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Clearing Up the Confusion - Which TV is Right For You?

Direct-View (CRT or Tube TVs)
Of all the technologies capable of high-definition display, direct-view HDTVs and monitors most closely resemble the familiar analog TVs of old. They're built on the same fundamental design principles as your analog set, but with improved technology for enhanced performance. Unfortunately, they are bulky and heavy. As a result, the largest screen size currently available in direct-view HDTVs is 40".

CRT (cathode-ray tube) is capable of reproducing deeper, darker blacks than any other display technology, rendering images of excellent contrast and realism. It is bright enough to be viewed in a fully-lit room, and the picture's superb color characteristics remain intact regardless of viewing angle. And since there's only one light source (the CRT itself), direct-view TVs don't require periodic convergence adjustments to retain their chromatic integrity, the way some projection TVs do.

Their bulk and weight make larger direct-view sets difficult to accommodate in crowded rooms, and a real challenge to move. Their traditionally curved screen surfaces reflect glare from ambient light in the viewing area, but the emergence of perfectly flat picture tubes (virtually every late-model HDTV set has one) has significantly improved their performance in this area.

Direct-view HDTVs offer excellent performance at a relatively low cost. If you can afford the space, and don't require an exceptionally large screen, a direct-view model may be a good choice.

Projection TVs
Projection TVs come in two basic designs: rear-projection and front-projection. Technically, some rear-projection TVs, and virtually all front projectors, employ one of the other display technologies (DLP, LCD or LCOS). In this section, we'll focus on CRT rear-projection TVs.

Rear-projection sets use three separate cathode ray tubes (CRTs) — one each for the red, green and blue elements of the picture. The beams from the three tubes are then combined, magnified and projected onto a specially formulated screen that diffuses and transmits the light as a single composite image. Screen sizes range from about 42" up to 65" and beyond, contained in a large cabinet that encompasses the light sources, electronics and projection system.

Rear-projection technology is the least advanced of current projection technologies, but still is capable of providing true high-definition performance and a big screen.

To efficiently focus a limited amount of light onto a broad surface area, the output of a rear-projection TV is limited to a relatively narrow viewing area compared to other big-screen options; the picture tends to fade and discolor as one moves away from the central axis of the screen. It is generally necessary to darken a sunlit room to view a rear-projection TV. Because there are three separate light sources, periodic adjustment is necessary to "converge" the CRTs into a single, crisp image (late-model projection TVs have automatic digital convergence features to simplify the process). Extended viewing of static image elements (such as video-game gauges, stock-ticker streams and even letterbox/windowbox bars on content that doesn't match the screen dimensions) can leave a permanent imprint on the screen over time, called "burn-in" — though recent models incorporate advanced features designed to minimize this effect.

Like direct-view sets, CRT rear-projection HDTVs offer a potent combination of performance and features for relatively little money. Their bulk makes them inconvenient for some people, who may prefer to consider a sleeker flat-panel design (LCD or Plasma) or a shallower projection variety like DLP or LCOS.

LCD
Along with plasma, LCD (liquid crystal display) technology represents a revolution in television design: the truly flat TV. LCD flat-panel displays typically measure around 3" in depth, and are lightweight enough to be mounted on a wall (although they also look mighty sleek on the artsy stands designed to display them on tabletops). LCD is a transmissive technology (as opposed to reflective technologies like DLP and LCOS). Its light engine streams high-intensity white light (provided by a series of fluorescent tubes woven behind the screen surface) through tiny cells filled with a liquid crystal material. Each pixel has three such cells — one each for red, green and blue components of the signal. When an electrical charge is applied to the liquid crystals, their molecular structure shifts, modulating the intensity of the light that passes through to the screen. LCD TVs are available many sizes, from 10" standard-definition models to widescreen HDTV showpieces of 37" or more.

LCD technology produces an exceptionally bright picture that can easily be viewed even in very bright conditions. The images are characterized by outstanding sharpness and detail and rich, saturated colors. LCD TVs use relatively little electricity, run cooler and more quietly than most plasma displays, and are essentially immune to the "burn-in" problems that plague CRT-projection and plasma TVs. Slim, sleek and lightweight, they can be placed or mounted almost anywhere in the home, including places where you might not have considered placing a TV — and, in fact, can easily be transported from room to room (with the exception of the largest screen sizes) for additional flexibility. And no matter where you put them, the latest models allow uninhibited viewing from angles as severe as 170 degrees off-axis.

Due to its transmissive technology and the unintended leakage of some light to the display, LCD's high brightness comes at the expense of deep blacks; hence, its typical contrast ratio cannot match those produced by direct-view or even DLP sets. Early iterations of the technology had relatively slow "refresh rates," causing slight but noticeable blurring or smearing of fast-moving images; however, the advent of advanced LCD variants like active-matrix TFT panels has greatly improved performance. Likewise, technological improvements continue to reduce the occurrence of the "screen-door effect" caused by the distance between the pixels in an LCD display, but it's still more apparent with LCD than with LCOS, DLP or plasma displays.

When it comes to flat-panel HDTV displays, the choice between LCD and plasma is a matter of personal taste.




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What are DTV and HDTV?
Since High-Definition Television (HDTV) designates the highest-quality display formats defined in the Digital Television (DTV) standard, it's important to first understand the implications of digital TV broadcasting.

DTV is a new, more advanced way of delivering televisions signals to your home — whether over the airwaves or via satellite or cable-based systems. It's intended to eventually replace analog TV broadcasting altogether; in fact, according to the current schedule, all TV stations in the United States are mandated to begin providing digital programming to their viewers no later than 2006. Thus, the changeover to digital TVs and digital source components is inevitable, and in fact is already well under way. We'll all be enjoying the benefits of this new technology very soon, and a new TV will be part of the equation.

What's meant by "HD-Ready"?
Some HDTV sets on the market incorporate HD-capable displays coupled with a built-in HDTV tuner to receive over-the-air HD broadcasts (currently available only in certain markets, these broadcasts are becoming increasingly common as the 2006 digital-broadcast deadline approaches).

The vast majority of HD-capable TVs on the market are what's known as HD-ready TVs (or HDTV monitors) — high-definition displays, often including one or more built-in NTSC TV tuners for reception of conventional analog TV broadcasts, but which must be connected to a separate HD source in order to realize their full potential. Since most current HD content is delivered via satellite or cable systems rather that over-the-air, some consumers (especially those who reside in areas where over-the-air HD content is not yet available) consider an HD-ready set to be the best solution for their current and future needs. But to experience HD broadcasts (where available) right out of the box with no additional investment, a built-in HD tuner is the ticket.

Like HD-ready models, integrated HDTVs generally provide exhaustive connectivity options, so you can always add cable or satellite sources as well to broaden your HD options. Conversely, over-the-air HD tuners are also available in stand-alone set-top boxes, often combined with cable and/or satellite reception capabilities.

Why HDTV?
Superior resolution
HDTV offers a number of compelling advantages over its analog forbears. The picture is breathtaking. The primary reason is enhanced resolution.

A TV picture is made up of lots of tiny horizontal rows (called scan lines) of individual pixels, or picture elements. The more rows — and the more picture elements — a screen can reproduce, the clearer and sharper the picture.

Your old analog TV's picture is made up of 480 visible horizontal lines, each comprising a maximum of 720 pixels. By contrast, HDTVs can reproduce up to 1080 horizontal lines of 1920 pixels — resulting in a picture that's a jaw-dropping 6 times as dense. HDTV also has the advantage of enabling progressive-scan display (useful with the latest DVD players as well as TV broadcasts).

Widescreen aspect ratio
You've probably also noticed that many HDTV screens are wider, relative to their height, than the TVs you're accustomed to. To be specific, most newer HDTV models feature what's known as a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio (the ratio refers to the relationship between horizontal and vertical dimensions), as compared to the 4:3 aspect ratio of older TVs. HDTV programming, by definition, is delivered in this wider aspect, which is better suited to the reproduction of most movies, not to mention providing a broader, more revealing perspective on sporting events and other programs.

Regardless of their screen dimensions, all HDTVs and HDTV monitors can reproduce high-definition programming in its intended 16:9 aspect. 4:3 sets typically handle the conversion by compressing the horizontal scan lines to fit within the vertical picture area, leaving black or gray bars above and below the image (letterboxing).

Dolby Digital 5.1 audio
Another huge advantage of HDTV is less obvious at a glance: the capability to broadcast programs in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound. If you're already enjoying DVD movies in surround (with the help of a 5.1-channel audio system), you're already familiar with the realism and excitement it brings to the experience. Imagine feeling just as immersed in practically every TV program you watch! HDTV can take you there, provided you're properly equipped.

Plasma
Plasma displays function differently than any other TV technology in that they actually produce light independently at each pixel on the screen, as opposed to projecting a separate light source through or off of other elements to conjure a picture. A plasma "screen" is actually a dense network of individual cells, three for each pixel of the display (coated with red, green and blue phosphors, respectively). Each cell is impregnated with a rare-gas mixture and connected to an individual electrode. When the electrode for a given cell is charged with an electrical voltage, the gas is converted to a plasma state and emits a burst of ultraviolet light; this in turn causes the phosphors to react and produce bright visible light at the pixel level. By varying the voltage and intensity of the electrical charge, the proper combination of red, green and blue light is produced in each pixel to combine into a bright, colorful composite image. Plasma TVs are available in sizes from about 40" up to 70"+.

Obviously, plasma TVs are desirable for their sleek form factor — about 4" deep and wall-mountable. Furthermore, plasma produces a very bright image that can be viewed in a well-lit room, with superb color accuracy and saturation. It's a matter of opinion, but many regard plasma's color vibrancy as beyond compare among current technologies. Because the light is produced at the screen rather than projected onto it, focus is consistent and reliable across the entire screen surface, and plasma screens can be viewed from angles as severe as 160 degrees off-axis without detrimental effect. And plasma's accurate pixel structure produces a picture that is geometrically perfect from edge to edge and corner to corner, with uniform light output and a crisp, lifelike image.

Due to the direct way it produces light, plasma can be especially susceptible to burn-in from static images such as stock-tickers and video-game gauges; however, newer displays have begun to incorporate "pixel-orbiting" technologies that shift images, almost imperceptibly, to limit the occurrence of burn-in.

Overall, plasma has maintained a reputation as the no-compromise high-tech HDTV display technology. There's no question that a plasma TV on your living room wall will deliver amazing video performance – and, quite likely, a parade of drooling friends through your door as well.

DLP
DLP stands for Digital Light Processing, a unique projection technology developed by Texas Instruments and based around a proprietary semiconductor called a digital micromirror device (DMD). A single high-intensity light source is reflected off the DMD, which modulates the light by rapidly manipulating the angles of hundreds of thousands of tiny mirrors on its surface. On its way to the DMD, the light passes through a rapidly spinning color wheel that alternately filters it into red, green, blue and sometimes white or yellow spectra. By temporally coordinating the mirrors' modulations with the sequence of colors passed through the color wheel, the DLP light engine can create images with very subtle color variations, which are then magnified and projected onto a screen. DLP projection TVs come in screen sizes of approximately 42" and up.

More expensive than CRT projection systems but less costly than LCD or plasma, DLP projection sets deliver excellent picture quality. The DLP light engine is capable of very high brightness (though not as bright as LCD), so a DLP set can be viewed even in bright room conditions. The distance between the pixels on a DLP display is quite small, minimizing the "screen-door effect" (seen more prominently in LCD displays) to create a full, seamless image. Because of DLP's fine reproduction of blacks, its contrast performance is superior to any other non-CRT projection technology. The single-light-source design eliminates the convergence issues that plague CRT and some other projection systems, and limits maintenance costs (a single bulb to replace, for example).

DLP is not as bright as LCD technology, nor as compact as LCD or plasma flat-panel models (though the typical DLP rear-projection set is much shallower than most CRT-based rear-projection systems). Additionally, certain especially sensitive viewers notice an artifact commonly referred to as the "rainbow effect," a consequence of DLP's temporal approach to color formulation. Those viewers may momentarily see the light split into its component color spectra as their eyes travel quickly from one part of the screen to another — particularly when seated close to the screen. The unlucky few will likely find this quite distracting; fortunately, most viewers won't even perceive a problem. The latest-model DLP sets incorporate improved color-wheel technology in an effort to further minimize this artifact.

DLP rear-projection HDTV sets offer several advantages over CRT rear-projection systems, for a modestly higher price — along with video performance that's superior in some ways to more expensive flat-panel displays. Their impressive price-to-value ratio makes them well worth considering if you're not fixated on a wall-mountable TV.
LCOS
LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) technology, a souped-up derivative of LCD technology, is the hot new kid on the block in high-resolution displays. Rather than passing light through a transparent LCD panel to generate an image, in LCOS displays the light is bounced off of a reflective substrate onto which liquid crystals have been applied. There are two classes of LCOS light engines: single-chip and three-chip. In a single-chip system, light is filtered through a color-wheel system similar to that employed by DLP projection systems. The sequence of colors produced is then temporally coordinated with the modulation of light by the liquid crystals, producing subtle color variations. Three-chip displays use a system of prisms to split a single light source into its red, green and blue components (analogous to the three tubes in a CRT projection system). Discrete video modulations are applied individually to the three resulting light paths, which are then recombined by another prism array to create the composite image. LCOS technology is used in displays of 50" and larger.

LCOS' calling card is ultrahigh resolution. A typical high-resolution LCOS panel comprises 1080 pixels x 1920 pixels, making it the first fixed-pixel imaging system capable of faithfully reproducing every detail in a 1080-line image (LCD and plasma HD panels typically "scale," or interpolate, 1080-line images in order to display them in the panels' 1024 actual lines). Additionally, among current technologies, LCOS is uniquely capable of upconverting a 1080-line interlaced image (1080i) for true progressive-scan display (1080p). Visible pixelization (known as "screen-door effect") is virtually eliminated at normal viewing distances with LCOS, because the cell structure of the panels features very little space between the individual pixels. And because the light passes through the liquid crystals twice on its way to the projection lens (once between lamp and mirror, and once more when reflected back toward the projection lens), LCOS improves upon the traditionally marginal contrast performance of LCD displays, while sharing LCD's imperviousness to burn-in.

Because they generate color in much the same way as DLP projection systems, single-chip LCOS systems can share DLP's problem of "rainbow effect" artifacts. Most viewers won't even notice this anomaly, but to those sensitive few who do, it can be a real distraction. Conversely, 3-chip LCOS systems avoid the rainbow effect, but rely on very precise calibration in the manufacturing process to accurately recombine the color components into a sharp, seamless on-screen image. Since such calibrations are inherently imperfect (if only to a miniscule degree), 3-chip systems may suffer very slightly in the sharpness category – but since the light is separated and recombined by a fixed prism system, periodic user calibrations to maintain convergence are unnecessary. As with traditional LCD technology, pure, inky blacks are a weakness of LCOS displays, — but as with LCD, recent refinements have improved LCOS' performance in this area.

Overall, LCOS earns its pervasive buzz as a technology that may be the heir apparent to CRT projection for large-screen TVs, both high-definition and standard-definition. Its many advantages are balanced by bulk (cabinet dimensions similar to DLP units — slimmer than CRT projection but not as sleek as LCD and plasma) and weight (several hundred pounds is not uncommon). But if you want to feel like you're "looking out a window" while viewing your big-screen HDTV, LCOS' ultrahigh resolution and virtually invisible pixelization may be your dream come true.


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