Developed by Texas Instruments, DLP technology is used in theaters offering digital projection and in home TV projectors – the kind hung from the ceiling that projects imagery onto a screen. If you want to know how it works, click here. This article is about rear-projection DLP-based big screen TVs and why they should be considered in the face of tough competition from plasma and LCD TV.
Five years ago, a 65” DLP TV cost $3300, a 65” plasma cost $8,000, and a 65” LCD was not available on other than special order for very big money. Today, a 65” DLP TV costs $1200, and the same size LCD and plasma TVs costs about $2500.
While that is a significant price differential, the numbers are even more intriguing as the size increases. Current DLP prices for a 73” screen are $1300, for an 82” screen, $1600, and, for a 92” screen, $3400!
Compare those prices to the latest commercial offerings for big screen TVs from suppliers of plasma and LCD sets. Sharp makes a 70” LCD that sells for $3000. Panasonic makes 85” and 103” plasmas that sell for $20,000 and $70,000 respectively. If you visit the CES show, you will find companies such as LG and Samsung showing 100+” LCD TVs, but these are one-off units that are not available for sale to the general public.
From a price standpoint, DLP is the clear big screen choice for Joe Couchpotatato. Now let’s look at a few of the important pros and cons:
Pros:
1. No motion blur, unlike LCD
2. No worry about burn-in by leaving a static image on the screen, like plasma
3. Very sharp picture
4. 3D does not require expensive glasses
Cons:
1. Not flat panel, up to 25” deep for a 92” model
2. Off-angle viewing not as good as LCD or plasma
3. Lamp must be replaced every two years at a cost of $85 - $150.
Mitsubishi appears to be the only company producing DLP TVs for the American market, although models from Samsung, JVC, Toshiba and Sharp may still be on sale from some retailers. The underlying technology continues to be developed by Texas Instruments and its many partners, and, as the only core technology for projecting commercial digital movies, it should be around for a very long time. In other words, the risk of betting on the technology is very low.
In conclusion, if you want a big-screen TV today, a rear-projection DLP TV offers competitive viewing at the lowest price. Before choosing one, however, make sure you see it and are satisfied with the quality of the picture. In the Bay Area, check out stores like Anderson's, Best Buy, Costco, Fry’s, Sears, Walmart and Western Appliance. Since big screens take up a lot of shelf space, even the largest stores will not have a wide selection of models on display, so call first to ensure that the one you want to look at is being shown.
Note: Prices quoted in this article are the lowest that I could find via Internet search as of December 2011 and may not be what you will find in stores or other online sources.
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