LCD, DLP or Plasma? Oh my!
Now that you've made the decision to create a home theater room for the enjoyment of your family, you have some critical decisions to make. 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-def televisions available: plasma, LCD and DLP TV.
DLP
Let's begin with the least expensive, the DLP. DLP stands for Digital Light Processing, and is actually 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 choices, this technology can still deliver 1080p resolution - the highest currently available.
While DLP televisions are similar in weight to the other HDTV options, 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.
DLP users occasionally complain about annoying fan noise in some models, and since the technology is more "mechanical" than plasma and LCD, there is the possibility of a higher incidence of breakdowns. Projection televisions of any type also are burdened with poorer viewing angles than the direct view sets, and color resolution may not be as sharp.
LCD
Next on our list as we climb the price ladder: Liquid Crystal Diode televisions, also known as LCD.
LCD televisions utilize a pair of "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 certain degree of light always leaks through the gel, a true black screen is almost impossible for an LCD television to accomplish, but advances in LCD technology have put these TVs almost on par with plasma.
LCD originally entered the market in the field of computer monitors, because they were so much less bulky on desktops than the old CRT technology. 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 maintaining sharpness, 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
Built in a similar manner to 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 LCD is closing the gap, plasma TVs generally exhibit greater brightness and sharper contrast then their rivals - especially when dealing with very large screen dimensions. Plasma sets can be may measure under 5 inches, and have conveniently wide viewing angles.
The usable lifespan of a plasma TV is 60,000 hours - which would allow you to watch TV for 6 hours a day for 27 years. Plasma HD TVs can boast of contrast ratios of 30,000:1, a significant advantage over LCD or DLP. Although screen "burn-in" has been an issue in the past, advancing technology has reduced this potential drawback to a minimum.
How to Choose
As with nearly all facets of your long-awaited home entertainment project, in the long run the amount of money at your disposal will be the biggest factor in which television you ultimately choose. You would need to itemize the components you have to get, and prioritize it.
Audiophiles might opt to spend proportionately more funds on a hi-tech surround sound system; others might wish to turn over a larger portion of the budget to the architect. In any event, you can, be comfortable knowing that any of the choices open to you are huge improvements over to what was available even in the recent past.