found that any one technology is necessarily superior to the others for picture quality. We've also seen fine picture quality from LCoS and LCD-based rear-projection TVs.
They offer the most screen for the money. Even better, those sets cost much less than the best plasma and LCD big-screen models, giving you the most bang for the buck. That 62-inch Toshiba costs $2,800, less than most 50-inch plasma TVs and 40-inch LCD models. Its 56-inch sibling costs $1,900. For that price, you'd be looking at a 42-inch plasma or a 37-inch LCD. And microdisplay screens continue to get larger. Sets 65 inches and larger are now increasingly common, and major brands, such as Sony, JVC, and Mitsubishi, offer models 70 inches or larger.
Display technologies are improving. Microdisplay models have replaceable lamp assemblies. That's a blessing and a curse. The upside is that installing a new lamp can return the set to factory-level brightness, so you don't have to put up with a dimming picture as the years go on. The downside is that replacing the lamps can be costly: $200 and up for a bulb, plus another $200 or so if you want professional installation. Replacement isn't that hard--much like replacing a car's headlight--so you can do it yourself as long as you're comfortable wielding a screwdriver. Standard warranties usually cover one bulb replacement during the first 12 months or so; extended warranties usually cover bulbs for a year or two beyond that. Most bulbs should last between 5,000 and 6,000 hours, but CR surveys indicate that a fair number may fail sooner.
Perhaps as a result, several manufactures are now experimenting with alternative light sources that promise not only significantly longer life, but also more vibrant colors. Samsung, for example, is using red, blue, and green LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in its 56-inch 1080p DLP model (HL-S5679W, $4,000), and a company called NuVision offers a 52-inch model (52LEDLP, $4,400) using LEDs.
Both use "PhlatLight" LEDs from Luminus Devices, which have a "conservative" estimate of 20,000 hours of life, according to Samsung. LEDs also have the potential to produce a wider color gamut than traditional lamps. Samsung currently has one LED model but expects to have several LED-based models in 2007, according to Dan Schinasi, senior marketing manager for digital projection TV.
Mitsubishi is turning to lasers to light up future rear-projection HDTVs. Earlier this year, the company showed a prototype rear-projection DLP HDTV that uses red, green, and blue lasers. Lasers have the potential for high levels of brightness, 20,000-plus hours of life, and the ability to produce an even wider gamut of colors than LEDs, according to the company. Mitsubishi says the first laser-based TVs will arrive around Christmas 2007.
Another bonus: DLP-based TVs that use LEDs and lasers virtually eliminate the rainbow effect that can trouble viewers watching a single-chip DLP set that uses a bulb and a color wheel to create the full gamut of colors. When the wheel spins, some viewers perceive a flash of color as they move their eyes across the screen during scenes containing bright objects on a dark background. While everyone doesn't see it, it can be annoying for those who do. We suggest you visit a store to see if the rainbow effect will bother you.
CR's take. There are some fine microdisplay sets on the market now, and it looks like forthcoming models may be even better--especially models that use longer-lasting lighting methods and DLP sets without a color wheel. It might be worth waiting a while to buy one of the new, improved models.
If you prefer to buy a microdisplay TV right away, you may want to consider buying an extended warranty, as long as the plan costs no more than $200 to $400 or so. Although our surveys show the vast majority of microdisplays have been trouble-free for the first year or two, they have been much more repair-prone than flat-panel or tube TVs in that time frame. Also, some microdisplay brands have been more repair-prone than others. Buying a reasonably priced warranty could give you peace of mind.
There are issues to consider, though, including the cost of replacing a bulb in the TV every few years and the possibility that you may be bothered by the so-called rainbow effect with most DLP models. We'll talk more about those issues in a moment. First, here are several reasons to give rear-projections sets a closer look:
They're fairly slim. Let's dispel a common misconception. Today's rear-projection sets aren't the hulking space hogs that may come to mind when you recall older rear-projection sets. Many new models are small enough and light enough to be placed on tabletops or inside home-entertainment centers. These so-called "microdisplays"--which use DLP, LCoS, or LCD technology instead of bulky picture tubes--measure about 16 to 19 inches in depth. That's svelte compared with the 24-inch depth of their CRT-based siblings. They're also surprisingly light for their size, with many weighing less than 100 pounds.
New developments in optics are beginning to yield even sleeker models: Samsung, for example, recently introduced the 46-inch HL-S4676S, which is only 10.6 inches deep and weighs just 46 pounds, about half as much as a 42-inch plasma.
Another plus: Besides reducing size, the display technologies used in these new sets don't require the constant fussing (i.e., regular convergence adjustments) that older CRT-based projection sets demanded.
Picture quality can be top-notch. Older projection sets weren't especially bright, and they had a very narrow viewing angle. Not so the new generation. The best new microdisplays rank among the most impressive high-definition TVs we've tested. For example, our top-rated rear-projection set, the Toshiba 62HM196, a 62-inch 1080p DLP model, and a 56-inch sibling, the 720p 56HM66, have excellent brightness, picture detail, color, and black levels, putting them in the ranks of the top TVs of any type. (See Ratings, available to subscribers.) And the viewing angle on many microdisplays has improved, so you don't have to sit directly in front of the screen to enjoy good picture quality. We haven't found that any one technology is necessarily superior to the others for picture quality. We've also seen fine picture quality from LCoS and LCD-based rear-projection TVs.
They offer the most screen for the money. Even better, those sets cost much less than the best plasma and LCD big-screen models, giving you the most bang for the buck. That 62-inch Toshiba costs $2,800, less than most 50-inch plasma TVs and 40-inch LCD models. Its 56-inch sibling costs $1,900. For that price, you'd be looking at a 42-inch plasma or a 37-inch LCD. And microdisplay screens continue to get larger. Sets 65 inches and larger are now increasingly common, and major brands, such as Sony, JVC, and Mitsubishi, offer models 70 inches or larger.
Display technologies are improving. Microdisplay models have replaceable lamp assemblies. That's a blessing and a curse. The upside is that installing a new lamp can return the set to factory-level brightness, so you don't have to put up with a dimming picture as the years go on. The downside is that replacing the lamps can be costly: $200 and up for a bulb, plus another $200 or so if you want professional installation. Replacement isn't that hard--much like replacing a car's headlight--so you can do it yourself as long as you're comfortable wielding a screwdriver. Standard warranties usually cover one bulb replacement during the first 12 months or so; extended warranties usually cover bulbs for a year or two beyond that. Most bulbs should last between 5,000 and 6,000 hours, but CR surveys indicate that a fair number may fail sooner.
Perhaps as a result, several manufactures are now experimenting with alternative light sources that promise not only significantly longer life, but also more vibrant colors. Samsung, for example, is using red, blue, and green LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in its 56-inch 1080p DLP model (HL-S5679W, $4,000), and a company called NuVision offers a 52-inch model (52LEDLP, $4,400) using LEDs.
Both use "PhlatLight" LEDs from Luminus Devices, which have a "conservative" estimate of 20,000 hours of life, according to Samsung. LEDs also have the potential to produce a wider color gamut than traditional lamps. Samsung currently has one LED model but expects to have several LED-based models in 2007, according to Dan Schinasi, senior marketing manager for digital projection TV.
Mitsubishi is turning to lasers to light up future rear-projection HDTVs. Earlier this year, the company showed a prototype rear-projection DLP HDTV that uses red, green, and blue lasers. Lasers have the potential for high levels of brightness, 20,000-plus hours of life, and the ability to produce an even wider gamut of colors than LEDs, according to the company. Mitsubishi says the first laser-based TVs will arrive around Christmas 2007.
Another bonus: DLP-based TVs that use LEDs and lasers virtually eliminate the rainbow effect that can trouble viewers watching a single-chip DLP set that uses a bulb and a color wheel to create the full gamut of colors. When the wheel spins, some viewers perceive a flash of color as they move their eyes across the screen during scenes containing bright objects on a dark background. While everyone doesn't see it, it can be annoying for those who do. We suggest you visit a store to see if the rainbow effect will bother you.
CR's take. There are some fine microdisplay sets on the market now, and it looks like forthcoming models may be even better--especially models that use longer-lasting lighting methods and DLP sets without a color wheel. It might be worth waiting a while to buy one of the new, improved models.
If you prefer to buy a microdisplay TV right away, you may want to consider buying an extended warranty, as long as the plan costs no more than $200 to $400 or so. Although our surveys show the vast majority of microdisplays have been trouble-free for the first year or two, they have been much more repair-prone than flat-panel or tube TVs in that time frame. Also, some microdisplay brands have been more repair-prone than others. Buying a reasonably priced warranty could give you peace of mind.
