Plasma, DLP or LCD? Oh my!
Plasma, LCD, or DLP? Oh my!
Now that you’ve made the decision to create a home theater room for the enjoyment of your family, there is a great deal of planning that needs to be done. The first of which revolves around the centerpiece of your new space: High Definition Television or HDTV.
Currently, there are three main types of High Definition Television or HDTV available: plasma, LCD and DLP.
DLP
Let’s begin with the least expensive, the DLP. DLP is an abbreviation for Digital Light Processing, and is in reality a rear projection TV. In DLP projectors, the image is created by a matrix of tiny mirrors, with each mirror representing one pixel on the screen. Though positioned at a lower price point than other hi-def options, this technology can still deliver 1080p resolution - the highest currently available.
While DLP televisions weigh approximately the same as the other hi-def choices, they are quite a bit thicker (about 15-20 inches) and are not designed to be wall-mounted as of yet, though that may change in the near future.
Other minor drawbacks include the possibility of audible fan noise in some models, and since the technology is more “mechanical” than plasma and LCD, there could be a risk of a higher incidence of breakdowns. Projection televisions of any type also are burdened with poorer viewing angles than the direct view types, and color resolution may not be as striking.
LCD
At a decidedly higher price point is the next type of set to consider: Liquid Crystal Diode televisions, also known as LCD.
LCD televisions feature two “polarized” panels that sandwich a thin liquid-crystal gel. That gel is divided into individual pixels, each of which can be darkened or lightened according to how much precise voltage is passed through it - the more voltage, the darker the pixel. Since a small amount of light always leaks through the gel, an absolutely black screen is difficult for an LCD television to accomplish, but advances in LCD technology have put these TVs nearly at the same level as plasma.
LCD computer monitors, because of their light weight and small footprint, quickly became the technology of choice in the industry. The smaller screen sizes created sharp LCD images, so small-screen TVs became LCD’s niche. But with recent technological advances screen size has expanded greatly while sustaining contrast, and the previously poor viewing angles have become on par with plasma televisions can offer. LCD is now a viable competitor to plasma televisions on the home entertainment field.
Plasma
Much like an LCD TV, in that a sandwich is created by two panels of glass, the material between the two panels is not a liquid gel, but rather a gas.
Though the gap is narrowing, plasma TVs generally exhibit greater brightness and sharper contrast then the competition - especially when dealing with very large screen dimensions. Plasma monitors can be as thin as 4 inches, and have conveniently wide viewing angles.
Plasma TVs can be expected to last as much as 60,000 hours - which is the equivalent of watching for 6 hours a day for 27 years. Plasma sets can boast of contrast ratios of 30,000:1, a significant advantage over less expensive hi-def televisions. Although screen “burn-in” has been an issue in the past, technological advances have reduced this potential drawback to a minimum.
How to Choose
As with every other aspect of your long-awaited home entertainment project, your decision will in the end be determined by the amount of money you choose to spend. You would need to identify the equipment and furniture you need to purchase, and prioritize it.
Consumers who value high fidelity sound may decide to spend more money on a hi-tech surround sound system; others might choose to turn over a greater percentage of the budget to the designer. But no matter which option you choose, be comfortable knowing that any of the choices open to you are far better than to what was available even a few years ago.
Frank Sarntarpia
Home Remodeling
High Definition Television or HDTV