DLP Television: Hey, What About Me?
Posted by hdtv buying guide on April 1, 2009 under DLP HDTV, HDTV Buyer Guides | 
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When choosing a flat-panel television, many consumers consider only LCD or plasma. Both have their merits, but neither offers the picture or value of DLP-based high-definition televisions.
Developed by Texas Instruments, DLP (digital light processing) screens are composed of millions of tiny mirrors that reflect light and project it on a screen. The same technology is used for high-definition projectors, such as those used in both home theaters and full-scale movie theaters.
In movie theaters, DLP projectors often have three processors and bulbs, allowing trillions of colors in razor-sharp high-definition. Though home-based projectors and televisions can’t match that, the color spectrum is still far wider than any LCD or plasma offering.
DLP technology as an option in HD televisions got off to a slow start in the early 2000s due to a few nagging issues. The first was size — because the image needs to be projected from behind the screen, there has to be adequate room to do so. That made DLP sets deeper, though not as deep as a traditional tube TV.
The first generation of DLP televisions did take up considerably more space than other flat-panel models, but wall-mountable versions are now available. They’re still thicker, but only by a few inches. “Slimline” offerings from various manufacturers are typically between 12 and 15 inches deep.
The first DLP TVs also featured a single bulb as the light source, which reflected off the mirrors and through a color wheel. Though many companies are moving toward LED DLP technology, some models still have a single bulb. While it can be replaced, it’s sometimes costly. New LED technology lasts longer and eliminates the need for a color wheel.
Without the color wheel, the so-called “rainbow effect” is eliminated as well. In early DLP models, the color wheel didn’t quite move fast enough for some viewers, resulting in ghost-image-like rainbows on either side of the screen.
As technology advances, the early issues with DLP are disappearing. High-definition video game systems — like the Sony PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 — work flawlessly when connected with HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) cables, which eliminate the lag found with older, analog connections.
Consumers looking for a large-screen format (50 inches wide and above) would do well to consider DLP, especially if saving money is important.
The 61-inch Samsung HL61A750 LED DLP HDTV, for example, offers 1080p high-definition resolution and it costs less than the 52-inch Samsung LN52A650 LCD TV, with the same resolution.
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